Steve Harley, the frontman of Cockney Rebel, who has died aged 73 of cancer, was much more than a one-hit wonder, but his sole UK chart-topper defined his career. This was Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) , which reached No 1 in February 1975. The following year it also became the group’s only appearance on the US charts when it reached No 96.
A seemingly cheerful piece, powered by a bouncing bassline and an infectious “ooh la-lala” hook sung by female backing singers, it was the perfect playground for Harley’s distinctive and eccentric vocal style. The lyrics were part sung and part declaimed, with vowels stretched and syllables twisted as if Harley were auditioning to play Richard III. The way he delivered the line “for only metal, what a bore” was a case in point.
