🎭 About the Song
“Mr Soft” is a slice of surreal British pop genius — part carnival waltz, part glam-rock fever dream. Steve Harley’s theatrical swagger meets an eerie, hypnotic groove that feels like something between Alice in Wonderland and Cabaret. It’s playful and menacing in equal measure — the sound of a grin that knows something you don’t.
Released in 1974, it was one of Cockney Rebel’s defining hits, pairing sardonic poetry with lush, twisted melodies. On ukulele, it morphs into something new: a sly, jazzy groove that swings instead of stomps — but the mischief stays intact.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
We’ll play it in E minor, which keeps the haunting tone while sitting comfortably on uke.
You’ll need Em, C, B7, Am, and D — a moody, flexible set of chords.
Main groove (verse): [Em] – [C] – [B7] – [Am]
Chorus: [C] – [D] – [Em] – [C] – [D] – [B7]
Keep a loose, rhythmic swing with a down–chuck–up–up–chuck–up strum around 95 bpm.
If you want the bassy swagger of the original, try light palm muting and emphasize the G string on beat one.
For an extra cool texture, toss in quick chord lifts — lift your fingers off the fretboard between beats to create that stop-start “breathing” rhythm.
This one isn’t about perfection — it’s about character. Play it like you’re smirking.
Singing tip: Harley’s delivery is half–spoken, half–sneered. Don’t sing it sweet — deliver it like a sly narrator at a carnival booth.
💡 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- “Mr Soft” was one of Steve Harley’s biggest hits, reaching the UK Top 10 in 1974.
- The song’s quirky orchestration includes piano, strings, and toy-like percussion, giving it a surreal, theatrical edge.
- It became iconic again in the 1990s after being used in a Trebor Softmints advert (Harley even re-recorded the vocals).
- The track was produced by Alan Parsons, who later formed The Alan Parsons Project.
🌈 Final Word
“Mr Soft” is what happens when glam rock gets tipsy at a fairground and starts philosophising. On ukulele, it turns sly and slyly beautiful — all the eccentricity without the excess.
Play it with a wink, lean into the oddness, and remember: the whole point is to sound like you’re having slightly too much fun.
