How Sniff ‘N’ The Tears Disbanded, Reunited (Sort Of), and Then Enjoyed Their Biggest Hit in 1979

Now and again, a band emerges on the scene with a name so quirky that it seems destined for one-hit-wonder status. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you Sniff ‘n’ The Tears, perpetrators of “Driver’s Seat”, a slick Top 20 hit from 1979.

To be fair, the band, led by its lone stalwart member Paul Roberts, has sustained a long career, even if only one song broke through. That song tells a story of persistence, as it hung around and finally found its home many years after it was first conceived.

Tracking The Tears

The first incarnation of Sniff ‘N’ The Tears (the name referring to allergy symptoms) formed in the early 70s in the UK. In 1973, Paul Roberts, the band’s lead singer, was awoken from his slumber one night by the sound of a mouse scurrying around his apartment at the same time that the refrigerator was making loud noises.

Since he was awake, he decided he’d go for a walk. It was at that point that a riff started to form in his head. When he started writing the song, he discarded the riff but kept plugging along with the rest. That became “Driver’s Seat”.

In terms of the lyrics, Roberts imagined someone fresh out of a relationship, trying to get back in control of his life. That’s the “Driver’s Seat” to which he was referring. The song came together quickly. Not long after, Sniff ‘n’ The Tears fell apart, meaning that he didn’t get the chance to even try out this new song on audiences. At least not yet.

“Seat” Of Power

Roberts went to France for a stretch, where he found a record company willing to fund some demos. Among the tracks that he laid down was “Driver’s Seat”. But the company wasn’t able to do anything with them. Roberts briefly turned his focus away from music, instead returning to London to become a painter.

In 1977, Roberts heard from Luigi Salvoni, who had drummed on the demos. He wanted to pitch the songs on Roberts’ behalf. Eventually, a deal was forged with Chiswick Records. Roberts reformed Sniff ‘n’ The Tears with a new set of musicians for the 1979 album Fickle Heart.

He and the band rerecorded “Driver’s Seat” to be used as the first single from the record. Somehow, the song somehow made sense as both pub rock and disco, two extremely popular styles of music at the time. It rolled to No. 15 on the US charts, by far the biggest hit for a band that’s recorded albums in each of the last six decades.

Behind the Lyrics of “Driver’s Seat”

“Driver’s Seat” is all about forward momentum, both lyrically and musically. For the most part, the narrator keeps his focus on the here and now, shuffling away his troubles. “Come what may,” he says. “Gonna dance the day away.”

Memories of an ex named Jenny briefly filter into his mind. “She had another way of looking at life,” he explains. But when she leaves him, he feels it’s better to tunnel straight ahead. “I’ll never remember my time with you.”

This is one of those songs with an instantly recognizable sound, making it perfect for needle drops. Because of that, “Driver’s Seat” has enjoyed quite the shelf life following its time in the spotlight, which is only fitting for a song that took about six years to finally get there.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images

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