"Irresistible" | ||||
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Single by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel | ||||
B-side | "Such Is Life" | |||
Released | 20 May 1985 [1] | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | RAK | |||
Songwriter(s) | Steve Harley | |||
Producer(s) | Mickie Most | |||
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel singles chronology | ||||
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"Irresistible" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley. It was released three times as a single; the first being in 1985 as a non-album single under his band's name Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. In 1986, a remixed version of the song was released by Harley as a solo single in the UK, and in 1992, he re-released this version as a single in Europe from his solo album Yes You Can . "Irresistible" was written by Harley and produced by English producer Mickie Most.
"Irresistible" was first performed live at Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's concert at Camden Palace, London, in December 1984. The concert was recorded for a TV broadcast and was released on VHS as Live from London in 1985. [2] This performance of "Irresistible" used lead guitar as a more dominant instrument and featured a verse that was not included in the studio version.
Harley originally offered "Irresistible" to Rod Stewart. The singer expressed an interest in recording it but, knowing how keen Harley was for a hit of his own, he ultimately encouraged Harley to record it himself in the hope that it would put him back in the charts. [3] In a 1985 interview, Harley commented, "I think it's gonna be a single, it's the one Rod's gone away with. [He] wants it as a single, but I want it, I think it's my new 'Make Me Smile'. I think it [could be] a hit [for] anybody. I'm not boasting, I just believe that." [4]
After signing a five-album recording contract with Mickie Most's label RAK, [5] Harley recorded "Irresistible" in 1985 with Most at the producer's helm. It featured Harvey Hinsley on guitar, Adrian Lee on keyboards and Mark Brzezicki of Big Country on drums. [6] Harley told the Daily Mirror in 1985, "I wrote the song for Rod Stewart, but when he heard it he told me it was so good I should do it myself. So I did." [7]
"Irresistible" was released in May 1985 as Harley's debut single for RAK. [8] It peaked at number 81 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for five weeks. [9] Speaking of the song to the Newcastle Journal in 1985, Harley said, "'Irresistible' is pure me. The more I hear it, the more I'm proud of it. It has got its own sound." [10]
"Irresistible" was released by RAK Records as a 7-inch and 12-inch single in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal. The B-side, "Such is Life", was written by Harley and produced by Most. It was exclusive to the single and has not appeared on any other release with the exception of the 1988 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel compilation The Collection. [11] "Such is Life" received its live debut during Cockney Rebel's 1980 UK Christmas tour. [12]
For the 12-inch release, an extended version of "Irresistible" was made by Harley, with Calvin Hayes and Mike Nocito, who would both soon achieve fame in Johnny Hates Jazz. At the time, Hayes, being Most's son, was an A&R man at RAK, while Nocito was an in-house engineer. Cockney Rebel's 1973 song "Sebastian" was included as an additional track on the 12-inch release. Following the song's release as a single, the version has made its only outside appearance on the 1988 compilation The Collection. [11]
The song's music video was directed by Marcelo Anciano and produced by AWOG. [13] It features Harley performing the song in a dark room with the use of various lighting and spotlight tricks throughout. [14] RAK booked the use of a studio in West London to shoot the video. [15]
Upon its release, Di Cross of Record Mirror described Harley as a "purveyor of the perfect pop song" and considered "Irresistible" to be "a catchy little number", adding that it is "not quite Cockney Rebel, but then Steve isn't 21 anymore". [6] In another issue of Record Mirror, "Irresistible" was one of a number of singles reviewed by ABC. Mark White commented that the song "sounds like it was written, arranged and produced on a poolside in LA", and David Yarritu added, "This would be good if someone like Lulu was singing it... jaunty, I liked the marimbas." [16] Phil Murphy of Newcastle Journal commented on the unlikely blend of pairing of Harley's "original melodic rock" and Most's "sometimes crass pop". He added, "An ironic letter home from a soldier in Belfast, it is couched in jaunty love song format and works well." [10]
Max Bell of Number One was negative in his review, writing, "Irresistible? Hardly. Remember 'Mr Soft'? 'Come Up and See Me, Make Me Smile'? You don't? You're not missing much, except that they were a thousand times more entertaining than this hackneyed dirge. Knock it on the head Steve, there's a good chap." [17] Jack Barron of Sounds stated, "Lo! Look what this way slithers from the ago of pop purgatory – 'tis Cockney Rebel. Lo! Look what slips that way into the bin – 'tis a Steve Harley record." [18]
In his 1990 book The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Donald Clarke noted, "Harley came back in '85 and skirted the charts with the catchy 'Irresistible'." [19]
7-inch single (UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal) [20] [21] [22] [23]
12-inch single (UK and Germany) [24] [25]
Irresistible
Production
Other
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [9] | 81 |
"Irresistible" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Steve Harley | ||||
from the album El Gran Senor | ||||
B-side | "Lucky Man" | |||
Released | 23 June 1986 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | RAK | |||
Songwriter(s) | Steve Harley | |||
Producer(s) | Mickie Most | |||
Steve Harley singles chronology | ||||
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In 1986, "Irresistible" was remixed and released again as a single. For the new version, Harley worked with recording engineer Stuart Breed at Air Studios in London. Breed came to Harley's attention through Most, who knew of his work. For the remix, the pair used the original 1985 recording session on a 2-inch master tape. Breed and Harley mixed-and-matched parts of the track and experimented with equipment. The song ended up being sped-up and dramatically altered from its original form. The original version's guitar solo was replaced by a keyboard solo, which had been recorded during the original sessions with Most. The vocals used were from a different take from the original 1985 24-track 2-inch tape. [15]
Speaking to Record Collector in 1992, Harley said of the remixing of "Irresistible",
"'Irresistible' came out [in the UK] in the 80s, but this is a new mix and it's fabulous. I gave it to a guy who works at Air Studios in London, Stuart Breed. He has done a fantastic job. I went in initially as the producer to do it with him, but after half an hour of this guy hitting the buttons and doing fantastic things with sampling machines, I said 'I'm going for a cup of tea, you get on with it'." [26]
In 2013, the engineer Matt Butler recalled of the 1986 remix,
"Breed did an exceptional job, not least as a maintenance engineer made a career-threatening error on the morning of the session and recorded a sublime 1kHz tone over the original multi-track up until around the first chorus of "Irresistible" as made by Mickie Most a year before. The client (Steve Harley) kept his cool of course and he and Stuart came up with this gem of a version." [27]
Following the April 1986 release of Harley's second single for RAK, "Heartbeat Like Thunder", "Irresistible" was released in June 1986 as the lead single from Harley's forthcoming solo album El Gran Senor. Like its predecessor, the single failed to enter the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart, stalling at number 158. [28] In May 1986, Harley announced his intention to embark on a UK tour in September 1986 to promote El Gran Senor. [29] However, soon after the release of "Irresistible", RAK folded and was sold to EMI, [30] which in turn resulted in the album being shelved and Harley left without a record deal. Some of the songs due to appear on the album would appear on Harley's 1992 album Yes You Can , [8] including Breed's five-minute extended remix of "Irresistible" as the opening track. In 2015, Harley commented on the song, "I always thought it should be a hit. I found it hard to give up trying!" [15]
"Irresistible" was released by RAK Records in the UK on 23 June 1986. [31] [32] Both the 7-inch and 12-inch formats came with a colour picture sleeve, featuring a photograph of Harley taken by John Stoddart. The 12-inch format features an extended remix of "Irresistible". The B-side, "Lucky Man", was written by Harley and produced by Most. It was exclusive to the single and has not appeared on any other release since. The song features Mick Ronson on guitar and Mark Brzezicki on drums. [33] Harley had first met Ronson in the 1970s and during his sessions with Most, Harley contacted Ronson and asked him to play guitar on the track. Harley later recalled, "Mick played guitar on 'Lucky Man'. It's a white reggae rhythm. Mick was as easy as could be, musically he was very quick and adaptable. I experimented with several guitar approaches, and naturally they were all well within his scope." [34] Speaking to Classic Rock in 2008, Harley said, "I produced a track for myself in the mid-80s - a song called 'Lucky Man' - with Mick on electric guitar. It was difficult for me. Not that Ronno was a problem himself - you couldn't wish to meet a nicer, more generous man and musician - but I was in awe of him, even though we had socialised somewhat and shared a mutual respect." [35]
On 30 July 1986, Harley appeared on the BBC television chat show Wogan , presented by Terry Wogan, which featured a performance of "Irresistible". [36] On 13 August, Harley also performed the song with his backing band on the ITV children's TV programme Razzamatazz . [37]
In July 1986, the Newcastle Evening Chronicle reviewed the single and commented that the song was "as the title says". [38] Andy Gill of New Musical Express described "Irresistible" as "fairly pleasant" but in reference to the sleeve he added, "Only Brian Eno can afford to recede that much and remain a celebrity, Steve." [39] Robin Smith of Record Mirror wrote, "Out once again is this darn catchy song, all sweaty and breathless. I'd much rather listen to this than That Petrol Emotion or Easterhouse any day. Harley is now nearly as bald as Phil Collins. Is this a sign of further great things to come?" [40] John Lee of the Huddersfield Daily Examiner described it as "a bouncy and endearingly catchy number". He noted the song's failure to make "much impression" when originally released in 1985, but believed this time it would be a hit. [41] Simon Warner of the Halifax Evening Courier called it "highly resistible" and added that the "rather muggy remix probably won't fare better" than the original did. [42]
7-inch single (UK) [43]
12-inch single (UK) [44]
Production
Other
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
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UK Singles Chart [28] | 158 |
"Irresistible" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Steve Harley | ||||
from the album Yes You Can | ||||
B-side | "The Waggon" | |||
Released | 1992 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:21 | |||
Label | Comeuppance | |||
Songwriter(s) | Steve Harley | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Steve Harley singles chronology | ||||
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In 1992, "Irresistible" was released for the third and final time as a single. A re-release of Breed's 1986 remix, the song was released in Europe as the lead single from Harley's third solo album Yes You Can . In his 1992 interview with Record Collector , Harley said, "I've just released a new album called Yes You Can in Europe, but it's not out in this country [UK]. I'm very proud of it. 'Irresistible' is out over there as a single – it was never released over there at the time." [26]
"Irresistible" was released as a CD single by Comeuppance Ltd in Europe. The release included a new "Radio Edit" of the song, Breed's extended remix (also the album version on Yes You Can), and a B-side titled "The Waggon". The single was mastered by Steve Rooke and Ian Jones at Abbey Road Studios in London. On the release, as well as Yes You Can, production was credited to Most and Harley.
"The Waggon" was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Matt Butler. An earlier version of the song originally appeared as the B-side to Harley's 1989 single "When I'm with You", where it was titled "The Theme from Babbacombe Lee". [45]
Dave Thompson of AllMusic spoke of the song in a review of Yes You Can, "There are some heartwarming moments on this album. 'Irresistible' very nearly is..." [46]
CD single (Europe) [47]
Production
Other
Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice, known by his stage name Steve Harley, was an English singer-songwriter and frontman of the rock group Cockney Rebel. The band achieved six UK hit singles in the mid-1970s, including "Judy Teen", "Mr. Soft", and the number one "Make Me Smile ". Harley later scored a further three UK hit singles as a solo artist, including "The Phantom of the Opera", a duet with Sarah Brightman.
"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" is a song by the English rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released on 31 January 1975 by EMI as the lead single from the band's third studio album The Best Years of Our Lives. The song was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. In February 1975, the song reached number one on the UK chart and received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry in October 2021. It spent nine weeks in the Top 50, and as of 2015, has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. The song is one of the most-played songs in British broadcasting history.
"The Phantom of the Opera" is a song from the 1986 stage musical of the same name. It was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics written by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, and additional lyrics by Mike Batt. The song was originally recorded by Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley, which became a UK hit single in 1986, prior to the musical. In its theatrical debut, it was sung by Brightman and Michael Crawford in their roles as Christine Daaé and the Phantom.
Timeless Flight is the fourth studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1976. It was written and produced by Steve Harley.
Yes You Can is the third solo studio album by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley. It was released by CTE in Europe in 1992 and by Food For Thought Records in the UK on 4 May 1993.
"Ballerina (Prima Donna)" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by Stiletto Records as a non-album single on 29 July 1983. The song, written and produced by Mike Batt, reached number 51 in the UK Singles Chart.
"(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released on 1 October 1976 as the second single from their fifth studio album Love's a Prima Donna. The song was written and produced by Harley. It reached number 41 in the UK Singles Chart and would be the band's last charting single before their split in 1977.
"The Last Goodbye" is a song by the English rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released on 6 February 2006 as a single from their sixth and final studio album, The Quality of Mercy (2005). The song was written by Harley and ex-Cockney Rebel guitarist Jim Cregan, and was produced by Harley.
"Roll the Dice" is a song by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released in 1978 as the lead single from his debut solo album Hobo with a Grin. The song was written by Harley and Jo Partridge, and produced by Michael J. Jackson.
"Heartbeat Like Thunder" is a song by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by RAK as a non-album single on 21 April 1986. The song was written by Harley and ex-Cockney Rebel keyboardist Duncan Mackay, and was produced by Mickie Most.
"Black or White" is a song by British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released on 14 November 1975 as the lead single from their fourth studio album Timeless Flight (1976). The song was written and produced by Harley.
Anytime! is a live acoustic album by Steve Harley, released under the name The Steve Harley Band and featuring members of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up of the time. It was released in 2004.
"Mr. Soft" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley, which was released in 1974 as the second single from their second studio album The Psychomodo. The song was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. "Mr. Soft" peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Sebastian" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released as the band's debut single in 1973 from their album The Human Menagerie. The song was written by Harley and produced by Neil Harrison.
"When I'm with You" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by Vital Vinyl as a non-album single on 1 June 1989. It was written and produced by Harley, ex-Cockney Rebel guitarist Jim Cregan and drummer Stuart Elliott.
The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel is a compilation album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, released by EMI in September 1980. It features material from the original line-up of Cockney Rebel, the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up, and two tracks from Harley's solo career.
Beam of Light is the second studio album from Dutch singer Patricia Paay, which was released by EMI in 1975.
"Dandy in the Underworld" is a song by English rock band T. Rex, released by EMI on 27 May 1977 as the third single from their twelfth and final studio album Dandy in the Underworld. The song was written and produced by Marc Bolan.
"Madman" is a song by the new wave band Cuddly Toys, which was released in Japan in 1979 and in the UK in 1980 as the lead single from their debut studio album Guillotine Theatre. The song, dating to 1976–77, originated as a composition by Steve Harley and Marc Bolan, with later contributions by David Bowie. Cuddly Toys' version of the song reached number 19 in the UK Independent Singles Chart in July 1980.
"Me and My Foolish Heart" is the debut single by English band Johnny Hates Jazz, released by Rak in 1986. It was written by Phil Thornalley, Calvin Hayes, Iain MacDonald and Mike Nocito, and was produced by Hayes and Nocito. The song was included on the band's 1988 debut album Turn Back the Clock as "Foolish Heart".
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