"
We Don't Talk Anymore" is a song recorded by
Cliff Richard, written by
Alan Tarney and produced by
the Shadows' rhythm guitarist,
Bruce Welch. It was released in 1979 as a single and reached number one in the
UK Singles Chart in August 1979, remaining there for four weeks, Richard's tenth UK number one and his first since "
Congratulations" in 1968.
Tarney wrote the song in 1979, planning to use it on an album with the
Tarney/Spencer Band. However, Tarney played a demo of the song to Welch during a break in recording sessions for
Where to Now by
Charlie Dore (which the two were producing). Welch instantly knew it was going to be a hit and phoned up Richard's manager Peter Gormley, as he believed "there was only one person who could record it — Cliff Richard". It was then quickly recorded in May 1979 at
RG Jones Recording Studios in
Wimbledon.
It was released as a stop-gap single between the albums
Green Light and
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. However, it wasn't meant to be included on
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile, as Richard didn't think it was appropriate for "an energy packed album of progressive rock 'n' roll". However, record label
EMI were insistent on including it after it became a massive hit and Richard reluctantly conceded. Due to the single's success, Tarney was brought in to produce Richard's next two albums
I'm No Hero and
Wired for Sound and has said that "'We Don't Talk Anymore' should really have been on
I'm No Hero".
The single release featured the B-side "Count Me Out", which was written by
Terry Britten and Welch and was taken from
Green Light. In several European countries a 12-inch single was released, featuring an extended slightly remixed version of the song that runs to seven minutes long. This version has never been released on CD. The US release of the single features an edited version of "We Don't Talk Anymore", which fades over half a minute early.
In December 1990, a remixed version of "We Don't Talk Anymore" was released as a single in continental Europe and in Australasia in November 1991. Taken from the live album
From a Distance: The Event, it was remixed by Ian Curnow and
Phil Harding at the
PWL Studios The single failed to chart.
One of the record-breaking statistics often cited about Richard is his achievement of number one hit singles in five consecutive decades. This single is significant in being his only number one hit of the 1970s.
The single sold over 4 million copies worldwide, topping the charts in the UK, Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland. The song spent 4 weeks atop the Irish Singles Chart in September 1979. The song was certified Gold in both the UK and West Germany.
During the single's run at the Number 1 position on the UK Singles Chart,
Norrie Paramor, Richard's original producer who guided his early career in the late 1950s and 1960s, died on 9 September 1979.
The song was the
sixth video aired on MTV on its launch on 1 August 1981.
Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore