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/
Hot
Humble Pie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who that sayin' Mercy? So hot 'n' nasty
Oh hey Joe, don't forget to shake it
While you sleepin' on that bed
You know it really makes it
Look at me shake a leg, oh
I'm gonna stand out in the crowd
I wanna sing out loud
Ooh, got to do it with the feelin'
Now you gonna hit the ceiling
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Hey boogaloo, I really love you
Look what you've done to my head
Take all my time, take all my money
But most of all you take all my bread
Oh, I got my head in a cloud, I wanna sing it loud
I'm gonna stand out in the crowd
You got to do it with the feelin'
Well, you gonna hit the ceiling
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Don't forget to shake that thing, do it with the feelin'
Then you gonna, then you gonna hit the ceiling
Hot 'n' nasty, hot 'n' nasty, it's hot 'n' nasty
So hot 'n' nasty, so hot 'n' nasty
The lyrics to Humble Pie's song Hot 'N' Nasty are about the pleasures of rock and roll, dancing and partying. The song starts off with the band asking 'who that', followed quickly by 'mercy'. It is a call and response that is often found in gospel music, a genre that Humble Pie was influenced by. This opening sets the tone for the rest of the song which is hedonistic, ecstatic and celebratory.
The lyrics then talk about shaking it, 'look at me shake a leg', and the joys of being free to express oneself. The singer speaks of having their head in a cloud, but this is not meant to be a negative thing, it is rather a reference to the euphoric state that music can put you in. The line 'I wanna sing out loud' reinforces the notion that music is about freedom and self-expression. The verse about 'boogaloo' is about a dance craze that was popular in the late 60s and early 70s.
The chorus is a repetition of the phrase 'hot 'n' nasty' which describes the driving rhythm of the music and sets the tempo for the dancing. The song encourages the listener to 'do it with the feelin'' and to 'hit the ceiling', which means to let go and experience the music to the fullest. Hot 'N' Nasty is an upbeat celebration of the pleasures of rock and roll and the joy of being alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Find it, who that? Mercy
Who can resist the hot and nasty vibe of this song
Who that sayin' Mercy? So hot 'n' nasty
The song is so good that it will make anyone say Mercy!
Oh hey Joe, don't forget to shake it
A playful encouragement to move with the music - dance and have fun!
While you sleepin' on that bed
Instead of sleeping, get up and dance to this hot and nasty song
You know it really makes it
Dancing raises the energy and vibe of the music
Look at me shake a leg, oh
Reference to showing off some cool dance moves
I got my head in a cloud
The music and dance can create a euphoric state of mind
I'm gonna stand out in the crowd
When you dance with conviction, you become the center of attention
I wanna sing out loud
The energy of the song makes you want to vocalize and express yourself
Ooh, got to do it with the feelin'
Dance and sing with emotion and groove
Now you gonna hit the ceiling
The energy of the song and dancing will reach its peak
Do you get the message?
Are you feeling the rhythm and excitement of this hot and nasty song?
Hey boogaloo, I really love you
Boogaloo refers to a style of dance and the song is expressing love for it
Look what you've done to my head
The dancing to this hot and nasty song has put you in a trance-like state
Take all my time, take all my money
The dancing is so good, that you don't mind spending all your time and money on it
But most of all you take all my bread
The love for dancing can become all-consuming, even affecting financial priorities
Don't forget to shake that thing, do it with the feelin'
A playful reminder to always dance with emotion and groove
Then you gonna, then you gonna hit the ceiling
Dancing with the right energy and vibe will bring the excitement to the highest level
Hot 'n' nasty, hot 'n' nasty, it's hot 'n' nasty
The song is a passionate celebration of all things hot and nasty - in a good way!
So hot 'n' nasty, so hot 'n' nasty
The song and dancing is so good, that it's impossible to resist
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVE MARRIOTT, CLEM CLEMPSON, GREG RIDLEY, JERRY SHIRLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Find it, who that? Mercy
Who that sayin' Mercy? So hot 'n' nasty
Oh hey Joe, don't forget to shake it
While you sleepin' on that bed
You know it really makes it
Look at me shake a leg, oh
I got my head in a cloud
I'm gonna stand out in the crowd
I wanna sing out loud
Ooh, got to do it with the feelin'
Now you gonna hit the ceiling
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Hey boogaloo, I really love you
Look what you've done to my head
Take all my time, take all my money
But most of all you take all my bread
Oh, I got my head in a cloud, I wanna sing it loud
I'm gonna stand out in the crowd
You got to do it with the feelin'
Well, you gonna hit the ceiling
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Do you get the message?
Don't forget to shake that thing, do it with the feelin'
Then you gonna, then you gonna hit the ceiling
Hot 'n' nasty, hot 'n' nasty, it's hot 'n' nasty
So hot 'n' nasty, so hot 'n' nasty
@JimboCelt
Steve Marriott is the best British rock artist outside Beatles and Bowie, I think. Saw H. Pie twice - stunning. Great voice, sad loss.
@allbottledup9513
I’d for sure throw Pete Townshend on that list but he gets his due. Marriott didn’t get nearly as much recognition as she should have. I preferred Small Faces but Humble Pie was dope too!
@jamesaufdenberg4630
Best Front man, for Sure!!
@jamesaufdenberg4630
Marriot, that is!!
@timjessa1
Humble Pie at the Fillmore changed this mans life.. 10 yrs. old and i begged for a guitar for christmas... never looked back, i was a stone cold rock-n-roll junkie..... thanks steve......
@joetubealong692
Man I don't know what it is but whenever I hear any songs from this album it makes me think of this keg party at my cousins house on the 4th of July in 1979 before I moved back to Toledo from Temperance Michigan. Man those were the best times of my life!!
@butchforyou
Humble Pie was one of the opening acts for the first concert I ever saw! Absolutely amazing rock and roll!!
@lisaweaver986
Yes, indeed!
@sjensen2811
Me too! In Rockford Illinois! Was AMAZING!
@mixaliskokkinos1496
Who was the headlines?