In the Country (song)

"In the Country"
Cover of the single released in the Netherlands
Single by Cliff Richard and the Shadows
from the album Cinderella
B-side	"Finders Keepers"
Released	2 December 1966 (1966-12-02)
Recorded	16 November 1966[1]
Studio	EMI Studios, London
Genre	Pop beat
Length	2:38
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Hank Marvin Bruce Welch Brian Bennett John Rostill
Producer(s)	Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard and the Shadows singles chronology
"Time Drags By" (1966) "In the Country" (1966) "It's All Over" (1967)

"In the Country" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in December 1966. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Release and reception

"In the Country" was written by all four members of the Shadows and was included on the pantomime cast album Cinderella. The single was released with the B-side "Finders Keepers", which was the title track from the group's previous soundtrack album.[1]

Reviewed in Disc, "In the Country" was described as "so hideously catchy everyone will be bouncing off the walls to it, whether they want to or not".[3] Peter Jones for Record Mirror wrote that it was "a very strong song" with "the Shads contributing the vocal wordlessness behind Cliff, who fair swings through a rather typical show tune. Has strong grow-on-you appeal".[4]

Track listing

1. "In the Country" – 2:38
2. "Finders Keepers" – 2:36

Personnel

• Cliff Richard – vocals
• Hank Marvin – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• John Rostill – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Brian Bennett – drums

Charts

Chart (1967)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set)[5]	8
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6]	10
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[7]	12
Germany (GfK)[8]	35
Ireland (IRMA)[9]	10
Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[10]	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11]	12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12]	14
New Zealand (Listener)[13]	3
Norway (VG-lista)[14]	7
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15]	12
UK Singles (OCC)[2]	6

Cover versions

British indie-pop band The Farmer's Boys had a minor UK hit with a cover version of "In the Country" in the summer of 1984.

References

1. "Cliff Richard Song Database - Song Details". www.cliffrichardsongs.com. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
2. "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
3. "Penny spins the discs" (PDF). Disc. 10 December 1966. p. 19. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
4. "New Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 10 December 1966. p. 9. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
5. "Go-Set Australian charts - 8 March 1967". gosetcharts.com. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
6. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
7. "danskehitlister.dk". 16 April 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
8. "Cliff Richard & the Shadows – In the Country" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – In the Country". Irish Singles Chart.
10. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 25 February 1967. p. 62. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Cliff Richard & the Shadows" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
12. "Cliff Richard & the Shadows – In the Country" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
13. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
14. "Cliff Richard & the Shadows – In the Country". VG-lista.
15. Johansson, Carl-Owe (1980). Rock Around the Clock - Saturday Night Fever 1955-1978. Vara, Sweden: Dominique muzic-club.