For the generation brought up with TV in the 1980s and 1990s, Cilla Black is best known as the effervescent hostess of “Blind Date” and “Surprise, Surprise”. For those who were around in the 1960s and early 1970s, Cilla Black is synonymous with chart hits and multi million selling records. To this end EMI released a 5 CD and Bonus DVD Box Set,“Completely Cilla; 1963-1973”, on 23rd April ahead of her 50th Anniversary in showbusiness, which takes place next year!!

I fell in love with “all things Liverpool” in 1971, when I began watching the TV sitcom “The Liverbirds”. However it was the “Cilla Black Show” that cemented this passion for Scousers – as an eight year old, I was in love with “Our Cilla”. I thought she was gorgeous with her cheeky impishness!! Cilla Black always opened her TV show with the song “Something Tells Me, Something Is Going To Happen Tonight”, which is a song I still love to this day.

Cilla Black may not have a technically perfect vocal style ( what do you expect with that guttural Scouse accent!! ), but what she lacked in technique, she more than made up for with passion and energy!! She was famously “discovered” by Brian Epstein, when she was a cloakroom attendant at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, but the reality is that the Beatles championed her to their manager!! The rest, as they say is history. Brian Epstein introduced Cilla Black to George Martin who signed her to Parlophone Records and produced her debut single, “Love of the Loved”, written by Lennon and McCartney. The single peaked on the outskirts of the charts at No35.

Cilla Black’s second single, released at the beginning of 1964, was a cover of the Burt Bacharach / Hal David song “Anyone Who Had A Heart”, which had originally been written for Dionne Warwick. The single was a huge No1 in the UK, selling 800,000 copies. Cilla’s second UK No1 quickly followed with “You’re My World”. This early success put Cilla Black into an elite club of British female singers – Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Lulu and Petula Clark, all of whom were regularly seen on UK TV in the 1960s and early 1970s with their own TV Shows. Although not singer-songwriters, these four female artists possessed fantastic vocal ranges and are up there with the very best singers of the second half of the 20th Century.

So to celebrate Cilla Black’s 50th Anniversary in showbusiness, albeit a year prematurely, here is a Top 5 Best Cilla Black Songs –

Top 5 Best Cilla Black Songs

1)  Anyone Who Had A Heart

2)  Something Tells Me

3)  Alfie

4) You’re My World

5)  Conversations

 

Celebrate Cilla Black’s 50th Anniversary a year early, by immortalising her in your own home or workplace / office, by ordering your favourite vinyl record or CD; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. ORDER NOW by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party, a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For all other Cilla Black memorabilia, merchandise and news……. www.cillablack.com/