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(Love) Compared with You
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Wikipedia article
"'(Love) Compared with You'" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released in 1976 as the third and final single from the band's fifth studio album 'Love's a Prima Donna'. Released as a single in America only, the song was written and produced by Harley.
Background
Following the UK Top 50 entry of 'Love's a Prima Donna's second single, "(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna", plans were made for "(Love) Compared with You" to be released as the third single in the UK. However, EMI Records decided to cancel the release at the last minute. Although the UK release was scrapped, EMI chose to release the song as the album's only single in America.
Like the 'Love's a Prima Donna' album, the song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, sometime between JuneSeptember 1976.'Love's a Prima Donna' - sleeve notes - original vinyl album - EMI Records - ST11596 English violinist Wilfred Gibson, who contributed to choir and orchestral arrangements on the album, scored the string section for the track. Speaking to 'Melody Maker's Harvey Kubernik in February 1977, Harley spoke of the song, revealing: ""(Love) Compared with You" is the first out-and-out love song I've written. I'd been trying for three years."Some of the fans' poetry puts me to shame - Steve Harley interview by Harvey Kubernik - Melody Maker - February 1977
2020 re-recording
In 2020, Harley released a new recording of the song as the opening track on his sixth solo studio album 'Uncovered'. This version, re-titled "Compared with You (Your Eyes Don't Seem to Age)", features a newly-written third verse, replacing the original's repeat of the first verse. Harley revealed to BBC Radio 2's Johnnie Walker in 2020, "I've sung the song [live] many hundreds of times since 1976 [and] every time I'm thinking 'Why are you repeating [the first] verse? Why didn't you write a third verse? Were you lazy? Were you out of words?' 45 years later and I thought the song deserved an update."Harley's engineer and co-producer Matt Butler suggested Harley write a third verse and re-record the song for 'Uncovered'. Harley wrote the new verse one morning in June during his 10-day residency at Rockfield Studios, where 'Uncovered' was being recorded. Speaking of the inspiration behind the verse, Harley told the 'Cat Tales' podcast in 2022,
Release
"(Love) Compared with You" was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in America only. The B-side, "Too Much Tenderness", was written and produced by Harley, and also taken from 'Love's a Prima Donna'. For its release as a single, "(Love) Compared with You" was cut down by almost a minute. A promotional edition of the single was also released, which placed the A-side on both sides of the vinyl; one in stereo and one in mono. Neither release featured a picture sleeve, but used a generic one instead.
Following its original release on the 'Love's a Prima Donna' album, and as a single, the song has also appeared on a number of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel compilations including 1987's 'Greatest Hits', 1998's 'More Than Somewhat The Very Best of Steve Harley', 1999's 'The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel', and 2006's 'The Cockney Rebel A Steve Harley Anthology'.
Critical reception
Upon release, Paul Phillips of 'National RockStar' magazine reviewed 'Love's a Prima Donna' and highlighted "(Love) Compared with You" and "Carry Me Again" as "two tracks which work, not because they are simple songs, but because they are simply presented". Geoff Barton of 'Sounds' described the song as "balladic" and highlighted the "lovely line "Like a waterfall you tingle me with your love"". He added: "This one comes across extremely well, building into an all-encompassing entity and ending with the tear-jerking lines "I love you - I'm in love with you" echoing away into the distance". American magazine 'Billboard' listed the album under the "Pop" section of their "Recommended LPs". The review highlighted the song, along with the title track, as the album's best cuts. In a 1976 issue of the EMI Records Weekly News magazine 'Music Talk', Rex Anderson compared the song with the title track: ""(Love) Compared with You" is the first real highpoint of the album and possibly one of the best things Steve has written to date. It contrasts with all his other work in that it is romantic and dreamy. It is a love hymn with beautifully gentle acoustic guitar, piano, and strings. Later in the review, Anderson also praised Tony Rivers for his vocal arrangements on the song and title track.
In a retrospective review, Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic commented that the song was one of "Harley's finest songs". He described it as "a delicately orchestrated love ballad that manages to be touching and heartfelt without lapsing into sappy sentimentality". Guarisco spoke of the song again in a review of the 1987 'Greatest Hits' compilation, noting it was a "delicate, subtly orchestrated tune where Harley drops his yen for surrealistic lyrics to communicate in direct and elegantly romantic terms".
In 1977, Geoff Barton of 'Sounds' reviewed the 'Face to Face: A Live Recording' album, commenting: ""(Love) Compared with You" follows admirably in the footsteps of "The Best Years of Our Lives", together with the irresistible line "Like a waterfall you tingle me with your love"."
Live performances
The song has been performed live during Harley and the band's concerts over the years.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BiKGUCvWRM Steve Harley Love Compared To You December 13th 2012 HMV Forum London UK YouTube] As a result, live versions of the song have been recorded and released. A version appeared on the band's 1977 live album 'Face to Face: A Live Recording', while an acoustic version later appeared on Harley's 1999 album 'Stripped to the Bare Bones'.
In 2010, Harley supported the Children in Need charity by auctioning a personal mini-concert at the winning bidder's home, as well as a signed guitar and a lavish dinner. A German fan won the auction with the bid of $15,000. In December that year, it was revealed that Harley was set to travel to the fan's home to play their requested song, which was "(Love) Compared with You".
Track listing
;7" single
#"(Love) Compared with You (Stereo)" - 3:33
#"Too Much Tenderness" - 4:16
;7" single (American promo)
#"(Love) Compared with You (Stereo)" - 3:33
#"(Love) Compared with You (Mono)" - 3:33
Personnel
;Cockney Rebel
* Steve Harley - vocals, guitar, producer
* Jim Cregan - guitar, backing vocals
* Duncan Mackay - keyboards
* George Ford - bass, backing vocals
* Stuart Elliott - drums
;Additional personnel
* Lindsay Elliott - percussion
* Tony Rivers - backing vocals, backing vocal arrangement
* John G. Perry - backing vocals
* Stuart Calver - backing vocals
* Wilfred Gibson - string section score
* Tony Clark - sound engineer
* Pat Stapley - assistant sound engineer
* Ken Perry - mastering
References
Category:1976 songs
Category:1976 singles
Category:EMI Records singles
Category:Steve Harley songs
Category:Songs written by Steve Harley
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