I Can't Even Touch You

"I Can't Even Touch You"
Single by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
B-side	"I Can Be Anyone"
Released	March 1982[1]
Format	7"
Genre	Pop, Rock
Length	4:04
Label	Chrysalis Records
Writer(s)	Steve Harley
Producer(s)	Midge Ure
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel singles chronology
"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (re-issue)" (1981) "I Can't Even Touch You" (1982) "Ballerina (Prima Donna)" (1983)

"I Can't Even Touch You" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released under his band name Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel as a non-album single in 1982.^[2] The song was written by Harley and produced by Scottish musician Midge Ure, who was also a friend of Harley.

Background

"I Can't Even Touch You" was Harley's first release of new solo/Cockney Rebel material since his 1979 album The Candidate. The song had originally been introduced live during Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel's 1981 Christmas tour. This tour introduced two other tracks; "Don't Shoot, Till You See The Whites Of Their Eyes" (a.k.a. "The Race Game") and "Knock On Her World". The recording and release of the song as a single came to fruition after Harley made a deal with Chris Wright, the founder and Chairman of Chrysalis Records. Harley had met Wright at the Sandown Park Racecourse, and as a result of the conversation, Harley sent Wright the song's demo. In turn, he suggested that Midge Ure produce it.

In the studio, Alan Darby, Cockney Rebel's guitarist of the time, laid down the original eight-to-the-bar chugging rhythm part of the track. However, Ure thought it was slightly off-beat at times, and therefore re-did the part himself. Darby did all the lead parts on the track. The piano and keyboards on the song were performed by Andy Qunta of Icehouse fame, who had toured with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel during late 1981.^[3]

The single was a commercial failure, failing to make an appearance on the UK chart, despite the general feeling from the label and fans alike that it would become a hit.^[4] It was Harley's only release via Chrysalis Records.^[5]

In July 2008, the song was unofficially uploaded onto YouTube, where it has since gained approximately 9,400 views.^[6]

Release

The single was released via 7" vinyl through Chrysalis Records in the UK and Germany only.^[7] The single featured the B-Side "I Can Be Anyone" which was written by Harley and produced by Ure as well. The B-Side was exclusive to the single and has not appeared on any other release since.^[7] "I Can Be Anyone" was originally introduced to fans during Cockney Rebel's 1980 Christmas tour, along with another two new songs; "My Cold Heart" and "Such is Life".

The single came with artwork, a full colour picture sleeve, which featured a photograph of Harley.^[8]

Following the original release, the song has appeared on three Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel compilations, the 1999 EMI Gold release The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel,^[9] the 2006 EMI release Cockney Rebel: A Steve Harley Anthology and the 2008 EMI Gold release The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. It also appeared as a bonus track on the 2002 CD re-issue of Harley's 1979 album The Candidate, released via Comeuppance Ltd.^[10]

Promotion

In the Melody Maker issue of 27 March 1982, a full A4 black and white advert was displayed based on the single. It featured the same photo of Harley as on the single's artwork.^[11]

The song has been performed live on a number of occasions and was professionally filmed live in 1984 at Camden Palace for the Live from London video release.^{[12][13][14][15]}

The song was later played live during the band's return to touring in the late 1980s. Around 2004, the song was again reintroduced to some set-lists. An audience video recording also exists of Harley performing the song live in Antwerpen, Belgium during November 2004.^[16] The song was performed live at the Glastonbury Festival in 2005, and eFestivals writer Karen Morrison reviewed the band's setlist and performance, where she mentioned the song, stating "When The Halo Slips" and "I Can't Even Touch You" follow with their full on keyboards and the applause is deafening."^[17]

Track listing

7" Single (UK release)

1. "I Can't Even Touch You" - 4:04
2. "I Can Be Anyone" - 3:20

7" Single (German release)

1. "I Can't Even Touch You" - 4:07
2. "I Can Be Anyone" - 3:20

Critical reception

In the UK magazine Smash Hits, dated 18 March 1982, writer Tim De Lisle reviewed the single, noting: "Produced, like Visage, by the tireless Midge Ure but beyond that there's not much else to be said for it. Pleasant, colourless and a far cry from his hits of the 70s."^[18]

George Starostin reviewed The Candidate album for his website and spoke of the bonus track song, stating "And yeah, there's a couple bonus tracks too - one is a really clever New Wave-style pop-rocker ('I Can't Even Touch You'), with a good chorus and a good arrangement."^[19]

In the unreleased 1991 book The Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel story, author Hans Peters described the song as "a surrealistic love song".^[20]

Personnel

• Midge Ure - Producer, rhythm guitar
• Steve Harley - Vocals, dual vocals, writer
• Alan Darby - Lead guitar
• Andy Qunta - piano, keyboards^[21]

References