Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and were broken up for eight years from 1976 to 1984, with drummer Ian Paice being the band's only constant member. The first four line-ups, which constituted the band's original 1968–1976 run, are officially indicated as Mark I (1968–1969), Mark II (1969–1973), Mark III (1973–1975) and Mark IV (1975–1976). Mark I comprised the founding members of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Rod Evans (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Paice (drums) and Nick Simper (bass), while Mark II was the most commercially successful line-up, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replacing Evans and Simper respectively. Mark III saw David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes replace Gillan and Glover respectively, while Mark IV featured Tommy Bolin replacing Blackmore. The band split in July 1976 and Bolin died from a drug overdose five months later. In 1984, Deep Purple reformed with the Mark II line-up, which remained in place until Joe Lynn Turner replaced Gillan in 1989. Gillan rejoined in 1992, with Blackmore leaving for the second and final time the following year. He was replaced temporarily by Joe Satriani and then permanently by Steve Morse. In 2002 Don Airey replaced Jon Lord, which saw Deep Purple settle into its longest running line-up, unchanged for the next twenty years, until Morse announced his departure from the band in 2022. His place was taken by Simon McBride. Paice, Glover, Gillan, Airey and McBride comprise the current line-up of Deep Purple.
Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme] and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever". The band received the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards. Deep Purple (specifically Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillan, Glover, Coverdale, Evans, and Hughes) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kneel And Pray
Deep Purple Lyrics
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Good Golly, said little Miss Molly
When she was rockin' in the house of blue light
Tutti Frutti was oh so rooty
When she was rockin' to the east and west
Lucille was oh so real
When she didn't do her daddies will
I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly
Saturday night and I just got paid
Gonna fool about ain't gonna save
Some people gonna rock some people gonna roll
Gonna have a party to save my soul
Hard headed woman and a soft hearted man
They been causing trouble since it all began
Take a little rice take a little beans
Gonna rock and roll down to New Orleans
The Deep Purple song Kneel and Pray is a medley of various rock and roll hits from the 1950s and 60s that were popular in the band's formative years. The song is essentially an ode to those songs and to the performers who sang them. The lyrics of the opening segment, "Just a few roots, replanted," convey the idea that Deep Purple is paying homage to their predecessors and acknowledging their contributions to the rock and roll genre. The following lines that reference Little Richard's "Good Golly, Miss Molly," Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti," and Chuck Berry's "Lucille" are examples of this tribute. The lines "Come on baby, drive me crazy--do it, do it" reflect the high energy of the music that is being celebrated.
The next part of the song turns the focus on Deep Purple's own music with the lines "I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing, I'm a speed king see me fly." This is a reference to their own song "Speed King" from the album "Deep Purple in Rock," which is widely regarded as one of the band's signature tunes. The song then segues into a cover of "Saturday Night and I Just Got Paid," originally performed by Sam Cooke, with additional lyrics about rocking, rolling, and having a party. The final lines about taking rice and beans and heading down to New Orleans are likely a nod to the influence of blues and jazz music on the rock and roll genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a few roots, replanted.
Starting fresh with a few changes.
Good Golly, said little Miss Molly
When she was rockin' in the house of blue light
Tutti Frutti was oh so rooty
When she was rockin' to the east and west
Lucille was oh so real
When she didn't do her daddies will
Come on baby, drive me crazy--do it, do it
Miss Molly enjoyed rockin' at the House of Blue Light, singing Tutti Frutti – a rock-n-roll song with African-American slang, and Lucille – a woman character, rebellious against her father. The singer encourages the listeners to go wild – do it!
I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly
I'm the best, fastest rocker you'll ever know.
Saturday night and I just got paid
Gonna fool about ain't gonna save
Some people gonna rock some people gonna roll
Gonna have a party to save my soul
Hard headed woman and a soft hearted man
They been causing trouble since it all began
Take a little rice take a little beans
Gonna rock and roll down to New Orleans
Having just been paid, the singer doesn't plan to hold back, but to have some fun – he can't save it all. Some will be wild, others just go with the flow as they party hard. Hard-headed women and soft-hearted men have caused trouble since day one. They'll take some food for energy and rock down to the New Orleans.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN GILLAN, IAN PAICE, JON LORD, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, ROGER GLOVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind