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 Bob 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/
Honky Tonk Women
Humble Pie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alright!
Ah! sitting in a bar
Out in Georgia yes sir lord!
Oh! I do my best
But sure's a lonely show
Met a barroom queen
Down in texas lord!
But I just can't get get you off my mind no!
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
Later, it was late in new york city
Believe me yer!
I had to put on some kind of a show
In a while my baby covered me with sweet sweet lovin'
Oh! yer!
She blew my nose
She blew my mind
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
Oh! your sweet daddy
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
Oh! yes!
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk
Honky tonk woman
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme
Gimme the honky tonk blues
The Humble Pie's cover of the Rolling Stones' Honky Tonk Women is a tribute to one of the greatest rock bands of all time. The song is about a guy who met a barroom queen in Texas, but he cannot get her off his mind. The man is seeking the honky tonk blues, meaning he wants to dance, drink, and forget his problems in a honky tonk bar. Later in the song, the man is in New York City and has to put on some kind of show. His girlfriend gives him sweet love to help him get through his performance. The song ends with the man still seeking the honky tonk blues.
The Humble Pie's cover of Honky Tonk Women is energetic and lively. The guitars and drums are loud and gritty, capturing the essence of a honky tonk bar. Honky Tonk Women is a classic rock song that has stood the test of time. The song has a catchy chorus that is easy to sing along to, making it a fan favorite.
Line by Line Meaning
We want to pay a tribute to the rolling stones!
We want to show our admiration for the Rolling Stones!
Ah! sitting in a bar
Being in a bar
Out in Georgia yes sir lord!
I am in Georgia
Oh! I do my best
I am trying my hardest
But sure's a lonely show
But it's a lonely experience
Met a barroom queen
I met a woman at the bar
Down in Texas lord!
She was from Texas
Oh! yer!
Oh, yeah!
But I just can't get get you off my mind no!
I can't stop thinking about her!
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Later, it was late in New York City
Later, in New York city late at night
Believe me yer!
Trust me!
I had to put on some kind of a show
I had to perform onstage
In a while my baby covered me with sweet sweet lovin'
Later, my girlfriend comforted me with love
Oh! yer!
Oh, yeah!
She blew my nose
She helped me clear my head
She blew my mind
She amazed me
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Oh! your sweet daddy
Oh, your kind man
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Oh! yes!
Oh, yes!
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Oh! oh! oh! honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk
Honky tonk!
Honky tonk woman
A honky tonk type of woman
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme
Give me
Gimme the honky tonk blues
I want the honky tonk blues
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Shaefer
Steve Marriott & Paul Rogers were two of the best rock singers EVER!!!!!!!! Much respect!
Tim Penfield
Yes, NOBODY TOUCHED PR's voice, but SM Played a killer blues guitar. =2 OF THE BEST with different abilities, both great writers.
glenn h Friedman
your opinion I loved them both but to say they were the greatest does disrespect so many others
Rob Dee
Please have a listen to The Small Faces song Come On Children..
Ricardo Montero
Completamente de acuerdo,ellos son los mejores.steve i Paul.
Teddy Rondinelli
The most captivating rock singer Ever!!
Arno-Luyendijk
OK....guess I will have to make my amends on the former orignal. Sorry Mick and Keith, but Steve just blew my ears and mind with this INCREDIBLE cover version! I will honour this rock god by trying to sing and play the song in this way from now on! Thanks for the joy of your musicality, Steve Marriott, you were ONE OF A KIND!
Jax One
@Arno-Luyendijk THANKS ARNO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR REPLY AND YOUR VIEWS
Arno-Luyendijk
@Jax One OK. Your opinion is fair enough, I'll stick to my own nevertheless. It is, of course, not done to compare the two versions as they are both visions of two separate artists. But sometimes, you get struck by a cover version more than the original. That was the only thing I wanted to tell.
Jax One
I LOVE STEVE SMALL FACES HUMBLE PIE BUT NOBODY I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS will ever do it better than the STONES Nobody. ITS IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS THERE IDENTIFYING SONG ONE IN A ZILLION GREATEST TUNE EVER THE STONES OWN IT IT SHOULD BE A CRIME TO TRY TO COVER IT IT CAN NOT EVER BE DONE AS GOOD I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS NO COMPARISON WHATSOEVER NONE I DUD STILL KIND OF ENJOY IT BUT NO COMPARISON AT ALL CK THE STONES OUT AGAIN THE ORIGINAL VERSION