" Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) " is a song by British rock band Steve Harley & amp; Cockney Rebel, was released as the lead single from the band's 1975 album The Best Years of Our Lives. It was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. In February 1975, the song reached number one spot on the UK chart and received a British Silver certification. It spends nine weeks in the Top 50, and by 2015, it has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
More than 120 cover versions of the song have been recorded by other artists, especially by Duran Duran and Erasure, although Harley has stated his favorite cover version is The Wedding Present.
Video Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
Original version
Write and composition
This song is the first single released under the name "Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel", not just "Cockney Rebel". In July 1974, the original Cockney Rebel was dissolved, and Harley then compiled a new line-up at the end of the year. "Make Me Smile" portrays Harley's feelings on the band's breakup. Over the years, it is believed that Harley deliberately chose to dissolve the original line-up and embark on a new career path. However, many years later, Harley began to uncover the truth behind the band's breakup.
Between May and July 1974, Cockney Rebel embarked on a major UK tour to promote their second studio album The Psychomodo . As the tour progressed, the band began to face growing tensions, which eventually led to their split at the end of the tour in late July. On July 18, the band received a 'Golden Award' for a remarkable new action from 1974, and a week later they had split up for their disapproval. Jean-Paul Crocker, Milton Reame-James and Paul Jeffreys have approached Harley, insisting that they can also write material for the group. Harley, the band's only songwriter, felt this was unfair because he was the one who originally hired musicians for his group, and explained the deal to them at the time.
After the band splits, only the original line-up drummer, Stuart Elliott, will join the new line-up. In a television interview recorded in 2002, Harley described how the lyrics were directed at former band members who, she felt, had abandoned her.
At The One Show in October 2010, Harley called the lyrics "a piece of vengeful poem that touched my fingers, let go of my chest, how I feel about people splitting a perfectly working machine.I write it says' Look, You'll learn how well we're doing here, we did well, why did you do this? ' "He explains:
"Three of them came to me in a small fence with some ultimatum.They wanted to write a song for the third album, and I said 'Well, you know I started the band, and I auditioned you, and I told you the deal on time. We do not move the post here. 'They know this, and they come to me demanding that they can write songs too, and I just say, "Go and do it then."
Harley began writing songs just days after the band's breakup. The original vision for the song was very different from the one recorded. Harley has written the song as a slow blues song with a dark atmosphere. In January 2012, he told the Uncut magazine that the first verse was probably written at four o'clock in the morning after a bottle of brandy, feeling sorry for himself. On The One Show Harley added, "I'm in trouble, there's no doubt at all, out of trouble I have to talk about it, I have to write about it.I have to say these things, I have to get them out of my chest. "
In One Thousand UK Number One Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Harley remembers the end of Cockney Rebel version 1:
"We parted because they wanted to take my leadership.They wanted to melt it and" Make Me Smile "said," Come back someday and I'll laugh. "It's arrogant but I know they are wrong - they do not understand groups like me."
Recording
The band's new line-up recorded the Best Years of Our Lives album in November-December 1974 at Abbey Road Studios in London. One day in November, Harley arrived at the studio and played the original slow blues band of the song for them to practice. Harley was reminded of Uncut in 2012: "It's a bit degrading, slower and a bit pedestrian, very ticking".
After producer Alan Parsons heard the song, he suggested to speed up the tempo of the song, as he felt it would be better suited to the song. Harley later developed the song further, introducing tacits, dead stops, and slits into it. Harley remembers in 2014: "Alan is great, he is not trying to get in my way, he just said, 'Do it.'" On The One Show, Harley added: "Suddenly it's swinging, and bopping, and ooh-la-la.We see the hit record being built here, no doubt."
In the 2015 interview for Songwriting Magazine , Parsons recalled:
"I think a good producer can change a song.If you make a small change in composition that really makes the song gel then you can say the production is part of the songwriting, for example I remember Steve Harley" Make Me Smile (Come and See Me) "he speaks a very different chorus and I suggest that he make it more rhythmic and I think it is part of the whole note hook, so I take a bit of praise for it - even though I am not paid for it."
Solo saxophone was originally planned to break instrumental songs. However, after hearing Harley's idea of ​​a solo, guitarist Jim Cregan began to play the idea on the guitar. Harley remember in 2014:
"The guitar Solo ended in an entirely new chord sequence.The middle part-eight was completely separate from the rest of the song, without lyrics, so it was an instrumental break that was a bit of a left field.We took ages getting solo rights.Some guys who played guitar for me now has a lot of problems with it.This is a hard solo to play right.This is a mix of three separate matches. "
A number of supporting singers contributed to the song, including Tina Charles, and Yvonne Keeley, Linda Lewis and Liza Strike.
When the song was nearing completion, Harley played an early mix of songs for Bob Mercer, who was the head of A & amp; R in EMI. Mercer was so mesmerized by what he heard that he immediately announced the song as the number one hit. Harley remembered: "We were all drinking Martini, it was late, and we were really tired.Bob came and was really fascinated I asked him what he was thinking and he said simply," Number one ".
By the time the song was finished, Harley and the band felt sure the song was a hit single. He remembered: "We certainly smelled something very special, we had a very big choir there, once they [the supporting vocalists] had done their bit, I came with a bit of The Beatles - 'Ooh-la-la-la '- sort of from their "Rubber Soul" period, I make the song really stale because the lyrics are dark and cynical, frankly. "
Release
The single was released by EMI Records on 7 "vinyl in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Yugoslavia, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan. England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, featuring different sleeves, usually featuring Harleys, or bands The B-Side is a non-album "Another Journey", written by Harley.
"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" became the biggest selling hit of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, which sold over one million copies globally. It was also the number one hit in their home country, occupying British Singles Chart and Irish Chart Singles in February 1975. In addition, this was the only band chart entry in America, reaching No. 1. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976.
"Make Me Smile" has been re-published several times in the UK. In October 1980, EMI was re-published on 7 "vinyl by EMI, with" Sebastian "as B-Side, to promote the compilation album The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. In 1983, it was issued again on vinyl 7 ", by the Old Gold label, with" Judy Teen "as a B-Side. Both repeated problems failed to map. In 1992, the song was released by EMI as a single CD and 7 "vinyl.Reuters reached No. 46 in the UK, and remained in the Top 100 for two weeks.In 1995, the song was re-published on 7" vinyl and CD after being used in Carlsberg TV commercials. This release reached No. 33 in the UK, spending three weeks on the charts. In June 2005, a newly released 2005 version of the song was released, dubbed the "30th Anniversary Re-mix" of the song. The new version was released as a single on 7 "vinyl and CD, reaching No. 55, spending two weeks on the chart.Following a request on Top Gear to download the song" Make Me Smile "back into the charts UK at No. 72 in early February 2015.
This song has been used in the soundtrack of Rik Mayall Presents Dancing Queen (1993), The Full Monty (1997), Velvet Goldmine (1998) ), Best - The George Best Story (2000), Saving the Gift (2000), and Blackball (2003). It's also used in Marks & amp; 2006; Spencer's ad and during the opening episode 3 of Phoenix Nights series 1 (2001). The song is also featured in an advertisement for Furniture Village.
The song was later included as a playable song at Lego Rock Band (2009) for the seventh generation of game consoles.
Top Gear
By the end of 2014, Harley received a rapid fine of Ã, Â £ 1,000, and six points on his license, having been caught by a speed camera doing 70 miles per hour on the M25 in Kent, in an area where his limit has been temporarily reduced to 40 mph. In January 2015, this incident was discussed on the BBC television series Top Gear. Jeremy Clarkson event presenters, Richard Hammond, and James May encouraged viewers to download the song in an effort to help him pay a fine. Clarkson commented, "She's made a bit of life from, let's be honest, one hit single.All people love that song - you can not trust someone who does not like that song." Hammond added, "Imagine if everyone did - he would wake up tomorrow and think 'I'm number one, where did it come from?' That will cheer him up. "
The campaign, dubbed "The Make Me Smile Foundation," by Clarkson, saw Harley respond with a message via Twitter: "Thanks Jeremy Clarkson for having started from the Make Me Smile Foundation, more than happy to subsidize the poor down the Swanley Way ! "In addition, Harley posted a YouTube video in which he played a forty-second version of the song acoustically, with a collection of new lyrics relating to speeding fines.
At the end of January 2015, the song went into the Top 30 on iTunes, Top 15 on 100 Bestsellers Top 100 on Amazon.co.uk, and the number one best-seller under the Rock category on the same website. On January 27th, the song went in at No. 1. 25 on the official UK mid-week chart, and No. 72 on the overall chart for this week.
Promotions
After its original release, the band performed songs on the UK music show Top of the Pops . The show at the show featured instrumental support, with Harley performing live vocals. On the show, Harley suffers from jet-lag, and then forgets the lyrics for most of the second and third verses. According to EMI producer of the single, Tony Clark, it was Marc Bolan who made phone calls to Top of the Pops, and had Harley in the BBC studio on the same recording night. The band also featured songs on the Russell Harty Show while at number one.
Critical reception
In a retrospective review of the Best Years of Our Lives, Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic described the song as a "romantic pop song" and "the most impressive blow", adding that it's "pairing a clever Harley word game with a clever pop song that offering an inventive stop-start arrangement and a beautiful flamenco-style acoustic guitar solo ". Guarisco also spoke about the song in a retrospective review of the 1975 American compilation album A Closer Look . He described it as "a catchy acoustic love song with an impressive flamenco guitar solo". In the 1987 compilation review Hits Largest he noted â € Å"Lagu like 'Make Me Smile (Come and See Me)' still sounds fresh today thanks to their ability to mix pop hooks that urged into their mixed noises regular and oblique lyrics ".
George Starostin reviewed the album The Best Years of Our Lives for his website, and described the song as "an excellent tempo-tempo pop-rocker with a glamorous multi-voice choir and stop-and- start structure (as well as Beatlesque ooh-la-la-welds all over the place) ". He added: "It's shorter, catchier and more compact than others here, certainly graphics oriented at heart, but smart enough to not linger on the charts for too long."
Track list
- 7 "Single
- "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" - 3:55
- "Other Trips" - 2:47
- 7 "Single (1982 UK reissue)
- "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" - 3:55
- "Sebastian"
- 7 "Single (1983 UK reissue)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me)" - 3:58
- "Judy Teen" - 3:41
- 7 "Single (1992 UK reissue)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me") - 3:59
- "Gentleman" - 3:19
- Single CD (1992 UK reissue)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me") - 3:59
- "Gentleman" - 3:19
- "Spaced Out" - 3:02
- "(Love) Compared to You" - 4:19
- 7 "Single (1995 UK reissue)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me") - 3:59
- "Gentleman" - 3:17
- Single CD (UK reissue 1995)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me") - 3:59
- "Gentleman" - 3:17
- "(I Believe) Love is Prima Donna" - 4:07
- "Other Trips" - 2:48
- 7 "Single (2005 UK 30th Anniversary Re-mix)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me) 30th Birthday Re-mix" - 4:29
- "Judy Teen (Live)" - 3:16
- Single CD (2005 UK 30th Anniversary Re-mix)
- "Make Me Smile (Come and See Me) 30th Birthday Re-mix" - 4:29
- "Judy Teen (Live)" - 3:16
- "Mercy Quality (Taster)" - 1:58
Performance chart
Personnel
Maps Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
Duran Duran Version
The live cover version of "Make Me Smile" was released as B-side for Duran Duran's 1984 number one "The Reflex". On the label and sleeve, the original title of the song is reversed and listed as "Come and See Me (Make Me Smile)". The band often covered the songs during their early 1980s concert, and this recording was made during November 16, 1982 ( 1982-11-16 ) live performance for the BBC College Series concert. The entire concert was released on live CD/DVD Live at Hammersmith '82! in September 2009.
After dropping a song from their set list for more than twenty years, the united Duran Duran brought the song as an enormous surprise at their homecoming staging on May 28, 2005 at the Birmingham Football Ground to 25,000 fans. Harley was invited to appear with them but could not attend.
The Duran Duran version of the song appeared on the soundtrack for the Threesome movie (1994), and as a bonus song on the double CD single for "Perfect Day", from their 1995 cover album Thank you.
Track List
- 7 "single (English: EMI/DURAN2)
Version deletion
British pop duo Erasure includes "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" on their cover album Other People's Songs . After the UK Top 10 success of their previous single "Solsbury Hill", Erasure charted well again when "Make Me Smile" reached number fourteen.
A live show recorded in Copenhagen on June 9, 2003 ( 2003-06-09 ) is included on the DVD The Erasure Show - Live in Cologne .
The music video saw members of Erasure Vince Clarke and Andy Bell in the middle of computer-generated special effects and graphics. The sculpture in the video also appeared in their 2005 video for "Breathe".
The Erasure version appeared in the first season episode of one of My Name Is Earl's TV shows in 2005.
Track List
single CD
- English: Mute/CDMUTE292
- English: Mute/LCDMUTE292
DVD single
- English: Mute/DVDMUTE292
Other cover versions
Suzi Quatro covered the song on his album Aggro-Phobia in 1977. The Australian Group, Nick Barker & amp; The Reptile version reached the top 30 on the Singles Charts Australian Singles Charts (ARIA) in November 1989.
The version by The Wedding Present peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 25 in 1990, as a song on 3 Songs EP. Steve Harley is very positive about this version, saying, "There are 120 cover versions of 'Make Me Smile', but only the Wedding Present do it differently.They do a punk version and make it kick.They understand the poison in the lyrics.
Robbie Williams recorded the "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" medley, "You Can Leave Your Hat" and "1000 Land Dance" as a B-side for "Let Me Entertain You" in 1998.
References
Bibliography
- Barton, Geoff (2014). The Best Years of Our Life - Definitive Edition (booklet). Steve Harley & amp; Cockney Rebel. London, UK: Parlophone Recordings. EMCDX 3068.
External links
- Top of Pops appearance by Steve Harley & amp; Cockney Rebel
- Lyrics of this song in MetroLyrics
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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