Mr. Soft

Background

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 the same month, EMI released the title track, "Psychomodo", as the album's lead single. However, it was quickly withdrawn from sale in the UK and therefore did not chart. The Psychomodo was released in June, and once "Judy Teen" dropped out of the UK Top 50, EMI released "Mr. Soft" shortly after in July. The song proved to be another success, peaking at #8 and remaining in the UK Top 50 for nine weeks. It also reached #16 in Ireland.

From May to July 1974, Cockney Rebel embarked on a major British tour. As the tour progressed, the band began facing 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. By the time "Mr. Soft" was released, Cockney Rebel had already disbanded. Harley would find a new line-up of the band 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."

The English alternative rock band Elbow called themselves "Mr Soft" during the early 1990s. In a 2013 interview for the Birmingham Post, Harley mentioned the band and their original 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."

Trebor Softmints adverts

In circa 1986/87, the song was used in two successful TV adverts for Trebor Softmints. For the adverts, which used two lines of the song, the lyrics were rewritten and then re-recorded by a Steve Harley sound-alike. One advert promoted Trebor Softmints, while the other promoted Trebor Softfruits.

Initially, Harley was approached with the offer of re-writing and re-recording the song for the adverts himself. However, Harley felt uncomfortable at the idea of doing this. Instead, he chose to give his permission for the advert creators to re-write the lyrics and use a sound-alike vocalist to record them. The lyrics were re-written by Malcolm Green and an unknown vocalist was used to replicate Harley's vocal style. Ironically, much of the public believed Harley to be the vocalist in the adverts anyway. Both videos were directed by Len Fulford and produced by BFCS.

For the Softmints 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?

For the Softfruits advert, the lyrics were:

Mr. Soft, ain't it grand, you can't afford to go abroad just to unwind

It's so hot, just you be careful that the sun don't turn you softer in the mind

The use of the song in the adverts led EMI to re-release the song on 7" vinyl in the UK during March 1988, however it was not a commercial success. Later in their 1994 hit "Shakermaker", the English rock band Oasis referenced the "Mr. Soft" character based on the song and the advert. In a 2004 survey by Phones 4U for the UK's most recognisable jingles, "Mr. Soft" ranked at #7 of 10.

Release

The single was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and Japan. A UK promotional demo copy/DJ copy of the single was also issued by EMI.

The majority of editions of the single featured the B-Side "Such a Dream", which was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Parsons. The B-Side had previously appeared as B-Side to the "Psychomodo" single. It remained exclusive to these two releases until it appeared as a bonus track on the 91 Japanese and 1992 UK CD issues of The Psychomodo. It would also later appear on the 2006 box-set compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology and Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973–1974.

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. The Yugoslavian release featured "Judy Teen" as the B-Side.

All releases of "Mr. Soft", except in the UK and Ireland, came with colour picture sleeves, which featured differing photographs of the band. The German, Spanish and Yugoslavian sleeves used the same photograph as on The Psychomodo album, 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.

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 the 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.

On the 2012 compilation Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974, an alternate mix of "Mr. Soft" appeared on disc three.

Promotion

Left without a band as the single was climbing the charts, Harley had to quickly bring together an impromptu band to perform on two editions of the UK music 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. 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, making up the new permanent line-up, which from then began to record and perform live as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.

In the Netherlands, the new Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up performed the song on the show TopPop.

The song has consistently been a part of Harley and the band's set-list when performing live, remaining a popular inclusion of the band's concerts. Various live versions of the song have appeared on a number of official releases as a result. On 14 April 1975, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel performed the song as part of their set at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. This concert was filmed and released as a film titled Between the Lines. The song was included on the band's 1977 live album Face to Face: A Live Recording.

Later in 1984, the song was part of the band's recorded concert at the Camden Palace in London, which was filmed for a special TV broadcast. In 1985, the same concert, including the song, was released on VHS, titled Live from London. In 1989, a live performance of the song was professionally filmed during the band's "Come Back, All is Forgiven" tour. The footage, including the song, was released on VHS that year, titled The Come Back, All is Forgiven Tour: Live. Audio CD versions of the concert have since been released across Europe in many guises.

In 1995, the song's performance during the 1974 John Peel Session appeared on the 1995 album Live at the BBC, and later again on the 2012 Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 compilation. Other live versions were included on the 1999 album Stripped to the Bare Bones, 2003's Acoustic and Pure: Live and 2004's Anytime! (A Live Set). The song was included in the band's set-list at the Isle of Wight festival in 2004, which was released on DVD in 2005, titled Live at the Isle of Wight Festival. On 24 November 2012, the band performed the song live at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. At this concert, Harley and the band, supported by an orchestra and chamber choir, performed the band's first two albums in their entirety, including "Mr. Soft". This live version appears on the CD and DVD release Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir).

In 1983, Harley would also appear 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.

Track listing

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

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

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

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

Critical reception

In a June 1974 issue of the New Musical Express, Charles Shaar Murray reviewed The Psychomodo 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 1 June 1974 issue of Record Mirror, a review of the album described the song as "plain loony".

Dave Thompson of AllMusic retrospectively 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."

Reviewer George Starostin retrospectively labelled "Mr. Soft" as the second best song on The Psychomodo album for his website. He added: "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)."

In 2006, Classic Rock magazine writer Carol Clerk reviewed The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology, where she noted: "Sebastian was a brave first single with its choral and orchestral dramas. Later favourites such as "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" were exquisitely crafted and arranged, and determinedly eccentric to boot." Chris Roberts of Uncut magazine, reviewing the same compilation, commented: "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."

In a 1977 issue of Sounds magazine, Geoff Barton reviewed the Face to Face: A Live Recording album. He described the version of "Mr. Soft" as "mildly funky/suddenly rocking". George Starostin also spoke of this live version in a retrospective review of the album for his website: "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."

For AllMusic, Thompson also retrospectively reviewed the Live at the BBC album. Speaking 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."

In 2013, Classic Rock magazine writer Geoff Barton reviewed the Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir) album. He wrote: "The eclectic glam rock of 70s chart-busters "Judy Teen" and "Mr Soft" is reproduced with stunning accuracy."

Personnel