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Last update: 03/06/18

“When I started out, they accused me of being a sex maniac, and then, when that didn’t stick, they turned to the gay thing. Now I find it rather fun. You know, I’m an enigma”. When I looked that word up I thought, “I like this!” They don’t understand me, and long may it reign. I don’t intend to talk about everything in my life and and your’re naïve if you think that when I’m asked questions I’m going to give all the answers that you want to hear. There will be things that I take to the grave with me”.

The gospel therefore, according to Cliff Richard, expressed in an interview in 2003 and a cri de coeur that will outlast his religious convictions.

Born Harry Webb, he has been a musical icon for five decades. When he burst onto the music scene in 1958, his raw teenage energy was a breath of fresh air, establishing him as Europe’s first authentic rock ‘n’ roll star.

50 years and a staggering 250 million record sales later, Cliff continues to delight his fans with new music and spectacular live performances. According to the designers of his official website, it is impossible to think of any British entertainer who has spanned the years and the generations and had more hits all over the world than this unique and much loved man. Nevertheless, amidst incessant media speculation about his private life and thoughts the impression holds firm of a man whose artistry and persona polarises opinion.

In his 2009 autobiography he describes the time he was famously seduced by Carol Costa, the estranged wife of Jet Harris, a member of his backing group, The Shadows. “I was surprised but not unhappy to be seduced”, he writes , but stresses that “sex is not one of the things that drives me”. In 1996, he flatly denied he was gay. “I’m aware of the rumours, but I’m not gay.”

Sir Cliff, a poster boy for the Christian faith, also defends his decision to remain a bachelor in the book, titled My Life, My Way._ “People often make the mistake of thinking that only marriage equals happiness,”_ he writes.

“I may suddenly meet someone and feel differently, but right now I am not sure marriage would enhance my happiness. As for my sexuality, I am sick to death of the media’s speculation about it. What business is it of anyone else’s what any of us are as individuals? I don’t think my fans would care either way.”

He calls on the Church of England to update its views on same-sex marriages, arguing that all judgements on sexuality should be left to God. “I think the Church must come round and see people as they are now. Gone are the days when we assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: ‘This is my partner; we are committed to each other’, then I don’t care what their sexuality is. I’m not going to judge; I’ll leave that to God.”

Steve Turner, who wrote a biography of Sir Cliff in 1993, said: “Of all the people I’ve interviewed, from David Bowie to The Beatles, he’s the one most people ask me about. With Cliff, there’s always that element of uncertainty and puzzlement, because there’s something unresolved about his image.”

So who is Cliff Richard and what do our views on him say about ourselves? Well he’s been a star for nigh on fifty four years and he’s not about to press the self destruct button in the interests of revelatory confessionals. I am no position to comment on his sexual orientation because I have no divine right to and I do not formerly represent any religious following. In any event I am not particularly interested although his reasons for remaining obtuse on the subject raise key questions about society in general. What I have suspected for years is that he follows a creed that would make millions around the world extremely uncomfortable if he were to verbally ‘shoot straight from the hip’; in fact his whole attitude towards what is essentially a rather perfunctory act in the animal kingdom would make many question their near obsessive pursuit of it.

Today, the sex industry is a $57+ billion world wide annual business concern. There are more strip clubs in the United States than any other nation in the world with over 3,829 adult cabarets nationwide, employing over 500,000 people.

Source : http://crossculturalconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/sex_stats.pdf\ : http://crossculturalconnections.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/sex_stats.pdf

Mediated sex is a prevalent attribute of most forms of public entertainment. Sexual scenarios permeate fictional and factual storytelling across all the major media—books, cinema, magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and now the Internet. Although media sex undoubtedly draws attention from media consumers and is a source of titillation and enjoyment, there are concerns about the nature of many mediated sexual portrayals and the social lessons they might teach. The main concerns are that sexual portrayals cause offense or embarrassment to people, encourage young people to become sexually active before they are ready, undermine social values and moral standards, and in extreme cases cultivate socially dangerous attitudes and behaviors. There is growing concern about the increased availability of highly explicit sexual content, especially via the Internet. Even the mainstream media have been challenged for progressively pushing back the boundaries in terms of what they will publish. Non pornographic magazines that contain multiple images of naked young woman are openly sold in retail outlets, and mainstream movies and television programs increasingly depict full-frontal nudity and explicit, albeit simulated, scenes of sexual intercourse. Non explicit portrayals of sex have given rise to concern because of the lessons they can allegedly teach about sexual relationships and the contexts in which such intimacy occurs. Sexual promiscuity and infidelity are frequently featured and could affect media consumers’ ideas about the acceptability of such practices. The risks associated with promiscuous behavior, from contracting sexual transmitted diseases to unwanted pregnancy, are seldom considered. In more explicit pornographic materials, there are worries about the prevalence of degrading representations of women. Women are depicted as willing and submissive participants in sex acts that are driven and controlled by the needs of men, thus symbolically legitimizing sexual violence. The presence of graphic sexual content on the Internet has further exacerbated public concerns about mediated sex because of the ease with which such content can be accessed, especially by children. All these issues and concerns have been addressed by an extensive and growing body of research.

What remains abundantly clear is that the retailing of pornographic sites solely on a “pay per view” basis would massively dilute the worldwide public’s interest in such surfing activities. Free titillation is one thing but parting with hard earned cash is another and cybersex rejection is only one course of action practiced by millions.

Adults who choose to pursue sexual abstinence for reasons other than birth control or avoiding STDs may be motivated by one or more key factors:

1. Waiting for the right person to be sexually active with.
2. Mourning the loss of a significant other
3. A focus on work or education
4. A recovery from illness.
5. A moral or religious principle.

In Cliff Richard’s case, factors 3 and 5 weigh heavily in the overall picture whilst 1 is an obvious corrolary of the other two. Nevertheless I believe there are other subtleties involved. Distancing ourselves from the natural curiosity and desire for experimentation amongst the young, a man has two essential choices in interpreting a woman’s interest in him. She will take him to her bed either because of an uncontrollable physical attraction, or because the granting of such favours is inextricably linked to a “conditional expectation”. A combination of the two factors is also perfectly feasible although the relative “weighting” given to both elements depends greatly on the man’s train of thought. For all his career motivated self absorption, Cliff is possibly astute enough to give greater importance to the second whilst most men are uncomfortable with any notion but the former. Where women and the subject of male relationships are concerned, the inexplicable aspect to their naturally greater intelligence is the fact that carte blanche, they choose to believe their physical asquiescence, in the chosen partner’s mind, will always by default, override any disconcerting aspects to their personality and historically suspect moral values. In the case of a high profile personality such as Pop’s “Peter Pan,” millions of women would naturally recognise their inability to get to even third base with him in the relationship stakes. Since his conversion to Christianity in 1966, Cliff will have considered the necessary qualities in a suitable partner and in turn, their expectation of him. As with Royal family protocol, he has been able to initiate the vetting of possible partners whilst millions of ordinary people rely on honesty and openness. In the final analysis, if sexual relations is the bargaining chip Cliff Richard has conceivably chosen to vacate the gambling table. Of course the notion of any man committed to a celibate life, especially a prominent star from the world of entertainment, is a difficult concept for millions; a cursory glance at the many threads about him prompting the usual “he’s as bent as a nine bob note” comments. Not for once has he sought to explain his position without offending the many loyal female followers he has had for decades. He has said that whilst he does not anticipate ever getting married, he is not celibate in the strict meaning of the word.

‘Celibacy is a way of life, a vow. I have never vowed to be celibate so I don’t feel celibate’.

‘If I wanted to get married tomorrow and have kids I could do it, instantly.

‘But now I don’t think in terms of marriage any more. I don’t think I’ll get married but I can’t discount the possibility, though.’

It was a 1993 “South Bank Show” that first made apparent the reasons for his continuing bachelorhood, namely that he enjoys his life the way it is, free of the constraints and commitments related to a full time relationship. Loneliness as an issue is resolved with a live in male companion and family connections alone, including many nephews and neices, ensure a busy household. Ultimately, when he needs to interact with adoring throngs, he continues to tour, appearing in performance before thousands, an experience like so many performers, he has discovered vastly exceeds carnal relations with a woman. There is a risk involved of alienating his audience were he perhaps to be so frank and he may be uncomfortable with the realisation he has come to. Maintaining an open mind to marriage pacifies both his internal psyche and his audience, but in reality any notion of making such a betrothal to a woman was permanently parked as early as his mid forties. I recall his comments about ‘girlfriend’ Sue Barker in the early 80’s, and his aversion to disclosing his whereabouts when questioned. It’s all there for anyone prepared to read between the lines. As a committed christian, he has balanced his role in the secular world with the teachings of God and remains actively involved in many worthy causes but on a more superficial level the great love affair of his life is his career and it is this subject that perhaps now perplexes him as he moves into old age.

Britain’s answer to Elvis Presley, Cliff (born Harry Webb) dominated the pre-Beatles British pop scene in the late ’50s and early ’60s. An accomplished singer with a genuine feel for the music, Richard’s artistic legacy is nonetheless meagre, as he was quickly steered toward a middle-of-the-road pop direction. Several of his late-‘50s recordings, however, were genuinely exciting Presley-esque rockers especially his first hit, “Move It” (1958) and gave British teenagers their first taste of genuine homegrown rock & roll talent. Backed by the Shadows clean-cut instrumental virtuosos who became legends of their own Richard embarked on a truly awesome string of hit singles in Britain, scoring no less than 43 Top 20 hits between 1958 and 1969.

In his homeland, Richard’s popularity was diminished only slightly by the rise of The Beatles, but in his prime, he had a much rougher time in the U.S.A, hitting the Top 40 only three times (with “Living Doll” in 1959, “It’s All in the Game” in 1963, and “Devil Woman” in 1976). Richard belatedly cracked the U.S. Top Ten in 1976 with “Devil Woman,” and racked up a few other hits (“We Don’t Talk Anymore,” “Dreaming,” “A Little in Love”) in a mainstream pop/rock style. He remains an institution in Britain, where he is one of the nation’s most popular all round entertainers of all time.

Commenting on the rise of The Beatles, Cliff was moved to say : “they wrote the most brilliant songs , played them in the way they played and just took off in such a way that none of us could think of catching up. The world’s media kind of disregarded the rest of us after that. I must admit we felt left out for quite a while.”

Bob Stanley contributed a useful summation of Cliff’s career in the Guardian (2009) and mentions his near obsessive focus on his artistic legacy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/17/cliff-richard-bob-stanley\

For me personally he was a wholesome entertainer recording films and TV Shows I watched, albums I rarely purchased (“Green Light” (1978) and “Rock and Roll Juvenile\” (1979) being obvious exceptions)and some form of evangelical do-gooder whose pontifications irritated me beyond belief whenever news reached me via the airwaves of the demise of yet another rock star hell bent on a hedonistic lifestyle. From today’s perspective as a much older man, I feel less antagonistic about him although for me, his true contribution to 20th century popular culture remains peripheral at best.

The singer has fought a losing battle to get onto radio playlists for the past three decades and his records have been banned with great regularity. BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 have both declared themselves a Cliff-free zone in the past and in 2011 Absolute Radio, a new station devoted to “cool” 60’s music also turned its back on him. He received a degree of vocal support at the time, most noticeably from Roger Daltrey, lead singer with The Who, but it was Kiki Dee, a stablemate of Cliff’s at Elton John’s Rocket Records in the 70’s who perhaps offered the most insightful commentary on his lack of airplay.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Cliff Richard. You’ve got to give it to the guy – a hit single in every decade since he started.”

“But I’m surprised he cares that much. I’m still working and I’m not anything like as big an artist as he is but if I tried to get a plug and someone didn’t want to play it, I would say, ‘their loss’.”

However he does care about this negativity and now, well into his sixth decade he’s acutely aware that posterity will accord him no favours in the credibility stakes. He isn’t a songwriter but he’s been an important interpreter of songs and after a period of chronic indifference to recording has applied himself more diligently to the process since the mid 70’s. In addition, he has devoted time to extensive breathing exercises to both extend his range and strengthen his falsetto.

In 1998 he sent out a heavily remixed dance version of his single, “Can’t Keep This Feeling In”, to 240 radio stations, under the name ‘Blacknight’. The disc, which had a ‘white label’ to suggest that Blacknight had not yet been signed to a major record company was well received.

He compiled the pseudonym from his producer’s name Clive Black, and the fact that he is a knight of the realm. The plan worked and he now had proof that so called trendsetting DJs had a playlist policy of ignoring his songs.

The subterfuge still backfired on him though as radio stations both admitted he had made a valid point but that equally, they would not change their policy on his music.

http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/cliff-richard-the-moral-annihilation-of-a-celebrity/15626#.VyKBRUwrLIU

Beginning in August 2014, Pop’s Peter Pan would face the closest scrutiny imaginable when South Yorkshire Police raided his £3.5m Berkshire mansion, an event broadcast live on the BBC after the authorities confirmed details of the investigation to the corporation. A subsequent and damning report by independent investigator and former chief constable Andy Trotter concluded that the Police were wrong to confirm details of the investigation to the BBC. As the raid was beamed round the world via a camera crew filming from a helicopter, I was struck by the sheer vulgarity of an act that would compel the star – who was not in the UK at the time – to ultimately sell his last British bolt-hole* the following spring.

*‘Bolt-hole’ – a ​place where you can ​hide, ​especially to ​escape from other ​people, and I am using this descriptive noun in the context of the man’s fame, and nothing else.

The following two website links are indicative of the very disturbing British psyche that will largely condemn a man before confirmation of his guilt is made public knowledge.

http://www.theduckshoot.com/is-cliff-richard-a-paedophile/

https://thecolemanexperience.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/cliff-richards-biggest-secret/

Even more disconcerting is a blurred perception of the key issues among internet trolls, and a rapidly dwindling demarcation line between homosexuality and paedophilia; two activities that – to my mind at least – are uniquely distinct. In the case of the former, his reluctance to confirm or deny his sexual orientation will have antagonized millions, but curiously only those of a homosexual persuasion. A wall of silence may reflect an over zealous preoccupation with personal privacy, or an innate unease with such behaviour. Ultimately, unless he has transgressed with minors, it is none of our business.

Here is a man who has enjoyed international success for nearly sixty years – despite US indifference – has been subjected to conjecture and innuendo about his private life, and in the normal course of events for any individual well into his eighth decade, has buried numerous family members and friends along the way. So what if he persistently frets about inconsequentialities – his musical significance in the wider rock pantheon, his appearance, etc – any source of irritation he may provide for millions of non-believers is not a valid reason for indulging in a personal crusade against him. Personally, I believe in his innocence whilst equally accepting that – in view of the proliferation of celebrities from my childhood years now doing time – I need him to be. Frankly, there’s only so much anyone of a certain age can take. If I am ultimately compelled to remove him from my website, then so be it. In the meantime, let all these amateur judges and jurors find an alternative activity more worthy of their time. In the final analysis, he may be a broken man by the time his innocence is confirmed. Whatever your musical taste, surely no-one is deserving of that.