Psychomodo
{{Short description|1974 song by Cockney Rebel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Psychomodo
| cover = Cockney Rebel Psychomodo 1974 Belgian Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Cockney Rebel
| album = The Psychomodo
| B-side = Such a Dream
| released = 17 May 1974
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock
| length = 4:03
| label = EMI
| writer = Steve Harley
| producer =
| prev_title = Hideaway
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Mr. Soft
| next_year = 1974
}}
"Psychomodo" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released in 1974 as the lead single from their second studio album The Psychomodo. "Psychomodo" was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons.
Background
"Psychomodo" was recorded during sessions for The Psychomodo in February–March 1974. The song was inspired by the album's overall theme which was described by Harley in 1974 as "very much a concept: psychomodal – stream of consciousness".{{cite magazine |last=Harvey |first=Pete |title=Steve Harley |magazine=Record & Popswop Mirror |date=9 November 1974 |page=23}} On The Psychomodo, the song is preceded by the opening track "Sweet Dreams", which segues into "Psychomodo".
Release
EMI originally intended to release "Psychomodo" as a single in the UK, with a release date of 17 May 1974. Although copies were pressed,{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/emi2161 |title=Cockney Rebel - Psychomodo / Such A Dream - EMI - UK - EMI 2161 |publisher=45cat |access-date=2013-04-26}} EMI cancelled the single's release when the band's preceding single "Judy Teen", which was released in March 1974, began to climb the UK Singles Chart. It made its debut on 11 May and reached its peak at number 5 on 22 June.{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/3034/cockney-rebel/ |title=COCKNEY REBEL; full Official Chart History |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=22 January 2022}}
"Psychomodo" still received a single release in certain Europe countries (Belgium, France and the Netherlands) and became a hit in Belgium in June–July 1974.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/1d145/Cockney-Rebel-Psychomodo |title=Cockney Rebel - Psychomodo |publisher=ultratop.be |access-date=2013-04-26}} The B-side, "Such a Dream", was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Parsons. It was initially exclusive to the single, but then appeared as the B-side to the band's following single "Mr. Soft". "Such a Dream" has also appeared as a bonus track on EMI's 1990 CD release of The Psychomodo,{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Cockney-Rebel-The-Psychomodo/release/1722370 |title=Cockney Rebel - The Psychomodo (CD, Album) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-04-26}} and on the 2012 compilation Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Cockney-Rebel-Featuring-Steve-Harley-Cavaliers-An-Anthology-1973-1974/release/4079127 |title=Cockney Rebel Featuring Steve Harley - Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-04-26}}
Promotion
As a regular inclusion in the set-list, "Psychomodo" has been performed live by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel on many occasions, and various live versions have been recorded for official releases. On 28 May 1974, Cockney Rebel performed it during a BBC session for John Peel, which was later released on the 1995 compilation Live at the BBC{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-Live-At-The-BBC/release/2404114|title=Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Live At The BBC (CD) at Discogs|publisher=discogs.com|access-date=2014-07-20}} and Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973–1974.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cavaliers-Anthology-1973-1974-Cockney-Rebel/dp/B008RZHAGM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1390675008&sr=8-6&keywords=steve+harley|title=Cavaliers [An Anthology 1973-1974]: Amazon.co.uk: Music|publisher=amazon.co.uk|access-date=2014-07-20}} Other live versions have appeared on Face to Face (1977), The Come Back, All is Forgiven Tour: Live (1989) and Acoustic and Pure: Live (2003).{{cite web|last=Thompson |first=Dave |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/face-to-face-mw0000092492 |title=Face to Face - Steve Harley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2013-06-29}}{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Harley-Cockney-Rebel-VHS/dp/B00004CK2T |title=Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel: Greatest Hits [VHS]: Steve Harley: Amazon.co.uk: Video |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date=1989-10-20 |access-date=2012-12-07}}
Critical reception
On its release, the Belgian magazine Popshop was critical of the song for moving Cockney Rebel "in the rock direction". They added, "With songs like this Cockney Rebel could well become a one hit wonder."{{cite web|url=http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/1974/popshop01/psycho01.htm |title=Cockney Rebel - Popshop July '74 |publisher=Harleyfanzone.com |access-date=2013-04-26}} In a review of The Psychomodo, Record Mirror stated: "The great merit of Harley's insanity is that it's laid bare here for every lost blimp to indulge. 'Psychomodo': 'I've been losing my head, I've been losing my way, I've been losing my brain cells at a million a day, I'm so disillusioned, I'm on suicide street...' Harley cleans out his soul and wherever he's going, he's going to take a lot with him."{{cite web |url=http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/Reviews/Psychomodo/new_bands.htm |title=New bands show the way |publisher=Harleyfanzone.com |access-date=2013-06-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518034703/http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/Reviews/Psychomodo/new_bands.htm |archive-date=18 May 2014 |df=dmy-all }}
Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic retrospectively reviewed the song, stating, "One of the highlights of Cockney Rebel was the wild lyrics of Steve Harley, who often fused serious ideas with dazzling wordplay along the lines of Marc Bolan. An interesting example of this approach is the title track from 1974's The Psychomodo". He described the "dense, wordy" lyrics as being "like a trip through the mind of a mentally frazzled rock star" and noted the "quick-paced verses of twisty melodic frills" and the "attention-getting chorus".{{cite web|last=Guarisco |first=Donald A. |url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/psychomodo-mt0012591283 |title=Psychomodo - Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley : Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2013-04-26}} In a retrospective review of The Psychomodo, Dave Thompson of AllMusic stated, "Reversing the nature of The Human Menagerie, the crucial songs here are not those extended epics. Rather, it is the paranoid vignette of 'Sweet Dreams,' the panicked brainstorm of the title track; and the stuttering, chopping, hysterical nightmare of 'Such a Dream'."{{cite web|last=Thompson |first=Dave |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-psychomodo-mw0000010994 |title=The Psychomodo - Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2013-06-29}}
Cover versions
In 1980, the post-punk band Scars recorded a version of the song as the B-side to their single "Love Song", which was released on the PRE/Charisma label in May 1980.{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/pre005 |title=Scars - Love Song / Psychomodo - PRE - UK - PRE 005 |website=45cat.com |date=2011-11-23 |access-date=2016-10-10}}{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Scars-Love-Song/release/1354701 |title=Scars (2) - Love Song (Vinyl) |website=Discogs.com |date=2016-10-06 |access-date=2016-10-10}}
Track listing
7-inch single
- "Psychomodo" – 4:03
- "Such a Dream" – 5:03
Personnel
Cockney Rebel
- Steve Harley – vocals
- Jean-Paul Crocker – electric violin, guitar
- Milton Reame-James – keyboards
- Paul Jeffreys – Fender bass
- Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
Production
- Steve Harley – producer
- Alan Parsons – producer
- Chris Blair – mastering
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (1974)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|28|artist=Cockney Rebel|song=Psychomodo|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2020}} |
| {{singlechart|Wallonia|42|song=Psychomodo|artist=Cockney Rebel|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2020}} |