Mr. Soft

"Mr. Soft"
German cover of "Mr. Soft"
Single by Cockney Rebel
from the album The Psychomodo
B-side	"Such a Dream"
Released	26 July 1974 March 1988 (re-issue)
Format	7"
Genre	Glam rock
Length	3:17
Label	EMI Records
Writer(s)	Steve Harley
Producer(s)	Steve Harley, Alan Parsons
Cockney Rebel singles chronology
"Psychomodo" (1974) "Mr. Soft" (1974) "Tumbling Down" (1974)
Alternative Cover 1988 UK re-issue

"Mr. Soft" is a song by British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. The song was released as a single in 1974 from the band's second studio album The Psychomodo.^[1] It became the band's second hit single in the UK, following on from the Top 5 success of "Judy Teen". "Mr. Soft" was written by Harley and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons.^[2]

Background

Although not the album's lead single, "Mr. Soft" was the first UK single release from the album. The album's title track "Psychomodo" had been released on 17 May 1974 but was quickly withdrawn from sale, and therefore did not chart. "Mr. Soft" soon followed in July, and peaked at #8 in the UK, lasting within the Top 100 for nine weeks in total.^[3] The song was not a charting success in many of the European countries it was released in, however it did also reach #16 in Ireland.^[4] "Mr. Soft" was the final single to be released by Cockney Rebel as they split during the song's chart run - in August 1974. Harley later formed the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel band, a new line-up, and continued to record and perform live.^[5][6]

The backing vocals for the song were performed by the Mike Sammes Singers, who also contributed vocals on other tracks on The Psychomodo album. In the booklet for compilation album Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974, Harley recalled: "The Mike Sammes Singers, practically resident on the BBC Light Programme, came in to sing backing vocals, all those "boom-boom-boom, boom"s and bassy "mmmmms"s on Mr Soft."^[7]

In 2012, the four disc definitive anthology Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 was released, combining the two Cockney Rebel albums The Human Menagerie and The Psychomodo, as well as two discs of demo and live versions. On the release, an alternate version of "Mr. Soft" appeared on disc three, and a live version from a John Peel Session on disc four.^[8]

The English alternative rock band Elbow called themselves "Mr Soft" during the early 1990s. In a 2013 interview with Harley for the Birmingham Post, this influence was mentioned within the topic of modern day influences. Harley revealed, "I kind of secretly hear and imagine the possibility that I might be an influence, and my wife will see it, but, I don't want to go there and find out that they've never heard of me! I don't need that kudos. I'm a great fatalist. Elbow's first group name was Mr Soft, and I've spoken quite a lot to Guy Garvey about it. It's nice. But mostly you don't want to think about it."^[9]

Trebor Softmints advert

Between 1987 and 1994 the song was used for a successful TV advert of Trebor Softmints. The advert version was not the original song, but one with lyrics relating directly to the advert, and was re-recorded by unknown persons instead.

Initially Harley was approached on the idea of reworking the lyrics of the song, to which Harley decided to give permission for the advert creators to do so. The lyrics ended up being re-written by Malcolm Green. The creators also expressed interest in Harley recording the vocal for the advert, however Harley felt unhappy about this, and decided to allow a sound-a-like vocalist to be used instead. Ironically much of the public believed Harley to be singing anyway.^[10] The use of the song led to EMI re-releasing the song on 7" vinyl in the UK during March 1988, however it was not a commercial success. The English rock band Oasis released a single in 1994 titled "Shakermaker" and the lyrics reference the "Mr. Soft" character based on the song and the advert.

The lyrics were rewritten accordingly:
Mr. Soft, won't tell you why the world in which you're living is so strange?
Oh, Mr. Soft, how come everything around you is so soft and rearranged?

Release

The single was released in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and Japan in March 1974, via 7" vinyl through EMI Records.^[11] A UK promotional demo copy/DJ copy of the single was also released, which simply highlighted "Demo Records - Not for Resale" as the only difference from the main release.^[12]

The majority of editions of the single featured the b-side "Such a Dream" which was written by Harley and produced by both Harley and Parsons as well. The b-side was exclusive to the single, and would later be included on a number of CD releases including the 2006 remastered three-disc box-set compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology and the Cockney Rebel Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 from 2012.^[13] Before that it did appear as one of two bonus tracks on the 1991 Japanese CD issue of The Psychomodo album. The album was also released in the UK on CD the following year and also featured the song as a bonus track.^[14][15] The single editions for Belgium and the Netherlands featured a different B-Side; "Crazy Raver" - an album track from the band's 1973 debut The Human Menagerie.^[16][17] The Yugoslavian release featured "Judy Teen" as the B-Side.^[18]

All releases of "Mr. Soft", except in the UK and Ireland, included artwork, a full colour picture sleeve, which featured differing photographs of the band. The German and Spanish sleeves featured close-up photographs of Harley instead. The German, Spanish and Yugoslavian sleeves used the same photograph as on The Psychomodo album.^[19] Following the original release as a single, the song has appeared on the majority of Steve Harley/Cockney Rebel compilations.^[20]

The 1988 re-issue single of the song featured a sleeve with artwork highlighting Harley, and was issued under the artist title of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. The B-Side "Mad, Mad Moonlight" was taken from the 1975 album The Best Years of Our Lives. This version though starts off with an unlisted track called "Introducing the Best Years" which surges into "Mad, Mad Moonlight", as the two tracks were connected on the original album.^[21]

Promotion

The song has consistently been part of Harley's set-list when performing live, remaining a popular part of the band's performances. Over the years numerous differences have been made to the song to alter the overall sound of the song. For example, in 1980 Harley introduced a Reggae-version of the song on his UK Christmas tour.^[22] Various live versions of the song have appeared on a number of official releases as a result. Versions appeared on the 1977 album Face to Face: A Live Recording 1999 album Stripped to the Bare Bones, the 2001 album Unplugged and the 2004 live acoustic album Anytime! (A Live Set).^[23][24][25] The 1974 John Peel Session appeared on the 1995 album Live at the BBC.^[26]

A professionally filmed live performance at Camden Palace in 1984 for the "Live from London" VHS release included the song, which was later issued on two different DVD versions.^[27][28] In 1989, a live performance of the song was professionally filmed during the band's come back "All is Forgiven" tour. The performance was released on 20 October 1989 as a VHS, titled "Steve Harley + Cockney Rebel: The Live".^[29] In 1989, a live performance of the song was professionally filmed during the band's come back "All is Forgiven" tour. The performance was released on 20 October 1989 as a VHS, titled "Steve Harley + Cockney Rebel: The Live".^[30] This VHS was later released on DVD, but before that many different releases of the concert have been issued on CD. Recorded at the Isle of Wight festival in 2004, "Mr. Soft" was included on the 2005 DVD release Live at The Isle of Wight Festival.^[31] On 24 November 2012, Harley performed live at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. The band, with the orchestra and chamber choir, made up about 50 performers together, and the band's first two albums were performed in their entirety - with some of the songs entirely new to the stage. "Mr. Soft" was performed, and this live version appears on the CD album, and DVD release Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir).^[32] Classic Rock magazine writer Geoff Barton reviewed the album and noted "The eclectic glam rock of 70s chart-busters "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" is reproduced with stunning accuracy."^[33]

On 14 April 1975, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel performed the song as part of their set at the Hammersmith Odeon, and this concert was filmed and released as two films in cinemas; Between the Lines and Star Fighter.^[34]

The band appeared on the BBC show Top of the Pops to perform the song.^[35] In the Netherlands the band also performed the song on the TopPop show, and this consisted of the new Cockney Rebel line-up.^[36] In 1982-83, Harley appeared solo on the Channel 4 show Gastank, hosted by former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman and performed with the house band a slower, revised version of the song.^[37] Beforehand, Wakeman and Harley had worked together when Harley performed vocals for the song "No Name" on Wakeman's 1981 album 1984.^[38] He also performed this song with Wakeman at the Hammersmith Odeon that same year.^[39]

Track listing

7" Single

1. "Mr. Soft" - 3:17
2. "Spaced Out" - 5:04

7" Single (Belgium and the Netherlands release)

1. "Mr. Soft" - 3:17
2. "Crazy Raver" - 3:43

7" Single (Yugoslavia release)

1. "Mr. Soft" - 3:17
2. "Judy Teen" - 3:45

7" Single (1988 UK re-issue)

1. "Mr. Soft" - 3:17
2. "Mad, Mad Moonlight" - 5:37

Chart performance

Critical reception

Dave Thompson of Allmusic highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track from The Psychomodo. He noted "The Human Menagerie" drew wild reviews and curious sales, but it existed as a cult album even after "Judy Teen" swung out of nowhere to give the band a hit single in spring 1974. Then "Mr Soft" rode his bloodied big top themes into town and Rebelmania erupted."^[40]

In a N.M.E. magazine issue of June 1974, Charles Shaar Murray reviewed the album, and observed "Most of "Psychomodo" is disposable. But on the first side, "Mr Soft" succeeds primarily on the strength of the arrangement, a kind of modified Brechtian cabaret vamp of the kind that Bowie tackled on "Time". What makes this one work is a '50s doo-wop backing vocal which maintains interest for most of the track's three minutes and 17 seconds." In the Record Mirror magazine of 1 June 1974, an album review described the song as "plain loony".^[41]

Carol Clerk of Classic Rock Magazine reviewed The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology compilation, and noted "Sebastian" was a brave first single with its choral and orchestral dramas, and while it flopped in Britain it was a success in Europe. Later favourites such as "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" were exquisitely crafted and arranged, and determinedly eccentric to boot."^[42] Chris Roberts of Uncut Magazine, for the same compilation, wrote "Harley's ever-changing band slid perfectly into the post-Ziggy/Roxy slipstream, all mannered English vocals, florid lyrics and sexual-theatrical rock. Tricksy hits like "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" (riddled with inventive sonic punctuation, also violins) displayed arch wit."^[43] Reviewer George Starostin labelled Mr. Soft as the second best song on The Psychomodo album. He added "The album's second best track, the music-hall gloomy goofiness of "Mr Soft" is the closest Cockney Rebel ever came to perfectly capturing the tongue-in-cheek we're-so-Britty-Brit atmosphere of one of their major influences, the Kinks. Of course, the lyrics are nowhere near close to Ray Davies, and the Kinks probably could not have thought of beginning the sarcastic organ solo with a quote from the can-can dance, but it's still an admirably Kinks-like effort (not to mention better than anything the Kinks were actually doing at that time)."^[44]

Thompson also reviewed the Live at the BBC album for Allmusic, and spoke of the song's 1974 live performance as part of the John Peel Session. He stated "In 1974, Harley sung with the desperation of a man clinging by his fingertips to the last shreds of decency and sanity, while crazed violins curdled his blood and fairground melodies haunted his daydreams. Rearranged with brutal simplicity, the "Psychomodo" material is vastly different than the album versions: a little slower and moodier, but also madder - a battle for supremacy between voice and tortured strings, with Harley's lyrics reborn with harsh new meaning. Even "Mr. Soft," so familiar as the band's latest hit when the session was broadcast, is treated with chilling disregard for its popularity. Its hooks are dragged obscenely out of shape; its friendly quirkiness replaced by skulking insanity - Harley even overhauls the little yips and ooh-la-las that punctuated the verses. Mr. Soft is suddenly very hard indeed."^[26]

In a 1977 review for Sounds magazine of the Face to Face: A Live Recording album by Geoff Barton, the version of the song was described as "mildly funky/suddenly rocking".^[45] George Starostin also spoke of this live version, noting "There's a lot of paranoia in Steve's shaking, quivering voice, but that's a given, and much too often, he just gives out improvisational variations on his vocal melodies. So "Mr Soft" gets this extra soulful tinge, with the subtle cockneyified delivery of old mostly replaced by whimpering, plaintive intonations - so it's an interesting take anyway. And besides, it makes it easy for him to effectuate the smooth transition into "Sebastian", which is whimpering and plaintive par excellence."^[44]

Personnel

• Steve Harley - lead vocals
• John Crocker - electric violin, guitar
• Paul Jeffreys - Fender bass
• Milton Reame-James - keyboards
• Stuart Elliott - drums, percussion
• Mike Sammes Singers - backing vocals
• Producer - Steve Harley, Alan Parsons
• Writer - Steve Harley

References