Steve Harley (born Steven Nice on 27 February 27 in south London, died on 17th March 2024 at the age of 73)) began his musical career as a soloist in the legendary Beckenham Arts Lab founded by David Bowie. Here, he was busking (with John Crocker) and performing his own songs, some of which were later recorded by him and the band. The original Cockney Rebel was formed when Steve hooked up with his former folk partner, John Crocker (fiddle / mandolin / guitar) in 1972. They auditioned drummer Stuart Elliott, bassist Paul Jeffreys, and keyboardist Milton Reame-James. They were signed to EMI after playing just five gigs, one of the band's first gigs being at The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, London, on 23 July 1972 supporting The Jeff Beck Group . Their first single "Sebastian", a soaring rock epic, was an immediate success in Europe, though failed to score in the UK singles chart. Their first album, The Human Menagerie, was released in 1973 to critical acclaim, and is still felt by many fans to be their best.
Harley managed to irritate a significant segment of the music press with his self-aggrandisement, even as the music itself was getting rave reviews and gaining a wide audience. It was becoming clear that Harley regarded the band as little more than accompaniment to his own agenda, and already there were signs that things would not last, despite having a big hit with their second single, "Judy Teen". There then followed the album The Psychomodo, an adventurous and ambitious production which showed that there was real talent in the group. A second single from the album, "Mr. Soft", was also a big hit. The band was voted the 'Most Outstanding New Act' of 1974. By this time the problems within the band had already reached a head, and all the musicians, with the exception of Stuart Elliott, quit at the end of a highly successful UK tour. Harley's next appearance on Top of the Pops was supported by session musicians drafted in for the show.
From then on, the band was a band in name only, being more or less a Steve Harley solo project. In 1974, a further album, The Best Years Of Our Lives was made, produced by Beatles recording engineer, Alan Parsons. This included the track "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" which would go on to be a UK Number One single and the band's biggest selling hit. In a television interview recorded in 2002, Harley described how the lyrics are vindictively directed at the former band members, whom he felt had abandoned him - a fact which eludes a majority of listeners who enjoy the apparently happy chorus.
After 1975, Harley struggled to match the success of "Make Me Smile" and faded from fame, and Cockney Rebel eventually disbanded in 1977.
In 1998 Harley began to use the Cockney Rebel name again. The 2005 album "Quality of Mercy" (which included the singles "A Friend for Life" and "The Last Goodbye") was the first album since the 1970s to be released with the Cockney Rebel name
In 2010, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel began touring again setting concert dates for England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. This was done following the release of the new studio album Stranger Comes to Town. On 24 November 2012 the band including the Orchestra of the Swan and a choir performed the band's first two albums The Human Menagerie and The Psychomodo in their entirety for the first time. A live double-CD and DVD was released in October 2013 of this performance, titled Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir).
Current members
Steve Harley - vocals, guitars (1972–1977, 1998–present)
Stuart Elliott - drums (1972–1977, 1998–present)
Lincoln Anderson - bass (2001–present)
Robbie Gladwell - guitar, vocals (1998-present)
Former members
John Crocker - violin, mandolin, guitar (1972–1974)
Paul Jeffreys - bass (1972–1974; died on 21 December 1988 in the Lockerbie air disaster)
Nick Jones - guitar (1972)
Pete Newnham - guitar (1972)
Milton Reame-James - keyboards (1972–1974)
Jim Cregan - guitar (1975–1977)
George Ford - bass (1975–1977)
Duncan Mackay - keyboards (1975–1977)
Jo Partridge - guitars (1976–1977)
UK Discography
Singles
* "Sebastian" - 1973
* "Judy Teen" - 1974 - Number 5
* "Mr. Soft" - 1974 - Number 8
* "Big Big Deal" - 1974
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - 1975 - Number 1
* "Mr. Raffles (Man It Was Mean)" - 1975 - Number 13
* "Black Or White" - 1975
* "White White Dove" - 1976
* "Here Comes The Sun" - 1976 - Number 10
* "(I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna" - 1976 - Number 41
* "The Best Years Of Our Lives" (live) - 1977
* "Freedom's Prisoner" - 1979 - Number 58
* "Ballerina (Prima Donna)" - 1983 - Number 51
* "The Phantom Of The Opera" - 1986 - Number 7
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - re-issue - 1992 - Number 46
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - 2nd re-issue - 1995 - Number 33
*"The Last Goodbye" - 2006 - UK # 186
Albums:
Cockney Rebel:
* The Human Menagerie - 1973
* The Psychomodo - 1974 - Number 8
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel:
* The Best Years Of Our Lives - 1975 - Number 4
* Timeless Flight - 1976 - Number 18
* Love's A Prima Donna - 1976 - Number 28
* Face To Face - A Live Recording - 1977 - Number 40
* The Quality of Mercy - 2005
* Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir) - 2013 UK Independent Chart # 36
Tumbling Down
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now me I regard it's a torturous hardship that smolders
Like a peppermint eaten away
Will I fight, will I swagger or sway?
Hee hee, my lady, she cries like a baby to scolders
See her tumbling down, tumbling down
Hail to the monkey, we're having a funky reunion
He got nicotine stains in his eyes
He got nothing to protect but his pride
Oh! smother the kiss or be drownded in blissful confusion
See it tumbling down, tumbling down
Juvenile tale, see the Tintanic sail into Brighton
The Hemingway stacatto, the tragic bravado can frighten
To be here, there and everywhere's fine
But do you have to be so swift all the time
Deliver the dawn to the Moulin-Rouge on the horizon
Watch it tumbling down, tumbling down
Tumbling down, tumbling down
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues ....
The lyrics to Steve Harley's song Tumbling Down are complex and poetic. The opening lines, "Gee, but it's hard when one lowers one's guard to the vultures, Now me I regard it's a torturous hardship that smolders," suggest the singer has been hurt by someone they trusted. The metaphor of vultures indicates that this person took advantage of the singer's vulnerability. The second line reinforces the idea that the pain of betrayal is ongoing and burns like acid over time. The singer then questions how they will respond to the hurt, asking whether they will "fight, will I swagger or sway?" This shows that the singer is considering different ways to react to the situation, but they haven't made a decision yet.
The second verse shifts the focus to a monkey who is "wasted and sunk" and can only have "Sunday communion." This suggests the monkey is a lost cause, addicted to something and unable to change. The lyrics then describe the monkey's appearance, with "nicotine stains in his eyes" and "nothing to protect but his pride." The final line of the verse, "Oh! smother the kiss or be drownded in blissful confusion," is ambiguous and could be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that the monkey needs to let go of something to move on or that the singer needs to avoid something to avoid being hurt further.
The chorus, "See it tumbling down, tumbling down, Tumbling down, tumbling down," is repeated throughout the song and suggests that something is collapsing or falling apart. The final lines of the song, "Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues," add to this sense of loss and despair. Overall, the lyrics to Tumbling Down are rich with metaphor and emotion, and showcase Steve Harley's poetic talents.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee, but it's hard when one lowers one's guard to the vultures
It's difficult to expose yourself to those who are waiting to take advantage of you
Now me I regard it's a torturous hardship that smolders
I believe it's agonizing misery that festers
Like a peppermint eaten away, Will I fight, will I swagger or sway?
I feel corroded like a sweet consumed by acid; I'm not sure if I will resist or go along with it
Hee hee, my lady, she cries like a baby to scolders
My woman whimpers like an infant when chided
See her tumbling down, tumbling down
I see her falling apart, collapsing
Hail to the monkey, we're having a funky reunion
Welcome back to the party, even if it's kind of crazy
Wasted and sunk, he can only have Sunday communion
He's down and out, the only thing he's got left is church once a week
He got nicotine stains in his eyes, He got nothing to protect but his pride
His eyes are yellow, he's got nothing to lose except his dignity
Oh! smother the kiss or be drownded in blissful confusion
Stop the love or be swallowed up in a euphoric haze
See it tumbling down, tumbling down
Watch it crumble, fall apart
Juvenile tale, see the Tintanic sail into Brighton
Childish story, like the Titanic sailing into a British seaside town
The Hemingway stacatto, the tragic bravado can frighten
Ernest Hemingway's short, choppy sentences and sad courage can be scary
To be here, there and everywhere's fine, But do you have to be so swift all the time
It's okay to be everywhere, but must you move so fast constantly
Deliver the dawn to the Moulin-Rouge on the horizon
Bring the sunrise to the famous French cabaret in the distance
Watch it tumbling down, tumbling down, Tumbling down, tumbling down
Observing its deterioration, breakdown, crumbling
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Exclamation of disappointment or sorrow resulting from changes to the blues genre
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Exclamation of disappointment or sorrow resulting from changes to the blues genre
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues
Exclamation of disappointment or sorrow resulting from changes to the blues genre
Oh dear, look what they've done to the blues, blues, blues ....
Exclamation of disappointment or sorrow resulting from changes to the blues genre
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVE HARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind