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/
Drift Away
Humble Pie Lyrics
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Tell 'em
And I look for the light through the falling rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
Now I'm feeling the strain, ain't it a shame
Give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
Give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
And drift away
Beginning to think that I'm wasting time
I don't understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
Now I'm counting on you to carry me through
Oh, give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
And drift away
Give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
And drift away
When my mind is free
You know, the melody can't move me
When I'm feeling blue
Know the guitar's comin' through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I want you to know I believe in this song
Rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You help me along, making me strong, yeah
Oh, give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
And drift away
Give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
And drift away
In "Drift Away," Humble Pie's lead singer Steve Marriott laments his confusion and the feeling of being lost in life. He seeks refuge in rock 'n' roll music and implores the band to give him the beat to free his soul and allow him to drift away. Marriott relates how he finds solace in the melody when his mind is free and how the guitar has the power to soothe him when he's feeling down. He expresses gratitude for the joy that rock 'n' roll music has given him and how the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony have helped him to feel stronger and more capable of facing life's struggles.
The song became a big hit for Humble Pie, reaching number 23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1971. "Drift Away" has since been covered by many artists, including Dobie Gray, who had a hit with it in 1973, and Uncle Kracker, who released a successful version in 2003. The song has also been featured in numerous movies, TV shows, and commercials. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the enduring appeal of the rock 'n' roll sound that Marriott was so passionate about.
Line by Line Meaning
Day after day I'm more confused
Every day, I become more unsure about life
And I look for the light through the falling rain
I try to find some hope in difficult times
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
It's tough to feel defeated and hopeless
Now I'm feeling the strain, ain't it a shame
I'm struggling and it's a pity
Give me the beat, boys, to free my soul
I need some good music to lift me up
Want to get lost in your rock 'n' roll
I want to be fully immersed in the music
And drift away
I want to be carried away and forget my worries
Beginning to think that I'm wasting time
I'm starting to question if what I'm doing is worthwhile
I don't understand the things I do
I'm confused about my actions and decisions
The world outside looks so unkind
The world seems hostile and unwelcoming
Now I'm counting on you to carry me through
I'm relying on music to help me cope
When my mind is free
When I'm in a good mood
You know, the melody can't move me
Music can't fully impact me if I'm not in the right headspace
When I'm feeling blue
When I'm sad or down
Know the guitar's comin' through to soothe me
The guitar provides comfort during tough times
Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I'm grateful for the happiness that music has brought me
I want you to know I believe in this song
This song has special meaning and resonance for me
Rhythm and rhyme and harmony
The combination of music elements that make the song great
You help me along, making me strong, yeah
Music has a powerful effect on my well-being
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JERRY LYNN WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cinci Litigator
Love Ridleys singing and never heard this. He was more of a talent than people realized.
Ted Frey
Cinci Litigator Yes love this from Greg and the ad libbing and backing vocals from Steve.
Cook moore
Amazing! I was getting magnetized to his powerful voice and harmonies after really getting into The Pie
Ned Colbran
He was awesome check out Rockin the Fillmore
Nails four day creep
Colin Martin
Rated as the best bass player in Britain, no less!
xJayWalkerx
I've got very mixed feelings towards Thunderbox LP but this cover is one of the songs that I like on this album. I love the blend of Greg's and Stevie's voices. Particularly on You're So Good For Me. :)
Grant Shenton
You're so good for me is my favourite Pie song ,brilliant contrast between the two voices
Cindy Falstrom
@Grant Shenton My favorite too. Just beautiful. RIP Greg & Steve.
Amandeep Nagpal
Yes beautiful take that is by both , loads of respect
Mark Haus
xJay, Listen to Thunderbox some more. It is really a good album.