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/
Don't Worry Be Happy
Humble Pie Lyrics
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Well, they ain't nothing to write home about
There's too many people walking 'round
And they ain't got a life
Ain't that the truth
Ain't that the truth, people
And the ones that have
Well, I'll tell you now
Well, the truth is they're being bankrupt
For what they already went and got
Well, it's clear to me that we're here for some reason
Yeah
To stop some kind of dread from our midst
So don't worry, be happy
I say, don't you worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
With any luck that we never got
This old world will never stop
And this seems to indicate to me
Exactly what we've got
We've got to stop bitching
And start preaching over people's children
Live together
We ought to love together
We ought to better the whole situation
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy...
The lyrics to Humble Pie's song "Don't Worry Be Happy" highlight the pessimistic state of society's current times where people are aimlessly wandering without a purposeful life. The lyrics go on to say that even those who have some direction in life cannot cope with change. They have already bankrupted themselves and cannot withstand any more financial loss. The song acknowledges that we are all here for a reason, and that reason is to overcome the dread that is looming over us. The lyrics urge the listeners to not worry about the problems in the world and to be happy.
The song emphasizes the importance of compassion and unity to tackle the problems the world is facing. It urges people to stop complaining and start working together, embracing one another's differences, and loving each other. The song suggests that if we all work together, we can "better the whole situation."
Overall, Humble Pie's "Don't Worry Be Happy" spreads a message of positivity, hope, and togetherness. The cynical tone of the lyrics serves to emphasize the importance of love and unity in these troubled times.
Line by Line Meaning
Now listen, the times today
Let's pay attention to the current state of the world
Well, they ain't nothing to write home about
Honestly, things aren't going great
There's too many people walking 'round
The world is really crowded
And they ain't got a life
A lot of people don't seem to have much purpose
Ain't that the truth
You can't deny it, can you?
Ain't that the truth, people
We all see it, right?
And the ones that have
But there are some people out there who do have something going for them
Well, I'll tell you now
Let me explain this to you...
They can stand no change
Those successful people don't like things to be different
Well, the truth is they're being bankrupt
In reality, those people are losing out
For what they already went and got
Because of what they have already accomplished
Well, it's clear to me that we're here for some reason
I believe that there is a purpose to our existence
To stop some kind of dread from our midst
Maybe we are here to fight against negative forces in the world
So don't worry, be happy
Just relax and be content
I say, don't you worry, be happy
I'm telling you, there's no need to fret
With any luck that we never got
If we're lucky enough to avoid certain things
This old world will never stop
The world will keep on spinning
And this seems to indicate to me
Based on this, it seems that...
Exactly what we've got
This is what our situation is
We've got to stop bitching
We need to stop complaining so much
And start preaching over people's children
Instead, let's teach the next generation some positivity
Live together
Let's coexist in harmony
We ought to love together
We should spread love to one another
We ought to better the whole situation
To improve the world as a whole
Don't worry, be happy
Once again, just chill out and enjoy life
Don't worry, be happy
I mean it, don't stress yourself out
Don't worry, be happy...
Seriously, life's too short to be unhappy
Contributed by Carson P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ferenc Zakharides
on C'mon Everybody
ez egy szuper music mind