Carrie (Cliff Richard song)

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"The strength of the song comes from the fact that you're never quite sure what it's about. You don't know whether Carrie is homeless or whether she's squatting or what. You don't know whether Cliff, as the narrator, is the husband, boyfriend, lover, brother or father. Nowhere does the song say what the relationship with Carrie is. It's very mysterious and musically it falls in the same groove as 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'". [4]

Recording and release

The backing track was recorded between 7 and 12 January 1979 at the EMI Pathé-Marconi Studios in Paris and the vocals were later recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London on 2 February. The recording engineers were Tony Clark and Haydn Bendall. [2]

"Carrie" was released in the majority of territories with the B-side "Moving In", which was written and produced by Richard. It was first released as a single in the Netherlands and Germany at the beginning of December 1979, before being released in Australia on 12 December with the B-side "Walking in the Light", written by Britten. [1] [5] "Carrie" was later re-released in Australia in March 1980 with "Moving In" as the B-side. [6] In the UK, the single was released on 18 January 1980. [2]

The single release of "Carrie" is an edit of the album version and also actually runs slightly faster. [7] However, the album version was released on the original Australian single and the US and Canadian single. The latter was also released with a different B-side, "Language of Love", also written by Britten and Robertson, in February 1980. [8]

Reception

Reviewing for Record Mirror , Simon Ludgate gave it 'Single of the Week', writing that "it's astounding, the hits keep rolling off 'Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile', from which this is taken. To be producing high-pop songs like this after 25 years in the Biz is extraordinary", adding that Richard's "delivery is immaculate and his timing superb. You can't ignore a classic popstar: credit must be given". [9]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Dave Thompson described the song as "a deliberately sinister and enthrallingly atmospheric number, revolving around the search for a mysteriously missing friend ("Carrie had a date with her own kind of fate")" and that "in other hands, such lines as "you're just another message on a payphone wall" and "the young wear their freedom like cheap perfume" could sound trite. Richard imbibes them with both pertinence and importance, while the emotion in his voice colors even the title. [10]

Track listing

7": EMI / EMI 5006

  1. "Carrie" – 3:28
  2. "Moving In" – 3:26

7": EMI / EMI-168 (Australia)

  1. "Carrie" – 3:42
  2. "Walking in the Light" – 3:08

7": EMI / 8035 (US and Canada)

  1. "Carrie" – 3:42
  2. "Language of Love" – 4:39

Personnel

Charts and certifications

"Carrie"
Carrie (Cliff Richard single cover).jpg
Cover sleeve of the UK release
Single by Cliff Richard
from the album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
B-side
  • "Moving In"
  • "Language of Love" (US release)
Released1 December 1979 (1979-12-01) [1]
Recorded7–12 January & 2 February 1979 [2]
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 3:28 (edit)
  • 3:42 (album version)
Label EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Terry Britten
  • Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"Hot Shot"
(1979)
"Carrie"
(1979)
"Dreamin'"
(1980)
Cliff Richard (US/Europe/Australia)singles chronology
"We Don't Talk Anymore"
(1979)
"Carrie"
(1979)
"Dreamin'"
(1980)

Cover versions

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References

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