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/
Anna
Humble Pie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You come and ask me, girl
To set you free, girl
Oh, but I, I still love you so
But if he loves you more, go to him
Anna, go to him, Anna
Anna, I want you to know, girl
But if he loves you more, go with him
All of my life I've been searching for a girl
Who's gonna love me like I love you
Oh, but every girl that I ever had
Just broke my heart and left me sad
Won't you tell me what am I, what am I supposed to do
Anna, see I want you to know, girl
That I still love you so
But if he loves you more, go with him
All of, all of my life I've been searching for a girl
Who's gonna love me like I, like I love you
But every girl that I ever had
Just broke my heart and then left me sad
Won't you tell me what am I supposed to do
Anna, you come and ask me, girl
To set you free, girl
Oh, but I still love you so
But if he loves you more, go with him
Won't you go with him
Go with him
Won't you go, won't you go
Walk away from me, girl
Can't stand no more
Can't stand no more
In this song, Humble Pie's lead singer Steve Marriott addresses his former lover, Anna, who has asked him to set her free. Marriott admits that he still loves her, but he also acknowledges that if her new partner loves her more, then she should go with him. Throughout the song, Marriott expresses his frustration with past failed relationships, seeking a love that matches his own commitment. Despite this search for love, Marriott ultimately sets Anna free, acknowledging that he can't stand the pain of holding onto someone who doesn't reciprocate his love.
"Anna" is reflective of the blues and soul influences in Humble Pie's music, as well as Marriott's own struggles with love and relationships. Through the song's lyrics, listeners can sense Marriott's raw emotions and vulnerability as he speaks directly to Anna. The song's slow tempo and Marriott's soulful delivery create a somber and introspective mood, leaving listeners feeling empathetic towards Marriott's struggle with unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, now Anna
Addressing the person named Anna
You come and ask me, girl
Asking for help and advice from the singer
To set you free, girl
Asking to be released from a relationship
Oh, but I, I still love you so
Confessing the ongoing love for Anna
But if he loves you more, go to him
Encouraging Anna to pursue love with the other person if he is more affectionate
Anna, go to him, Anna
Repeating the instruction to go with her lover
Anna, I want you to know, girl
Addressing Anna again and expressing further feelings
That I still love you so
Repeating the confession of love for Anna
All of my life I've been searching for a girl
Acknowledging a lifelong pursuit of love
Who's gonna love me like I love you
Desiring a reciprocating love
Oh, but every girl that I ever had
Reflecting on past relationships
Just broke my heart and left me sad
Revealing that past relationships ended poorly and caused emotional pain
Won't you tell me what am I, what am I supposed to do
Asking for advice and direction in regards to love
Anna, see I want you to know, girl
Addressing Anna again and emphasizing one's feelings
But if he loves you more, go with him
Reiterating that Anna should go with the other person if he is more affectionate
All of, all of my life I've been searching for a girl
Repeating the earlier sentiment about a lifelong pursuit of love
Who's gonna love me like I, like I love you
Reiterating desire for reciprocating love
But every girl that I ever had
Reflecting on failed relationships again
Just broke my heart and then left me sad
Reiterating past relationships ending poorly
Won't you tell me what am I supposed to do
Asking again for advice on what to do with one's love life
Anna, you come and ask me, girl
Addressing Anna for the fourth time
To set you free, girl
Repeating Anna's request to be released
Oh, but I still love you so
Repeating love for Anna again
But if he loves you more, go with him
Repeating suggestion to go with the other person if he is more affectionate
Won't you go with him
Urging Anna to go with the other person
Go with him
Repeating the previous urging to go with the other person
Won't you go, won't you go
Repeating the previous urging to go with the other person
Walk away from me, girl
Encouraging Anna to leave and move on from the relationship
Can't stand no more
Expressing that the artist cannot endure the pain and suffering anymore
Can't stand no more
Repeating previous statement on the distressing experience of the relationship
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Alexander
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alison Hammill
I thought The Beatles did a beautiful version of this but once again Steve stamps his own mark thoroughly, distinctively and touches my soul with his voice and this rendition. Many thanks the seeker23 - Alison
Károly Mikó
W
Genaldo Araújo Gomes
Imagine, quando este sucesso alcançou o mundo, só no Brazil, milhares de pessoas,gritaram,cantaram,e até hoje,curtem tal música.
Poucas pessoas,conhecem,,a mais bela versão.
Linda.
rickmag321
What a fantastic version! Steve was a one of the original rockers, for sure. Can anyone tell me when it was recorded?
Anna Forehan
I was only familiar with the original version and the Beatles' cover. I had no idea my favourite singer sung this song with my name! RIP Steve, a truly underrated singer, musician and songwriter.
Anna Forehan
I have been a fan since 1967, in which time hundreds, if not thousands of singer/songwriter/guitarists have come and gone. Many of negligible (at best) talent have received fame, fortune and accolades far in excess of what they deserved. The fact that he was less well known is inextricably linked with the fact that he was, and is, underrated, by definition. I obviously rate him very highly, as do others, but the FACT remains he is underrated. He "moved on to new things" for creative reasons. Doing so isn't mutually exclusive with wanting to "go huge". Quite the contrary.
rimmersbryggeri
But that's not because he is under rated its because he is less well known than others and maybe a little because he chose to always move on to new things rather than stay with a group and go huge.
Anna Forehan
Generally underrated. If you look at the comments on Small Faces YouTube videos (especially "Tin Soldier") you'll see that the standard opinion of Steve is that he was hugely talented but didn't, and still doesn't, receive the acclaim he deserved.
rimmersbryggeri
Under rated by who? Alot of musicians I know rate him very highly.
George Oblin
I only discovered this version of Anna recently and it has been growing on me. Certainly different from the original Arthur Alexander and from the Beatles versions. I always liked Itchycoo Park but never realized that the singer of that song had then moved onto Humble Pie. Still getting educated about music even after all these years.