Live/Living Songs: Living Doll

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Oh, will today’s song cause a little controversy. In today’s terms, it sounds like imprisonment; however, remember this was back in the days of “innocent” rock and roll, not the terrible things we think of now. So enjoy this trip to the past as we celebrate songs with “live” or “living” in the title. Living Doll - Cliff Richard More clarification: the record label had this as “Cliff Richard and the Drifters.” NO, not the “Up on the Roof” Drifters. In fact, they shortly thereafter changed their names to the Shadows to avoid the confusion. Now, for the line about locking his “living doll” in a trunk, take it in the context of a toy, NOT “gonna stuff my woman in a box and keep her there.” I’m sure this would be banned these days, but in 1959 it was just a fun song. (We aren’t talking Steve Miller’s “I’m gonna get me a whip, I’m gonna teach you to skip, and you’ll learn to dig it, baby” here.) And, for you trivia buffs, this was one of the earliest hits by a British singer in the rock era. (Vera Lynn had topped the US popular charts with “Auf Wiederseh’n, Sweetheart” in 1952, so Cliff Richard was hardly the first.) In America, Cliff Richard is probably best remembered for his 1976 hit “Devil Woman” (which was a great song to roller skate to!), but in England, he’s Sir Cliff Richard, knighted for his long career in music. Living Doll Written by Lionel Bart Recorded by Cliff Richard Released as a single, 1959 Got to do my best to please her: