"Throw Down a Line"
Cover of the single released in the Netherlands
Single by Cliff Richard and Hank Marvin
B-side"Reflections"
Released5 September 1969 (1969-09-05)
Recorded2 May 1969[1]
StudioEMI Studios, London
GenrePop rock
Length2:49
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Hank Marvin
Producer(s)Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"Early in the Morning"
(1969) 		"Throw Down a Line"
(1969) 		"With the Eyes of a Child"
(1969)
Hank Marvin singles chronology
"Sacha"
(1969) 		"Throw Down a Line"
(1969) 		"The Joy of Living"
(1970)

"Throw Down a Line" is a song by Cliff Richard and Hank Marvin, released as a single in September 1969. It peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Background and release

"Throw Down a Line" was written by Hank Marvin, guitarist for the Shadows, who had temporarily split up. He recalled that he wrote it "with Jimi Hendrix in mind. I had a Vox drum box – all I could get out of it was 'gong-CLOCK-gong-CLOCK'. Anyway, I couldn't get it to Hendrix. Mickie Most took it to Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart. Then Cliff heard an acetate and said 'Why didn't you play it to me first?'".[3] The Jeff Beck Group did record a version of "Throw Down the Line" in February 1969, but it wasn't included on the band's album Beck-Ola as Most didn't think it would be a hit. It remained unreleased until its inclusion as a bonus track on the 2004 reissue of Beck-Ola.[4]

Richard and Marvin recorded their version in May 1969, with Richard singing the lead vocals, Marvin singing the vocal harmonies and playing guitar and it was backed by the Mike Vickers Orchestra. It was released as a single with the B-side "Reflections", which was performed only by Richard and was written by Richard and Keith Craddock.[5]

Reception

Reviewing for Record Mirror, Peter Jones wrote "there's a strongly bluesy-soul, earnest -yearning sort of feel to it, and Cliff really tackles this "different" kind of song with immense style and verve. Excellent lyrics – kindly listen closely. And a lot of good guitar".[6] For New Musical Express, Derek Johnson described the song as "very bluesy and moody" and wrote that "the lyric is intense, almost bitter – and Cliff handles it with greater emotion and sensitivity than I've ever heard him employ before".[7]

Track listing

  1. "Throw Down a Line" – 2:49
  2. "Reflections" – 2:56

Charts

Chart (1969) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 58
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 12
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] 22
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 8
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)[12] 62
New Zealand (Listener)[13] 15
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[14] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[2] 7

References

  1. ^ "Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  3. ^ Stanley, Bob (17 September 2009). "Cliff Richard – why we've got him all wrong". the Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  4. ^ Beck-Ola (booklet). EMI. 2004. 7243 5 78751 2 7.
  5. ^ "Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  6. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 6 September 1969. p. 9. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Top Singles" (PDF). New Musical Express. 6 November 1969. p. 6. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  9. ^ "Cliff & Hank – Throw Down a Line" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. ^ "Cliff & Hank – Throw Down a Line" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Throw Down a Line". Irish Singles Chart.
  12. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968–2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 978-4-87131-088-8.
  13. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  14. ^ "SA Charts 1969–March 1989". Retrieved 10 August 2021.
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