Finding Harry

Chapter 11

Having entered the world of Christianity, it was now apparent that Cliff was more concerned with building himself up as a man, with finding more out about himself, about this God he had suddenly encountered. He no longer put such effort into the recording of his songs, or even into the choosing of his songs. He seemed to record just for the hell of it, rather than for the love of it. His music became engulfed in Christianity – all his songs were about Jesus, God and religion, and they were all rather bland. None had catchy tunes or wicked, funky rhythms, and many critics began to write him off as being 'dead' as an artist.

But Cliff didn't mind. In fact, he'd begun to think about throwing in his career completely. He had a new social group which consisted of Christians from all different spheres – some were teachers, some were accountants, some lawyers. They were average, normal people. And Cliff couldn't see how he was helping people through being an artist – Bill, on the other hand, was teaching – he was passing on religious values to the next generation. Cliff began to doubt the worthiness of his profession (the entertainment business, during the late 60s in particular, had become a place filled with sex, drugs and foul-mouthed yobs, and Cliff no longer felt he fitted in).

On speaking to him on a number of occasions, it was clear that Cliff was contemplating on turning it all in for a quiet life as a teacher, and there was nothing any of us could say that would stop him, he was so determined to do what he felt was the right thing to do.

But it all changed after a trip to a poverty stricken area in India. Cliff and Bill had attended as Christian missionaries, to see what was going on and to see if there was anything they could do to help. I'd gone along too, of course.

It was one of our last nights there, and we'd been taken to a tiny, dirty village in the south. There, we saw poor, dying, starving children, weak to the limbs, with straggled rags to cover their naked bodies. Cliff was touched. In the evening, all the Christian missionaries got together in a little hut to have a group meal. Conversation came up about the help they were giving, and Cliff mentioned that he wanted to give up his career in favour of teaching religion, or perhaps even for coming out to India and helping with the aid.

"Why's that?" asked one lady.

"I just don't feel that being in the industry is making a difference," he replied.

"Why would you want to come work out here?" asked another lady.

"I'd like to make a difference – to change people's lives."

"Can you give injections to dying children?" asked the first woman.

"...No..." he replied, hesitantly.

"Can you amputate septic, diseased limbs?" another asked.

"...No..." said Cliff.

"Then I'm afraid you're not wanted here. If I was you, I'd go back to where you came from and help raise money through being Cliff Richard so that we can."

A breath of silence as Cliff pondered, thoughtfully.

"I see where you're coming from..." he said. And then he smiled, "Yes – yes! That's it! I can continue recording, I can send out messages in my music... and I can use my public standing to increase awareness...I can give my money and raise funds to help the situation here..."

Another breath of silence.

"Every Christian has a different way, a different manner, of carrying out God's duties. We are all not the same. And, if you ask me, what you just described would be the best use of your talents to help promote our dying religion, and to help those unfortunate people that you've seen today." Said another missionary.

Bill then looked up at Cliff, "Yes Cliff, and besides, if you give up your position now, in a few years time you'll be a forgotten figure. With the standing you have, we can get extra publicity, and raise extra money for these causes. You'd be so much more of a use, and you'd make so much more of a difference through continuing to be Cliff Richard, than you would through being a nobody."

"Bill's right, Cliff," I added, "And besides, we've got to show the younger generations that Christianity is not just something that takes place in cold, damp, greying churches, and that Christians aren't just old, dowdy and balding priests and vicars. You can show the world that Christianity can be rock 'n' roll – it can be fun, funky and colourful. You could help prove so much."

One last silence, as we waited for our comments to settle in his thoughts.

"You're right, guys, you're all right," he said.

And that was the last he ever spoke of throwing it all in. When we returned to the UK, the headlines no longer read, "Cliff Richard: 'I Want To Be A Teacher' ", but they now read "Cliff Changes Mind – He's Staying In The Industry". It was settled, then. Cliff was to continue in the music industry, as a messenger of Christianity. And that's the way it would remain for the rest of his career.