The Best Years of Our Lives (Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel album)

The Best Years of Our Lives
Studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Released March 1975
Recorded November 1974 – December 1974
Genre Glam rock[1]
Label EMI
Producer Steve Harley, Alan Parsons
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel chronology
The Psychomodo
(1974)		 The Best Years of Our Lives
(1975)		 Timeless Flight
(1976)

The Best Years of Our Lives is an album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel released in March 1975.[2] It was the first album that used Harley's name ahead of the band (the band was previously known simply as Cockney Rebel).[2] The album contains the band's biggest hit, the million selling "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)".[3]

Background

The original Cockney Rebel line-up split up during 1974. After an extensive tour promoting the band's second album The Psychomodo, the band members, with the exception of drummer Stuart Elliott, confronted Harley on songwriting issues. The members left Harley, who then had to assemble a new line-up. Harley announced in the Record Mirror of 3 August 1974 that he was going to return with "the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever heard."[4] In the meantime, to keep the momentum going, Harley released his debut solo single "Big Big Deal". Although it failed to enter UK Top 100, the single kept Harley in the public eye, as a new line-up for Cockney Rebel was finalised later in 1974. Harley revealed in 2014: "The people at my record label, EMI, were right behind me. They believed I could find new band members without too much of a problem and continue on to a new level of success. They believed it wasn't a major stumbling block."[5]

The band, now under the name Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, were made up of guitarist Jim Cregan, bassist George Ford, keyboardist Duncan Mackay, and Stuart Elliott on drums. The band went into the studio during November and December 1974 to record the third Cockney Rebel album. Recorded and mixed at the EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London and Air Studios, London, the album, like The Psychomodo, would be produced by Harley along with Alan Parsons.[6]

In January 1975, the album's leading single "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" was released. Reaching the number one spot on the UK chart, the song received a UK Silver certification the following month,[7] and has sold around 1.5 million copies in the UK as of 2015. Over 120 cover versions of the song have been recorded by other artists.[8] Years later Harley would reveal that the lyrics revolved around the split of the original band. In a television interview recorded in 2002, Harley described how the lyrics were vindictively directed at the former band members who, he felt, had abandoned him.[9]

The album was released in March, and reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart. It entered the chart on 22 March at its peak position, and lasted within the Top 100 for nineteen weeks.[10] In May a second single "Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)" was released, which reached #13 in the UK.[11]

The song "It Wasn't Me" lyrically details mankind's tendency to blame their misdemeanors on their chosen god.[12]

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album, along with "Make Me Smile", Harley announced a 16 date UK tour to commence in November 2015. Harley, who has continued to play with various Cockney Rebel line-ups since, will be reuniting with the surviving members of the original line-up: Jim Cregan, Stuart Elliot and Duncan Mackay for the tour. The band's bassist George Ford died in 2007. This will mark the first time the lineup has played together since 1976. Each show will consist of two sets - the album in its entirety, and a set of other tracks, some of which are due to be chosen by a fans poll via the Harley website and social media. Harley commented: "The three guys are still my mates. The fun we had back then, when we toured and recorded together, holds fabulous and special memories. I take life on the road a lot more seriously now, though, so they'd better be prepared. I'm thrilled to think they'll be up there on the great UK concert hall stages with me once again."[13]

Promotion

The band embarked on a major British tour to promote the album, which was reported in January 1975's Record & Popswop Mirror, as to be using "a specially built set and lighting to reflect songs and images featured on the forthcoming album."[14]

Release

The album was released by EMI Records on vinyl across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, Yugoslavia and Sweden.[15]

In 1991 the album was issued by EMI on CD. The release featured two bonus tracks: "Another Journey", the B-Side to "Make Me Smile", as well as a live version of "Sebastian", recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 14 April 1975.[16] In 2001, BGO Records released a remastered CD version of the album. Though it did not feature any bonus tracks, the album was remastered from the original master tapes, and featured faithfully restored artwork, and additional sleeve notes.[17]

In August 2014, a 180 Gram vinyl reissue of the album was issued in the Netherlands by Music on Vinyl.[18]

Definitive edition

In 2014, a definitive edition of the album was released by Parlophone, as a four CD + DVD box-set. On disc one, aside from the original album, the B-Side "Another Journey" is included, as well as early demo version of "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" and "The Best Years of Our Lives" - both previously unreleased. The second and third discs consist of tracks performed live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, on 14 April 1975. The fourth is a DVD, with footage of the same concert.[19]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Steve Harley.

No.TitleLength
1."Introducing The Best Years"  1:07
2."The Mad, Mad Moonlight"  4:30
3."Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)"  4:33
4."It Wasn't Me"  6:02
5."Panorama"  5:38
6."Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"  4:00
7."Back to the Farm"  5:53
8."49th Parallel"  3:13
9."The Best Years of Our Lives"  5:45

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[20]
Record & Popswap Mirror (magazine)favourable[21]
Classic Rock (magazine)[22]

Allmusic journalist, Donald A. Guarisco wrote "By his third album, Steve Harley had developed a strong grasp of how to combine his artistic ambitions with strongly crafted pop tunes that win the casual listener over to his artsy cause. The result was The Best Years of Our Lives, the most successful album of his mid-'70s heyday. All in all, it is a fine, slickly crafted album that will delight Steve Harley enthusiasts and will also appeal to fans of glam-oriented 1970s English rock."[23]

In the Record & Popswap Mirror magazine of 8 April 1975, a review of the album noted "Forget No 1 singles; this will change everything. In nine songs, Harley wipes out his two-album apprenticeship with a stunning change of direction and commitment. Using the license of someone who knows he's on top, Harley continually swops style and musical approach to present a progressive collage of youth. It is a coming of age, a political and religious protest, a brilliant snap-book for a generation, a puzzle. In short, this third album demands attention. It is completely fulfilling, a monster unleashed."[24]

Chart performance

Chart (1975) Peak
position
Dutch Albums Chart[25] 11
UK Albums Chart[26] 4

Personnel

Band
Additional musicians
Production

References

  1. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/timeless-flight-mw0000663630
  2. 1 2 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 424–425. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  3. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 358–359. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  4. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/1974/had_to_split/had2split.htm
  5. ↑ The Best Years of Our Lives - Definitive Edition - CD+DVD Set - Booklet. EMI Records. 2014. pp. 9, 10.
  6. 1 2 The Best Years of Our Lives – sleeve notes – original vinyl album – EMI Records – EMC 3068
  7. ↑ "Certified Awards". bpi.co.uk.
  8. ↑ "Steve Harley reflects on 40 years of Make Me Smile". officialcharts.com.
  9. ↑ http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4760
  10. ↑ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/search-results-album/_/The+Best+Years+Of+Our+Lives#album
  11. ↑ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/search-results-album/_/Mr+Raffles+%28Man+It+Was+Mean%29#single
  12. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/Patch_Review/Best_Years.htm
  13. ↑ https://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-03-19/steve-harley-reunites-cockney-rebel-best-years-of-our-lives-lineup-uk-tour
  14. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/1975/RM110175/110175.htm
  15. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Years-Of-Our-Lives/master/86332
  16. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Years-Of-Our-Lives/release/1625286
  17. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Years-Of-Our-Lives/release/1625300
  18. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-The-Best-Years-Of-Our-Lives/release/6224078
  19. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Years-Lives-Definitive-Edition/dp/tracks/B00JZSKHHE/ref=dp_tracks_all_4#disc_4
  20. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-years-of-our-lives-mw0000364834
  21. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/1975/rapm75/Best-Years.htm
  22. ↑ Classic Rock magazine - September 2014 edition - review by Paul Lester
  23. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-years-of-our-lives-mw0000364834
  24. ↑ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/1975/rapm75/Best-Years.htm
  25. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – The Best Years Of Our Lives". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  26. ↑ "The Official Charts Company – The Best Years Of Our Lives by Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
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