The poignant central clarinet melody of Acker Bilk’s 1961 masterpiece Stranger on the Shore retains the power to bring a lump to the throat - and even coax out a tear or two - 64 years after its initial release.
Its eternal allure was first demonstrated when it unexpectedly topped the US chart back in 1962, and stayed within the British charts (where it peaked at #2) for a whopping 55 weeks.
