'Congratulations' was a global hit as it became a much bigger hit than 'La, La, La', which beat Cliff in the 1968 Eurovision song contest. Shortly after 'Congratulations', which was one of his solo efforts, Cliff recorded his last single with The Shadows. Again in 1973, with 'Power to All Our Friends', he entered the Eurovision song contest--this time reaching 3rd place.
The most sold artist in British Pop history - with over 40 top hits.
Worked with Stock Aitken Waterman in 1989 and the single "I Just Don't Have The Heart".
Sixty appearances at Wembley, plus sellout tour to celebrate 50 years in the business.
First hit: Move It, 1958, first no. 1: Living Doll
As big as he is in the UK, he has only had 3 Top 10 hits in the USA with the biggest still being his breakthrough 1976 single "Devil Woman" which made it all the way to #6.
Has also worked with Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Julian Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Stevie Wonder, Phil Everly, Janet Jackson, Sheila Walsh, Van Morrison, and Olivia Newton-John.
I Cannot Give You My Love
Cliff Richard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That is something I could never do
I could never be the one to hurt you
I'm just trying to make the whole life through
You live inside me
You caused me sorrow
And I should forgive you everything
No matter how far you fly
And back again and back again
I cannot give you my love
And we are oceans apart
But I follow my heart
And there is nothing, nothing
That I would rather be
But I understand you
You got to be free
You and me
So fly away butterfly
Take it to your journey's end
You are here today and gone tomorrow
But I will always be your friend
Blessed are the souls who love each other
And I will never let the story die
And I vow to give you everything
I cannot give you my love
No matter how much you pray
Everything you say and do
Send me away
Always be in your world
For what your world is to you
To the moon and back and back again
(and back again and back again)
I cannot give you my love but I do
And though the oceans will roar
You will find me no more
There is no-one, no-one that I would rather see
But I understand you
So fly away butterfly
Fly away
To the moon and back and back again
(and back again and back again)
Fly Away
The song "I Cannot Give You My Love" by Cliff Richard is a poignant love ballad that speaks of unrequited love and the pain of letting go. The lyrics describe the singer's inability to return the affections of his beloved, despite his deepest desires to do so. He expresses his willingness to forgive and bless her, but acknowledges that he cannot force love where it does not exist.
The first stanza of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, as the singer admits to being unable to communicate his feelings effectively. He realizes that he cannot be the one to hurt his beloved and wishes to make it through life without causing her any pain. However, he also acknowledges the significance of her presence in his life, both in terms of joy and sorrow.
The second stanza further emphasizes the distance between the two lovers, as they are "oceans apart." Nonetheless, the singer chooses to follow his heart despite this separation. He accepts that his beloved needs freedom, and he cannot provide the love she desires. He encourages her to go on her journey and promises to always be her friend. The singer ends the song by wishing his beloved well and hoping that one day, they might find true happiness.
Overall, "I Cannot Give You My Love" is a beautiful and heart-wrenching song that speaks to the universal feelings of love, loss, and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I never seem to get the message
I struggle to fully understand the situation and your feelings
That is something I could never do
I realize that hurting you is not an option for me
I could never be the one to hurt you
I do not want to be the cause of any pain or sorrow for you
I'm just trying to make the whole life through
I am focused on experiencing everything that life has to offer
You live inside me
My love for you is always present within me
You caused me sorrow
Your actions may have caused me pain or sadness in the past
And I should forgive you everything
I want to let go of any negative feelings towards you and move forward
No matter how far you fly
Even if you embark on new adventures and explore the unknown
To the moon and back
Traveling a great distance
And back again and back again
Repeatedly going back and forth
I cannot give you my love
I am not able to give you the love you desire
And we are oceans apart
We are separated by great distance or differences
But I follow my heart
I make decisions based on my feelings and intuition
And there is nothing, nothing
There is nothing that holds more importance
That I would rather be
Than being true to myself and focusing on my own happiness
But I understand you
I empathize with your desire for freedom and independence
You got to be free
You need to be free to live your life on your own terms
You and me
Our relationship will always remain significant to me
So fly away butterfly
Go ahead and pursue your dreams like a butterfly spreading its wings
Take it to your journey's end
Follow your path wherever it may lead you
You are here today and gone tomorrow
Our time together may be fleeting and temporary
But I will always be your friend
I will always cherish our connection and remain supportive of you
Blessed are the souls who love each other
It is a true blessing to share a special love with someone
And I will never let the story die
I will always hold on to the memories and significance of our time together
And I vow to give you everything
I promise to dedicate myself to giving you all that I can
No matter how much you pray
Despite any amount of longing or wishing
Everything you say and do
Your actions and words may impact our relationship and my feelings
Send me away
They may cause me to pull away or become distant
Always be in your world
I will always hold a special place in your heart and life
For what your world is to you
Because I understand the significance of our relationship to you
To the moon and back and back again
Even if we travel great distances away from each other
(and back again and back again)
Even if we repeat this pattern many times over
I cannot give you my love but I do
While I am not able to give you what you may want from me, I still care for you deeply
And though the oceans will roar
Even if there are great obstacles or challenges that arise
You will find me no more
You may not see me or have me in your life the way you desire
There is no-one, no-one that I would rather see
Nevertheless, there is no one else I would rather be a part of your life than me
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@victoriamuehle165
Greetings Sir Cliff! Thank u. Free yourself from worry-and do ur best-He has promised to do the rest! Blessings.
@valsanderson2030
Thank you Sir Cliff for over 60 years of many happy memories and great songs. Love you xx
@glorialobigas1742
Lovely song, lovely voice, lovely singer whose b-day is today. God bless you Sir Cliff & more blessings!
@jazzmean37
Sir Cliff Richard sings with such emotion, he made a believer out of me; don't give your heart to someone unless you know they will give you theirs in return. Great song, lyrics, and music arrangement, I loved it! Thank you, for the upload. Stay safe, God bless...
@beatricepeter995
My British Idol...
Good to remember this :
"Blessed are the souls who love " each other
@viviennegatt4267
My favourite singer since I myself was a lot younger I am from Malta
@marianeal3164
Brilliant Cliff ❤ you'll always be my idol ❤🌹
@martinamoylan8218
Lovely song Cliff been A fan for long time Love your music may God bless you always Keep safe &,well Sir
Cliff thank you
@SueBSydneyAu
So handsome, and such a beautiful voice.
Can't believe he turns 80 in October!
Love you Cliff! ❤️❤️❤️
@stevenwills6931
One of his best ballads - simply beautiful