1959 Cliff Richard & The Shadows: Travellin' Light

'Travellin' Light' marks a shift in direction for Cliff and The Shadows (name now changed from the litigation bothering 'Drifters'). There's no attempt to emulate anything approximating a rock and roll song and instead Hank Marvin picks out a simple yet mournful country blues refrain on an acoustic guitar in a style that recalls Jimmy Rogers hitching a ride on a train to the next good time - Cliff too is on his way to see the woman he loves and he's carrying nothing that will slow him down. It's a slight song though no less heartfelt for that, yet it would have exuded a whole lot more charm had producer Norrie Paramor not drenched Cliff's vocal in a from a bottom of the well echo. Whatever target was aimed for, it missed and the needless reverb breaks up the intimacy like a klaxon at a eulogy. And that's a shame.