An Unforgettable Question, Echoing Through Time
There are songs that define an era, and then there are songs that transcend it. For a band synonymous with stomping boots and glittery mayhem, Slade’s “How Does It Feel” was a beautiful, unexpected turn—a somber, reflective ballad released in 1975 that cut through the glam rock facade to reveal the melancholic heart of the group. It wasn’t a chart-topper like their previous smash hits, reaching a disappointing No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart, but its legacy is far greater than its initial commercial performance suggests. Instead, it became a quiet anthem, a moment of poignant reflection in a sea of raucous abandon.
“How Does It Feel” was the centerpiece of the band’s ambitious, if commercially unsuccessful, film project, Slade in Flame. The movie, a gritty and realistic portrayal of a fictional band’s rise and fall, was a sharp departure from the band’s cheerful, hit-making image. It was a bleak, almost prescient look at the dark side of fame, and the song perfectly captured that raw, emotional core. Unlike the joyful singalongs like “Cum On Feel the Noize,” this track was a soul-searching introspection, with Noddy Holder’s famously gravelly voice stripped back to a vulnerable, almost conversational tone. It was a risk, and the chart numbers at the time showed it. But for those of us who grew up with their music, it was a revelation. It showed us that the boys from Wolverhampton were more than just a party band; they were artists grappling with the very real costs of their success.
The story behind the song is a beautiful testament to the creative partnership of Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. The music was reportedly the first melody Lea had ever written, conceived years earlier on an old, out-of-tune piano with missing keys. He held onto it, a simple, beautiful tune that never found its home until the Slade in Flame project came along. Noddy then crafted the lyrics, lyrics that are a far cry from the anthemic chants he was known for. Instead, they are a deeply personal meditation on the passage of time, the fleeting nature of success, and the question that lingers after the noise fades. “Do you know what it’s like to be searching and suddenly find / All your illusions, all your confusion, all left behind?” he asks, his voice full of a wisdom that belied their wild stage presence. It’s a question that resonates even more deeply now, decades later, as we reflect on our own journeys. The inclusion of a brass section, performed by members of the band Gonzalez, added a layer of lush sophistication, transforming it from a simple ballad into a truly timeless piece of music.
The song’s relative lack of chart success at the time was a sign of the band’s changing tides, but it’s a testament to the song’s enduring quality that it has been recognized as one of their greatest. Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher famously called it “one of the best songs written, in the history of pop, ever.” It was a bold statement, but it speaks to the emotional power of the track. “How Does It Feel” wasn’t a hit in the traditional sense, but it was something more: it was a moment of genuine artistry, a raw and honest expression from a band that had been pigeonholed as pure entertainment. It’s a song that reaches into the past, stirs up forgotten feelings, and reminds us that sometimes, the quietest moments are the most profound. It’s a song that asks a question we all eventually have to answer, and it does so with a beauty and grace that still surprises and moves us to this day.