Bachelor Boy

"Bachelor Boy" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows. It became a hit when it was released as the B-side of Richard's single "The Next Time". Both sides of the single were regarded as having chart potential so both sides were promoted and in many markets "Bachelor Boy" became the bigger hit. The single spent three weeks at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1963[1] and was a major hit internationally, excluding the US. Both sides of the single were included on the accompanying soundtrack album Summer Holiday. "Bachelor Boy" was written by Bruce Welch (from the Shadows) and Cliff Richard.

"Bachelor Boy"
Single by Cliff Richard and The Shadows
from the album Summer Holiday
A-side"The Next Time" [1]
ReleasedDecember 1962
Format7" single
Recorded16 November 1962, EMI Studios, London
GenrePop
Length2:02
LabelColumbia (EMI)
Songwriter(s)Bruce Welch, Cliff Richard[1]
Producer(s)Norrie Paramor[1]
Cliff Richard and The Shadows singles chronology
"It'll Be Me"
(1962)		 "Bachelor Boy"
(1962)		 "Summer Holiday"
(1963)

In the UK, the single was the first of three number 1 hit singles from Richard's musical film, Summer Holiday, the other two being "Summer Holiday" and "Foot Tapper".[1] The film was the most successful box-office attraction of the year.

The single was followed at number one by the Shadows' own single "Dance On!"[2]

The song is about some advice a father passes to his son, to "remain a bachelor boy until (his) dying day". Richard later commented when he wrote this song he "never expected it to be prophetic". While Richard has himself never married, the song itself does not rule out marriage, with the final verse stating "I'll get married, have a wife and a child... but until then I'll be a bachelor boy...".

Chart performance

The below table only includes countries where "Bachelor Boy" was listed separately on the chart, or where it was listed first when both were listed together on the chart. For a more complete list of countries where the single made the singles chart, refer to the article for "The Next Time".

Chart (1963) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 9
Canada (CHUM)[4][5] [*] 2
Denmark (Tracklisten)[6] 1
Hong Kong [7] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[9] 8
South Africa (SARMD)[10] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 2
UK (NME)[12] 3[*]
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 99

Notes:

  • * ^ In Canada, the week "Bachelor Boy" peaked at number 2, Richard's "Summer Holiday" was at number 1.[5]
  • * ^ In the UK, although the single peaked at number 1 in the Record Retailer singles chart that was later accepted as the retrospective official chart for the period, the competing NME singles chart listed the two tracks separately with "The Next Time" peaking at number 1 and "Bachelor Boy" peaking at number 3.

References
  1. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 68. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 145–6. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 (doc). Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  4. "CHUM Chart". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2018-06-09.|
  5. "CHUM Hit Parade 13 May 1963". chumtribute.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  6. "Denmark singles chart - Bachelor Boy". danskehitlister.dk. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  7. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (4 May 1963). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 28. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Cliff Richard – The Next Time / Bachelor Boy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  9. "Norwegiancharts.com – Cliff Richard – Bachelor Boy". VG-lista.
  10. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. courtesy South African Record Manufacturers and Distributors Association (30 March 1963). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 28. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. Johansson, Carl-Owe (1980). Rock Around the Clock - Saturday Night Fever 1955-1978 (doc). Vara, Sweden: Dominique muzic-club.
  12. Read, Mike; Lewry, Peter; Goodall, Nigel (1993). Cliff Richard - The Complete Chronicle. London: Hamlyn. p. 303. ISBN 0600578976. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  13. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Cliff Richard | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
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