Mr. Soft

By the time "Judy Teen" successfully broke Cockney Rebel in the UK charts in May 1974, the band had already finished recording their second album The Psychomodo. During May, EMI released the title track, "Psychomodo", as the album's lead single, however it was quickly withdrawn in the UK as "Judy Teen" continued to climb the charts. The Psychomodo was released in June, and once "Judy Teen" dropped out of the UK Top 50, "Mr. Soft" was released in late July. The song proved to be another success, peaking at No. 8 and remaining in the charts for nine weeks.[3] It also reached No. 16 in Ireland.[4]

From May to July 1974, Cockney Rebel embarked on a major British tour.[5] As it progressed, the band faced growing tensions, which ultimately led to the band's split in late July. On 18 July, the band received a 'Gold Award' for outstanding new act of 1974, and a week later they had split up over their disagreements.[6] By the time "Mr. Soft" was released, Cockney Rebel had already disbanded, leaving Harley to assemble a new line-up by the end of the year.

On "Mr. Soft", the backing vocals were performed by the Mike Sammes Singers, who also contributed vocals on other tracks on The Psychomodo album. In 2012, 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]

The English alternative rock band Elbow called themselves "Mr Soft" during the early 1990s. Speaking the Birmingham Post in 2013, Harley mentioned the band and their name:

"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."[8]

"Mr Soft" was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and Japan.[15] A UK promotional demo/DJ copy was also issued by EMI.[16] The majority of editions featured the B-side "Such a Dream", which was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Parsons. It had previously appeared as B-side on the "Psychomodo" single. It later appeared as a bonus track on the 1991 Japanese and 1992 UK CD issues of The Psychomodo.[17][18] It would also appear on the 2006 compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology and Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974.[19] For its release in Belgium and the Netherlands, a different B-side, "Crazy Raver", was used, which was an album track from the band's 1973 debut The Human Menagerie.[20][21] The Yugoslavian release featured "Judy Teen" as the B-side.[22]

All releases of "Mr. Soft", except in the UK and Ireland, came with colour picture sleeves, which each featured a different photograph of the band. The German, Spanish and Yugoslavian sleeves used photograph from The Psychomodo,[23] although the former two zoomed in to show only Harley. Following its original release as a single, and on The Psychomodo, the song has appeared on the majority of Steve Harley/Cockney Rebel compilations.[24]

The 1988 re-issue of "Mr. Soft" was released under the artist title of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. The B-side, "Mad, Mad Moonlight", was taken from their 1975 album The Best Years of Our Lives, and included the preceding short album track "Introducing the Best Years" at the beginning. The single featured a colour picture sleeve with a close-up photograph of Harley.[25] On the 2012 compilation Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974, an alternate mix of "Mr. Soft" appeared on disc three.[26]

The song was performed twice on the UK music show Top of the Pops. As Cockney Rebel had disbanded before its release, Harley had to quickly form an impromptu band to perform on the show Top of the Pops. For the 15 August performance, Harley appeared with original Cockney Rebel drummer Stuart Elliott, the new Cockney Rebel guitarist Jim Cregan and bassist George Ford, and Francis Monkman on keyboards. For the 22 August performance, Ford was replaced by Herbie Flowers and Monkman was replaced by B. A. Robertson.[27] For the band's concerts at Aylesbury Friars on 24 August and Reading Festival on 25 August, the Harley/Elliott/Cregan/Ford/Monkman line-up was re-established. Soon afterwards, Monkman would be replaced by keyboardist Duncan Mackay, completing the new permanent line-up, which from then began to record and perform live as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.[28][29] In the Netherlands, the new line-up performed the song on AVRO TV show TopPop.[30] Later in 1983, Harley also appeared on the Channel 4 show Gastank, hosted by former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. During his appearance, Harley performed a slower, revised version of the song with the house band.[31]

The song has consistently been a popular inclusion of Harley and the band's concerts. As a result, live versions of the song have also been recorded and released. On 28 May 1974, the original line-up performed it during a BBC session for John Peel, which was later released on the 1995 compilation Live at the BBC[32] and Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973–1974.[33] On 14 April 1975, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel performed the song as part of their set at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. The concert was filmed and released as a film titled Between the Lines.[34] Another live version was included on the band's 1977 album Face to Face: A Live Recording. The song was later performed at the band's 1984 concert at the Camden Palace, London, which was filmed for TV and released on the VHS Live from London in 1985.[35][36] In 1989, the band's concert at Brighton, which included the song, was released on the VHS The Come Back, All is Forgiven Tour: Live.[37]

Further live version's also appeared on 1999's Stripped to the Bare Bones, 2003's Acoustic and Pure: Live, 2004's Anytime! (A Live Set),[38][39][40] and 2005's Live at the Isle of Wight Festival DVD.[41] In November 2012, the band performed the song live at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. On the night, Harley and the band, supported by an orchestra and chamber choir, performed the first two Cockney Rebel albums in their entirety, including "Mr. Soft". It was released on CD and DVD in 2013 as Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir).[42]

Upon release, Charles Shaar Murray of New Musical Express felt that "most" of The Psychomodo was "disposable", but added that "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"." He added: "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." Record Mirror described the song as "plain loony".[43] Daily Mirror commented: "Steve Harley and his band have a rough brush with a violin and a touch of the cossacks as they wend their way through a creepy camper."[44]

Dave Thompson of AllMusic retrospectively highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track. He commented how, as the follow-up to the band's first hit "Judy Teen", "Mr Soft" "rode his bloodied big top themes into town and Rebelmania erupted".[45]

Carol Clerk of Classic Rock, in a 2006 review of The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology, commented on the song being "exquisitely crafted and arranged, and determinedly eccentric to boot".[46] Chris Roberts of Uncut wrote: "Harley's 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."[47]

In 1977, Geoff Barton of Sounds reviewed the Face to Face: A Live Recording album. He described the version of "Mr. Soft" as "mildly funky/suddenly rocking".[48]

For AllMusic, Thompson retrospectively reviewed the Live at the BBC album. Speaking of the song's 1974 performance as part of the John Peel Session, he stated: "Even "Mr. Soft," 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. "Mr. Soft" is suddenly very hard indeed."[49] In 2013, for Classic Rock, Barton reviewed Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir) and commented: "The eclectic glam rock of 70s chart-busters "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" is reproduced with stunning accuracy."[50]

7" Single

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

7" Single (Belgium and 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

Cockney Rebel

• Steve Harley - vocals, producer
• Jean-Paul Crocker - electric violin, guitar
• Paul Jeffreys - Fender bass
• Milton Reame-James - keyboards
• Stuart Elliott - drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Mike Sammes Singers - backing vocals
• Alan Parsons - producer

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics