Cliff Richard – We Don’t Talk Anymore (Germany 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1979

NEW 2024 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Originally posted January 11, 2013

“We Don’t Talk Anymore” is a song recorded by Cliff Richard, written by Alan Tarney, and produced by the Shadows’ rhythm guitarist, Bruce Welch. It was released in 1979 as a single and reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 1979, remaining there for four weeks, Richard’s tenth UK number one and his first since “Congratulations” in 1968.

Tarney wrote the song in 1979, planning to use it on an album with the Tarney/Spencer Band. However, Tarney played a demo of the song to Welch during a break in recording sessions for Where to Now by Charlie Dore (which the two were producing). Welch instantly knew it was going to be a hit and phoned up Richard’s manager Peter Gormley, as he believed “there was only one person who could record it — Cliff Richard”. It was then quickly recorded in May 1979 at RG Jones Recording Studios in Wimbledon.

It was released as a stop-gap single between the albums Green Light and Rock ‘n’ Roll Juvenile. However, it wasn’t meant to be included on Rock ‘n’ Roll Juvenile, as Richard didn’t think it was appropriate for “an energy-packed album of progressive rock ‘n’ roll”. However, record label EMI were insistent on including it after it became a massive hit and Richard reluctantly conceded. Due to the single’s success, Tarney was brought in to produce Richard’s next two albums I’m No Hero and Wired for Sound, and has said that “‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ should have been on I’m No Hero”.

The single release featured the B-side “Count Me Out” written by Terry Britten and Welch and taken from Green Light. In several European countries, a 12-inch single was released, featuring an extended slightly remixed version of the song that runs to seven minutes long. This version has never been released on CD. The US release of the single features an edited version of “We Don’t Talk Anymore”, which fades over half a minute early.

In December 1990, a remixed version of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” was released as a single in continental Europe and in Australasia in November 1991. Taken from the live album From a Distance: The Event, it was remixed by Ian Curnow and Phil Harding at the PWL Studios. The single failed to chart.

Coming just before his 39th birthday, and just when it was announced that he was to receive the OBE for services to music, the record cemented his comeback, which continued well into the 1980s and 1990s. The single was his biggest worldwide seller; it was number one in Germany for five weeks (his only English-language German chart-topper, though he had two German-language number ones there in the 1960s), and reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the United States. The fact that its chart run extended beyond the end of 1979 meant Richard became the first act to reach the Hot 100’s top 40 in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The single sold over 4 million copies worldwide, topping the charts in the UK, Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland. The song spent 4 weeks atop the Irish Singles Chart in September 1979. The song was certified Gold in both the UK and West Germany.

During the single’s run at the Number 1 position on the UK Singles Chart, Norrie Paramor, Richard’s original producer who guided his early career in the late 1950s and 1960s, died on 9 September 1979.

The song was the sixth video aired on MTV on its launch on 1 August 1981.

SIDE A:
We Don’t Talk Anymore (Long Version) 6:54
Written-By – Tarney*

SIDE B:
Count Me Out 4:13
Written-By – WelchBritten

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1979 We Don’t Talk Anymore U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #7
1979 We Don’t Talk Anymore U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks #5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – 1C 052-07 076 YZ
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Germany
Released: 1979
Genre: Rock
Style: Disco, Pop Rock

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Made in Germany

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


Password: burningtheground

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Muff Diver
Muff Diver
July 18, 2024 12:31 pm

This is a real blast from the past. I was in junior high when this came out!
Thanks, Paul.

Queertone
Queertone
July 17, 2024 6:08 pm

Thank you for the Classico disco!

Grant
Grant
July 15, 2024 1:08 pm

Oh, I love this song and never knew it was Cliff Richard! Great write-up too, really enjoyed the backstory. I love it that Van Morrison brought Cliff in to sing harmonies on his later hit “Whenever God Shines His Light.”

DJ XREY
DJ XREY
July 13, 2024 3:21 pm

Thanks for re-posting this Paul. Does anyone recall his big 1976 song “Devil Woman” that was a US top 10 hit? That really needed an extended version it was so cool.

Jeff
Jeff
Reply to  DJ XREY
July 13, 2024 5:50 pm

I love “Devil Woman” so much, DJ XREY! I too wish there was a 12-inch mix.

Jeff

Retro Hound
Retro Hound
July 13, 2024 7:31 am

I’m with Jeff on this one. I love the smooth AM radio sound! Really takes me back to that time when you’d hear all the smooth sounds of Cliff Richard, Air Supply, Robbie Dupree, America, etc. The great thing about that time was that ALL diverse acts would be in on the sound of the day. For example, Kool & The Gang’s massive hit Celebration had a similar production to this one. It really brought people together IMHO. At any rate, thank you for this new pristine transfer Paul!! Have a fantastic weekend, and you too Jeff, Martika, DJ XREY… Read more »

Marco
Marco
July 13, 2024 7:01 am

I always thought this mix was exclusive in some way as I don’t remember seeing it anywhere else. I’m glad you remastered this record again as i missed this original rip back in 2013.

Thanks Paul 🙂

jacob
jacob
July 12, 2024 3:49 pm

Wow! Paul, I did not think you could make your previous transfer sound any better oh my goodness this new transfer sounds amazing. Thank you so much. Sending you a donation right now your work should not go unnoticed.

Erik
Erik
July 12, 2024 12:44 pm

I learned of Cliff beacuse of MTV’s 1st Hours & the mV being played

now I get to hear it in great detail from one of the best a vinyl rips/transfers

Jeff
Jeff
July 12, 2024 12:28 pm

This post certainly surprised (and delighted me), Paul!! It was an AM radio favorite of mine. I always turned the song up on my transistor radio back in the day. This is an example of, what I’d like to call “comfort music.” Songs I grew up with as a kid. I am psyched that you are giving us a 12-inch version of the tune. I can now expect to hear the “FM radio version,” if you will, in glorious stereo, as opposed to the monaural short seven-inch version of my pre-pubescent youth!! I am ready to Disco down this weekend!!… Read more »

Martika
Martika
Reply to  DjPaulT
July 15, 2024 12:45 pm

Indeed one of those guilty pleasures. Another one is Spanish Harlem.

DJ XREY
DJ XREY
Reply to  Jeff
July 13, 2024 3:14 pm

The US 7″ on EMI-America was in stereo, but shorter than the album/video version. It ran 3:40 and the international singles were 4:11. Also the US 12″ was promo only.

Jeff
Jeff
Reply to  DJ XREY
July 13, 2024 5:52 pm

You’re so great with this trivia, DJ XREY! This stuff is always fascinating to me.

Jeff

Daniel
Daniel
July 12, 2024 12:21 pm

Thank you Paul. I always liked this song. It’s good to get you meticulous remaster. Have a great weekend!