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/
Sour Grain
Humble Pie Lyrics
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Still strong as Hickory
Swigs of mountain dew was his release
I know his only fear was country vulgar cold and clear
Throughout the day he'd booze and keep the peace
He knows the best way to success
Is a proud fierce woman and a jar of whiskey
Someway however you can
Well I'd stake my claim but my mule got lame
How lucky can a poor boy be
Don't you know that some bum
Stole my pig pet
Don't ask me how he gets in this fix
But I'd sure like to play some licksy game
'Cause I earn my pay and park it all on me
There's my brown dog barking
There's my landlord humming
Soh! Yerr! Someway whatever you name
Its all right by me
Well I'd cut my corn
But my blade got torn
How lucky can a poor boy be
Soh! Yer! Someway whatever you name
It's all right by me
Well I'd cut my corn
How lucky can a poor boy be
The opening lyrics to Humble Pie's "Sour Grain" introduce the listener to Shakey Jack, a centenarian who is still going strong despite his advanced age. He turns to "swigs of mountain dew" for release from the day's troubles, suggesting that alcohol may be his preferred coping mechanism. Shakey Jack's only fear is "country vulgar cold and clear," which could refer to anything from inclement weather to a harsh and unforgiving way of life.
Despite his advanced age and hard-living ways, Shakey Jack seems to have some wisdom to impart. He believes that the best way to succeed is to have a "proud fierce woman" by your side and a "jar of whiskey" to keep you going. The singer of the song seems to take Shakey Jack's advice to heart, singing that "It's all right by me" no matter how he earns his living or what kind of obstacles he faces.
The song's title, "Sour Grain," could refer to the hard and difficult life of Shakey Jack and other working-class people struggling to survive. It's a reminder that life can be harsh and unforgiving, but that there's still a way to find joy and satisfaction in it despite the challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Well Shakey Jack is 103
Shakey Jack is a really old man, but he's still strong as ever.
Still strong as Hickory
He's as strong as the wood of a hickory tree, which is known for its durability.
Swigs of mountain dew was his release
Shakey Jack would drink moonshine (a type of mountain dew) whenever he needed to relax or unwind.
I know his only fear was country vulgar cold and clear
Shakey Jack was afraid of the harsh realities of country life, like poverty and hard work.
Throughout the day he'd booze and keep the peace
Shakey Jack would drink alcohol all day, but he was able to maintain a peaceful demeanor.
He knows the best way to success
Shakey Jack believes that the key to success is to have a strong, independent woman by your side, along with some whiskey of course.
Is a proud fierce woman and a jar of whiskey
In Shakey Jack's opinion, success is achieved through a combination of a strong female partner and drinking whiskey.
Someway however you can
No matter how you achieve success, whether ethically or not, Shakey Jack is okay with it.
It's all right by me
Shakey Jack is pretty easy going and isn't too concerned with how people attain success.
Well I'd stake my claim but my mule got lame
The artist wants to lay claim to something, but his plans have been thwarted by an injured mule.
How lucky can a poor boy be
Despite his setbacks, the singer is still optimistic and feels lucky with what he has.
Don't you know that some bum
The artist is frustrated that someone has stolen his pet pig.
Stole my pig pet
A bum has stolen the singer's beloved pet pig.
Don't ask me how he gets in this fix
The singer is unsure of how he ended up in this difficult situation.
But I'd sure like to play some licksy game
Even though he's in a tough spot, the singer still has a desire to play music and have fun.
'Cause I earn my pay and park it all on me
The artist is hardworking and saves all his money for himself.
There's my brown dog barking
The artist's brown dog is making noise.
There's my landlord humming
The singer's landlord is also making noise.
Soh! Yerr! Someway whatever you name
The singer is making sounds to express his frustration and doesn't care how he's perceived.
Well I'd cut my corn
The artist wants to harvest his crops.
But my blade got torn
But his scythe (blade used for cutting) is damaged and unusable.
Soh! Yer! Someway whatever you name
The artist is still expressing his frustration with his situation.
It's all right by me
Despite all of his struggles, the singer is still content with his life.
Well I'd cut my corn
The artist again expresses his desire to harvest his crops.
How lucky can a poor boy be
Even with all of his setbacks, the singer still feels fortunate to have what he has.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER FRAMPTON, STEVE MARRIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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