From Bob Dylan to Frank Zappa: Steve Harley once discussed some of his favourite music of all time
The late, great Steve Harley was a true pioneer of timeless music, his consistent and unwavering dedication to the craft constantly pulling him back into the arena, where his charisma and talent could truly shine. Harley may have enjoyed the limelight as an integral part of Cockney Rebel, but his gift extended further, his distinctive voice and poetic lyrics becoming a staple of both innovation and 1970s glam rock.
In truth, Harley possessed what many musicians struggle to maintain: dedication. Even when Cockney Rebel experienced turbulence and lineup changes, he took it upon himself to come back with one of the greatest rock bands the world has ever seen while simultaneously adapting his own songwriting process. The Best Years of Our Lives was a testament to this, as the singer sought to reinvent both the band and his own musical tendencies by replacing subtlety with brutality, adding a rawness to the overall sound and lyrics.
Perhaps most remarkably, Harley also truly believed in the power of music – it wasn’t just a listening experience; it could also incite change and encourage people to get more involved in good causes. Playing alongside people like Kate Bush at benefit concerts or lending his musical gift to tributes for people like Mick Ronson, Harley clearly believed in bridging the gap between music and respect.
Harley often gravitated towards musicians who truly pioneered and innovated, often pointing out moments of poignancy or demonstrations of sheer excellence. Once, when revealing his own Desert Island Disks, he admitted that he regarded Frank Zappa as like no other he had ever come across before. Despite referencing David Gilmour as a close second, Zappa holds the title, as evidenced by his track ‘Watermelon on Easter Hay’. “This is guitar playing at its most sublime,” Harley said.
Similarly, the mystery within certain tracks was always captivating to Harley. In Bob Dylan’s ‘Visions of Johanna’, for instance, he was forever drawn to the lyric: “The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face / Where these visions of Johanna have now taken my place.” He would often linger on these words, enjoying the fact that Dylan never makes it easy to pick apart his storytelling.
The singer possessed a keen eye for great songwriters but regarded Cole Porter as a trailblazer, particularly for the words he lent to Ella Fitzgerald for ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye’. Instead of delving into the reasons why he admired Porter or the song, he remained cryptic in a powerful yet completely telling way: “There are good songwriters, and there are great songwriters, and then there is Cole Porter,” he said. Although it doesn’t reveal his thoughts towards the song, it tells us everything we need to know.
It’s not always songwriting that impressed Harley; delivery was also key, and in his view, T.S. Eliot was a master. Harley specifically singles out Eliot reciting ‘The Waste Land’, adding that while the source is “dull”, Eliot manages to provide the words with such “authenticity” that ensures his “expression can be trusted.” Regarding his own music, he knew that he came across as pandering to commercialism when he came up with ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)’, but he also knew that it was “genuinely artful,” which isn’t always difficult to achieve. As a result, this popular hit made it onto his Desert Island disks as a worthy addition to a list of all-time greats.
Take a look at the full list of songs Steve Harley called his favourites below.
Steve Harley’s favourite songs:
- Bob Dylan – ‘Visions of Johanna’
- Carl Nielsen – ‘Violin Concerto, Opus 33’
- Frank Zappa – ‘Stinkfoot’
- Frank Zappa – ‘Watermelon In Easter Hay’
- Ella Fitzgerald – ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye’
- Henryk Górecki – Symphony No. 3, Op. 36
- T.S. Eliot – ‘The Waste Land’
- Steve Harley – ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)’
