The Shadows | Members, Songs, Music, & Facts | Britannica

About the Song

“Don’t Talk to Him” is a song by British singer Cliff Richard and his backing band The Shadows. It was released in November 1963 as the third single from Richard’s fifth studio album, Summer Holiday. The song was written by Bruce Welch and Hank Marvin, two members of The Shadows.

The song is a pop ballad about a young man who is warning a girl not to talk to his rival. The song’s lyrics are simple but effective, and the melody is catchy and memorable. Richard’s vocals are strong and passionate, and The Shadows provide excellent backing with their distinctive guitar sound.

“Don’t Talk to Him” was a commercial success. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Australia. The song was also a critical success, with many critics praising Richard’s vocals and The Shadows’ musicianship.

The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including:

  • The Beatles
  • The Rolling Stones
  • The Beach Boys
  • Roy Orbison
  • Elvis Presley

“Don’t Talk to Him” is a classic pop ballad that has stood the test of time. It is a song that is sure to continue to be enjoyed by listeners for many years to come.

Here are some additional details about the song:

  • The song was recorded in London, England.
  • The song was produced by Norrie Paramor.
  • The song’s B-side was “Do You Want to Dance”.
  • The song was a commercial success, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Australia.
  • The song has been covered by many artists, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys.

Here are some interesting facts about the song:

  • The song was originally written for Cliff Richard’s film Summer Holiday.
  • The song was inspired by the film’s plot, which features a love triangle.
  • The song was a major hit in the UK and Australia, and it helped to establish Cliff Richard as one of the most popular singers in the world.

The Shadows interview: 'Cliff Richard was always one of us'

Video

Lyrics: Don’t Talk to Him

If some guy tells you, I don’t careAnd tells you lies, while I’m not thereDon’t talk to him
And if he tells you, I’m untrueThen darling, here’s what you must doDon’t talk to him
And if he tells you, I’ve been seenWalking round with Sue and JeanHe’s lying again (lying again)
Do anything that you want toBut darling, this I beg of youDon’t talk to him
If you hear the words he has to sayHe’ll break your heartLet your love for me prove strongWhile we are far apart
So just remember what I sayAnd trust in me, while I’m awayFor I’ll be true
And just rememberMy true love is brighter than the moon aboveFor only you
And if this guy should try to sayMy love for you is only playMerely a whim (merely a whim)
Just close your eyes and count to tenThink of me againBut don’t you talk to him
And if he tells you, I’ve been seenWalking round with Sue and JeanHe’s lying again (lying again)
Do anything that you want toBut darling, this I beg of youDon’t talk to him
If you hear the words he has to sayHe’ll break your heartLet your love for me prove strongWhile we are far apart
So just remember what I sayTrust in me, while I’m awayFor I’ll be true
And just rememberMy true love is brighter than the moon aboveFor only you
And if this guy should try to sayMy love for your is only playMerely a whim (merely a whim)
Close your eyes, count to tenThink of me againBut don’t you talk to him

You Missed

SHE WAS A BRIDE AT FIFTEEN, A MOTHER AT SIXTEEN, AND THE FIRST WOMAN NASHVILLE EVER HAD TO CALL “ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR” — THEN SHE NAMED HER BABY AFTER THE BEST FRIEND SHE’D JUST BURIED, AND THAT BABY SPENT A LIFETIME MAKING SURE NEITHER VOICE WAS FORGOTTEN. Loretta Lynn came out of Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, with nothing but a coal miner’s last name and a voice that could pin a grown man to his chair. Married before she could drive. Four children by twenty-two. Then she wrote songs that scared Nashville half to death — about cheating husbands, birth control pills, and women who’d had enough. Sixteen number-ones. Presidential Medal of Freedom. The whole world calling her the Coal Miner’s Daughter. In 1963, her best friend Patsy Cline died in a plane crash. The next year, Loretta gave birth to twins. She named one of them Patsy. That little girl grew up backstage, between tour buses and honky-tonks. She formed The Lynns with her twin sister Peggy. Earned CMA nominations. Then she did something quieter and heavier — she stepped behind the glass and co-produced her mother’s final albums alongside Johnny Cash’s son. Loretta died October 4, 2022. That first birthday without her, Patsy woke up reaching for a phone call that wasn’t coming — her mama singing “Happy Birthday,” the way she always had. Does knowing Loretta named her daughter after a ghost she never stopped grieving make “I Fall to Pieces” feel like it belongs to both of them now?