A Friend for Life

"A Friend for Life"
Single by Steve Harley
from the album The Quality of Mercy
B-side "Safe (Live)", "Loretta's Tale (Live)"
Released 30 April 2001
Format CD
Genre Pop, Rock
Length 4:45
Label Intrinsic Records
Pinnacle Records (distribution only)
Writer(s) Jim Cregan, Steve Harley
Producer(s) Jim Cregan
Steve Harley singles chronology
"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (re-issue)"
(1995)		 "A Friend for Life"
(2001)		 "The Last Goodbye"
(2006)

"A Friend for Life" is a single by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley in 2001.[1] It was Harley's first release with new material since the 1996 album Poetic Justice. The single was firstly released as a non-album single, although the same version of the song would appear on the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel 2005 studio album The Quality of Mercy.[2]

Background

"A Friend for Life" was written by Harley and Cockney Rebel's ex-guitarist Jim Cregan, where both musicians were credited with the writing of the music, whilst the lyrics were credited solely to Harley. The song would be produced solely by Cregan,[3] although on The Quality of Mercy album, the song would have production credits to both Harley and Cregan.[4] The single peaked at #125 in the UK and lasted a total of four weeks in the Top 200 around May 2001.[5]

The song was created when Harley visited Cregan's home in Los Angeles. In 2015 Harley recalled: "I was in Los Angeles, staying at Jim's (then) house. We wrote most days and that tune came from one lazy afternoon's messing about. I wrote the entire lyric on the flight home."

The song was recorded at friend and songwriter Mike Batt's house, who would arrange and conduct the song's strings quartet whilst also playing keyboards. The recording inspired Batt to record extensively at his home and most of Katie Melua's recordings have been made there. As Harley and the other personnel were happy with the finished recording, no changes were required when it came to adding the song onto The Quality of Mercy album. Additionally, the CD single was mastered by Doug Shearer at Sanctuary Mastering in London.[6]

In December 2003, Cregan was interviewed by Graham Edmundson, with "A Friend for Life" being mentioned. Cregan revealed "We did "A Friend For Life" together which was a real change for me because suddenly instead of Steve being the producer I was. I thought, "this could be strange" because he had always been the man in charge. Was he going to let go of the reins? How hard was that going to be? But it was fine - he obviously put his two cents in. We have a couple of other songs which haven't been fully recorded yet."[7]

In August 2013, Harley played at the Rewind Festival 2013 and was interviewed after his slot in the show. When asked "Talking of the songs that they didn't know, going into your back catalogue, what would you say would be the hidden gem that very few would have heard of but you would encourage us to go and listen to?" Harley replied "Oh that's a good question. A hidden gem? There's a song called "A Friend for Life", which I sang today. It touches people of a certain age. A lot of my audience are grandparents, 50s and 60s. It touches them."[8]

Release

The single was released on CD in the UK only, via Intrinsic Records, whilst Pinnacle Records handled distribution throughout the UK. It was licensed to Intrinsic Records by Harley's own Comeppance Ltd.[6][9]

The single featured two extra Harley-penned tracks - "Safe" and "Loretta's Tale" - both of which were live tracks, recorded live at The Blomsbury Theatre in London during the spring of 2000.[3] "Safe" was originally recorded for the 1996 album Poetic Justice, whilst "Loretta's Tale" was originally found on the Cockney Rebel band's 1973 debut album The Human Menagerie.[10][11]

Following the song's release as a single and on The Quality of Mercy album, the song has also appeared on the 2006 EMI three-disc box-set release The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology.[12]

Promotion

No music video was created for the single, however the song has become a regular feature of Harley's live set. On YouTube, various unofficial privately recorded videos of Harley and his band performing the song live in recent years have surfaced.[13]

In 2002, the song was included on the live album, Acoustic and Pure Live, which featured Cregan and other guests.[14] In 2004, another live version of the song was included on the live album Anytime! (A Live Set).[15]

The song's live performance at the Isle of Wight festival in 2004 was released on the DVD Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel: Live at The Isle of Wight Festival, which was released on 30 May 2005.[16] The song was performed live at the Glastonbury Festival in 2005, and eFestivals writer Karen Morrison reviewed the band's setlist and performance, where she mentioned the song, stating "'A Friend For Life' soothes the night air before Steve explains how the following song was sung back to him last time he was here and wherever he has been ever since."[17]

On 8 January 2011, Harley performed the song with his band and an Orchestra live at the Herre Avdelingen, NRK Marienlyst Oslo, in Norway. The performance was professionally filmed, along with "Sebastian" and "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)". Since April 2011, the performance has gained over 33,000 views on YouTube.[18]

Harley performed the song as a bonus session track for the BBC Radio 2 Bob Harris show and Old Grey Whistle Test 40. It was broadcast on 25 September 2011.[19] On 11 June 2012, this performance of the song appeared on the BBC box-set compilation The Old Grey Whistle Test Live. This compilation of archived performances featured a third disc of new sessions recorded in 2011, which included "A Friend for Life".[20][21]

Track listing

CD Single
  1. "The Last Goodbye" - 4:45
  2. "Safe (Live)" - 4:08
  3. "Loretta's Tale (Live)" - 6:35

Critical reception

Record Collector reviewer Nick Dalton spoke of the song in a Christmas 2005 review of The Quality of Mercy album. He stated "The band stretches out of the confines of simple rock instrumentation with sawing violin and classical piano, while Jim Cregan, guitarist during the "Make Me Smile" heyday, adds a delicate solo on the reflective "A Friend for Life," one of three tracks he's co-written."[22]

The Sunday Express reviewed the album on 9 October 2005 and stated "A genuine Seventies pop maverick, Harley has evolved into a highly-literate and intimate balladeer. "The Coast of Amalfi," and "A Friend for Life" are elegant if care-worn gems."[23]

In November 2005, Carol Clerk of Classic Rock magazine reviewed the album, and stated "Baring his soul in public for the first time, Steve Harley has produced what might just be his best album to date. "The Quality of Mercy" is brimful of songs that are intensely personal and sometimes harrowing but, musically, very approachable. Here, Harley surveys his reality as a middle-aged father hoping his 25-year marriage will survive the empty-nest crisis. Still, the bright up-tempos of "The Last Goodbye" and the lovely, gentle melodies that carry "Journey's End (A Father's Promise)" and "A Friend for Life" offset the deep anxieties at the heart of the lyrics."[24]

In a negative review of the album from Nick Hasted of Uncut magazine in the November 2005 issue, Hasted wrote "The acerbic swagger of Harley's real Rebel years is absent on this set with his rechristened road band. Harley's concerns now are adult: fathers and sons, nostalgia and ennui, presented with the self-importance of an adolescent, minus the energy. "A Friend for Life" retains some brutal Cockney bite about married stasis, and "The Coast of Amalfi"'s dope reverie is artful. Otherwise, ignore."[25]

Peter Makowski of Classic Rock magazine positively reviewed the Anytime! (A Live Set) album, and stated "Here 'live and unplugged' the former Cockney Rebel takes us through a tour of all the hits and more. But it's the lesser-known material like the emotive "Friend For Life" that makes Harley sound fresh and edgy, like a latter day Libertine."[26]

On 26 May 2008, a live convert review of the band at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall by the Liverpool Echo stated "His penultimate song was A Friend For Life – one of his most beautiful heart-felt ballads."[27]

In a Belgian concert review of Harley at the Sportpaleis Merksem on 11 December 2010, Concertnews.be wrote "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel first performed in the Arena during the Golden Years. Three guitarists, one bassist, one violinist, one backing vocal, one keyboardist and a drummer provided a plush sound. Steve Harley himself put much feeling in his voice as in a very weathered version of "A Friend for Life" where a flute player made it even more richer."[28]

Chart performance

Chart (2001) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart (The Official Charts Company)[5] 125

Personnel

A Friend for Life

Safe (Live)

Loretta's Tale (Live)

Other

References

  1. ↑ "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel A Friend For Life UK 5" Cd Single TOYCD1009 A Friend For Life Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel 5018766994193 991 217775". 991.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  2. ↑ "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - The Quality Of Mercy (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "CD Single - Steve Harley - A Friend For Life / Safe - Intrinsic - UK - TOY CD1009". 45worlds.com. 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  4. ↑ http://www.allcdcovers.com/download/5ee1ee1f7a9d29a3c437934be81a1863/44312/bd53c1d59796425f01e08cc38ab8cfc0/51d31c04/steve_harley_cockney_rebel_the_quality_of_mercy_2005_retail_cd-back
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Chart Log UK: H & Claire- Hysterix". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://images.45worlds.com/steve-harley-safe-intrinsic-cs.jpg
  7. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/Interviews/Cregan03.htm
  8. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6O6gbzhIIY
  9. ↑ "Friend for Life: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  10. ↑ "Steve Harley - Poetic Justice (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  11. ↑ "Cockney Rebel - The Human Menagerie at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  12. ↑ "Steve Harley - The Cockney Rebel - A Steve Harley Anthology (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  13. ↑ "steve harley a friend for life". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  14. ↑ "Official Steve Harley Website UK - Acoustic and Pure LIVE (2002)". Steveharley.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  15. ↑ "Anytime - Steve Harley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 2005-02-15. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  16. ↑ "Steve Harley: Live - in Concert [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Steve Harley: Film & TV". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  17. ↑ "Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel". eFestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  18. ↑ "A Friend For Life - Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel". YouTube. 2011-04-26. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  19. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 - Bob Harris Sunday, The Bible in Session, Steve Harley - Whistle Test 40 session track". Bbc.co.uk. 2011-09-25. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  20. ↑ "The Old Grey Whistle Test Live: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  21. ↑ "The Old Grey Whistle Test Live - Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 2012-06-11. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  22. ↑ "The Quality Of Mercy - Record Collector Xmas 2005". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  23. ↑ "The Quality Of Mercy - Express Review". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  24. ↑ "The Quality Of Mercy - Classic Rock Review". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  25. ↑ "The Quality Of Mercy - Uncut Review". Harleyfanzone.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  26. ↑ "Classic Rock » The Archive » June 2005 » Page 90 » THE STEVE HARLEY BAND Anytime (A Live Set)". Archive.classicrockmagazine.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  27. ↑ "Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Philharmonic Hall - liverpoolecho Administrator". Liverpool Echo. 2008-05-26. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  28. ↑ "Recensie en foto’s The Golden Years met oa Steve Harley en Cockney Rebel, Smokie, The Sweet, The Hollies, ea Sportpaleis Merksem". Concertnews.be. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 2013-07-10.