The band initially consisted in 1969 of Steve Marriott (formerly of Small Faces; lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Peter Frampton (from The Herd; lead guitar), Greg Ridley (from Spooky Tooth; bass) and Jerry Shirley (from The Apostolic Intervention; drums).
The joining of all these fairly known players resulted in Humble Pie being considered a bit of a “supergroup”. Worried about great expectations, the group began working together in secret at Marriott's cottage in Moreton, Essex. Signed to Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Records, their debut single "Natural Born Boogie" was rushed out in 1969 and was a UK number five hit; it was quickly followed by the album As Safe As Yesterday Is, praised as a progressive album in the vein of Small Faces. Their second album Town and Country was also released in 1969 and featured a more acoustic sound. Humble Pie concerts at this time featured an acoustic set followed by an electric set, an approach that would become popular decades later.
1970 saw the financial collapse of Immediate, a switch to A&M Records, and a change in band management. The albums Humble Pie and Rock On, both released that year, alternated between progressive rock and boogie rock excess. A concert at the Fillmore East in NYC was captured on Perfomance Rockin' The Fillmore (1971); it is considered one of the best live rock albums of its era, with Marriott, Frampton, and the rest of the group in fine form. The loud-quiet-loud epic "I Don't Need No Doctor" was an FM radio hit in the United States, propelling the album to the group's biggest commercial success yet.
However, Frampton had already left the band by the time of the album's release, to pursue a solo career that would become extremely successful later in the 1970s. With Dave "Clem" Clempson replacing Frampton, Humble Pie moved towards an even harder sound at the urging of manager Dee Anthony, emphasizing Marriott's blues and soul roots.
Smokin' (1972) had a minor hit in "Thirty Days in the Hole" and was reasonably successful commercially based on the group's constant touring. As a premiere US concert attraction, they traveled in a customized private jet, and partook in all forms of the rock n roll excess available to formerly working class musicians that rose to fame and riches in this era, even hiring The Blackberries, a trio of black backup singers including Vanetta Fields formerly of The Ikettes. Nevertheless the band's extended, long form concert boogie jam rock style was unable to break them into the mainstream radio. Eat It (1974) was three sides of mostly R&B covers and one side live, and while appreciated by their core fans, did nothing to expand the group's audience. The group staged the Goodbye Pie Tour in 1975 and essentially broke up.
In 1980 Marriott, divorced, and with financial problems in the UK, relocated to Atlanta Georgia and revived Humble Pie with Shirley, adding Bobby Tench (from Jeff Beck Group) on guitar and Anthony "Sooty" Jones on bass. Two albums with a more modern heavy metal sound were released but the effort soon fell apart. In 1991 Marriott and Frampton began collaborating again, with another Humble Pie rebirth possibly in the offing, but an unfortunate house fire took Marriott's life before anything tangible could materialise. http://rockandrollgarage.com/the-tragic-story-of-steve-marriott-death/
30 Days In The Hole
Humble Pie Lyrics
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A dirty room and a silver coke spoon
Give me my release, come on
Black napalese, it's got you weak in your knees
Just seeds and dust that you got bust on
You know it's hard to believe
30 days in the hole
I know
Newcastle Brown, I'm tellin' you, it can sure smack you down
Take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
It's got your head spinnin' round
If you live on the road, well there's a new highway code
You take the urban noise with some Durban Poison
It's gonna lessen your load
What you doin' boy?
You here for 30 days
Get, get, get your long hair cut
And cut out your ways
Black napalese, it got you weak in your knees
Just seeds and dust that you got bust on
You know it's so hard to please
Newcastle Brown can sure smack you down
You take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
You know you're jailhouse-bound
30 days in the hole
The lyrics to Humble Pie's song "30 Days in the Hole" are about the singer's experience being incarcerated for a month. He speaks of his surroundings, such as the Chicago green, which is a reference to some strain of cannabis, and Black Lebanese, which could either refer to a type of hashish or a type of tobacco. He also mentions a dirty room with a silver cocaine spoon, which could represent the grim reality of his imprisonment.
The singer speaks of feeling weak in his knees due to the drugs he's taken, which he calls Black Napalese. This could imply that he's taking some sort of opiate, which is known for its ability to make a person feel very relaxed, even to the point of being physically weak. He references the fact that it's just seeds and dust that he's been "bust on", perhaps meaning that he's been caught with a small amount of drugs that he's now being punished for.
The last part of the song is about the singer's experience after being released from jail. He speaks of Newcastle Brown, which is a type of beer that's known for being very strong, and how it can "smack you down". He also speaks of a "greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor", which again implies that he's living a somewhat reckless lifestyle. Overall, the song speaks to the experience of being incarcerated, the drug culture that's often associated with that lifestyle, and the temptations that can lead a person back into trouble even after they've been released.
Line by Line Meaning
chicago green, talkin' 'bout Black Lebanese
Talking about marijuana
A dirty room and a silver coke spoon
Drug abuse and addiction
Give me my release, come on
Asking for freedom from addiction or jail
Black napalese, it's got you weak in your knees
Marijuana is very potent and has a strong effect
Just seeds and dust that you got bust on
Getting caught with marijuana and its residue
You know it's hard to believe
The situation is unbelievable or difficult to accept
30 days in the hole
Jail time
That's what they give you
The punishment for drug abuse or possession
I know
Acknowledging the consequences
Newcastle Brown, I'm tellin' you, it can sure smack you down
Alcohol is also addictive and can have negative effects
Take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
Describing a wild, hedonistic lifestyle
It's got your head spinnin' round
The effects of alcohol and drugs on the mind and body
If you live on the road, well there's a new highway code
Living a reckless lifestyle has its own set of rules and consequences
You take the urban noise with some Durban Poison
Using drugs to cope with the stresses of life
It's gonna lessen your load
Drugs can provide temporary relief but create more problems in the long run
What you doin' boy?
Questioning the person's actions and choices
You here for 30 days
Reiterating the jail sentence
Get, get, get your long hair cut
Ordering the person to change their appearance and behavior
And cut out your ways
Stop the destructive behavior
You know it's so hard to please
Addiction is difficult to overcome
Newcastle Brown can sure smack you down
Alcohol can also have negative consequences
You take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
Risky behavior can lead to trouble
You know you're jailhouse-bound
Reinforcing the consequences of one's actions
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tomartstone
One of the greatest songs ever! Almost 74 and this Rocks the Hell out of my world....Never tire of this!
@user-yg2eq4ul3j
Nothing like back in the day... Love this song
@shirleygiordano7627
I'm 43. My parents and elder sister got me into classic 70s and 80s hard rock. I bop to this song a lot. It's an iconic song.
@shirleygiordano7627
I'm 43, and I looooove this song. My sisters and parents always played good old solid classic rock and metal, and I love it.
@lawsonfan5797
There ain't a stereo in the world that is loud enough to play this properly.
@johndoherty8515
True day.
@johndoherty8515
True dat. Fucking spell check.
@ericbomberger1128
You got that right!!!!
@wangdangdoodle1813
fkN A +🎵
@rhondamainor2654
That bitch is bad... 30 days... Err day!!!