During 1967 the band released three singles in Europe and two in the United States, the first being the most successful. "Hi Ho Silver Lining" reached #14 on the UK singles chart and included the instrumental "Beck's Bolero" (1966) as the B side, which was actually recorded several months prior to the A side. The lineup for that session included guitarist Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar, bass player John Paul Jones, drummer Keith Moon (of The Who) and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Another two tracks are said to have been recorded, but have never seen the light of day. Each artist involved were keen to start a band, but because of contractual complications and other responsibilities it never took place. The next two singles fared far worse, although Rod Stewart and the rest of the Jeff Beck Group can be heard on both B sides. Frustrated that the band was not playing a strict enough blues set for his taste (they were actually billed quite often as "The Jeff Beck Blues Band"), drummer Dunbar left and was replaced by Roy Cook for one show, before Stewart recommended Micky Waller, a bandmate of his from Steampacket. Waller went on to play with the band all through 1968 and early 1969, and was their longest-lasting drummer.[1]
Peter Grant, a road manager at the time, had been to the US with The New Vaudeville Band, and was aware of the new concert and Album-oriented rock FM radio format developing there. It was now possible to break out a band without using the "hit single" formula. Grant realised that Beck's band was ideal for this market and tried several times to buy Beck's contract from Mickie Most, who refused to let Beck go. By early 1968 the band was ready to throw in the towel, and again to his credit, Grant convinced them not to break up, and booked a short US tour for them. Beck is quoted as saying "We were literally down to one change of clothing each". Grant's first stop for them was in New York City, for four shows at Fillmore East, where they played second on the bill to The Grateful Dead. They apparently took the town by storm. The New York Times ran the Robert Shelton article: "Jeff Beck Group Cheered in Debut", with the byline "British Pop Singers Delight Fillmore East Audience" proclaiming that Beck and his group had upstaged the Grateful Dead. The reviews from The Boston Tea Party were as good or better: "By the time he got to his last number... (the fans) were in a state of pandemonium the likes of which hadn't been witnessed since The Beatles hit town." By the time they wrapped up the tour at San Francisco's Fillmore West, Peter Grant had secured them a new album contract with Epic Records.
Beck with the Jeff Beck Group, 1968 Photo: Grant Gouldon
The band quickly returned to England to record Truth, which reached #15 in the US charts. The tracks were recorded within two weeks, with overdubs added the following month. Mickie Most was busy with other projects at the time and delegated most of the work to Ken Scott who basically recorded the band playing their live set in the studio. Beck's amplifier was apparently so loud[citation needed], it was recorded from inside a closet. The extra line up for these sessions included John Paul Jones on Hammond organ, drummer Keith Moon and Nicky Hopkins on piano. They returned to the US for a tour to promote the release of Truth, billed as The Jeff Beck Group. Long time Beck fan Jimi Hendrix jammed with the band at Cafe Wha during this and their following tours.[2]
They embarked on their third tour in December 1968 with Nicky Hopkins, who although in poor health, decided he wanted to play live. He accepted Beck's invitation, even though he had been offered more money by Led Zeppelin. Later, he lamented that "We lost one of the greatest bands in Rock history...." This was high praise from someone who played and recorded with some of the most stellar acts in the business. Even with his best intentions, the last leg of the tour was curtailed by illness. Beck then postponed a fourth, February 1969 US tour. This was also because he felt they shouldn't keep playing the same material with nothing new to add to it. New material was written, Micky Waller was replaced by power drummer Tony Newman and Wood was dismissed, only to be re-hired almost immediately. The success of Truth ignited new interest from Mickie Most and they recorded an album with the same name of their earlier single: Beck-Ola at De Lane Lea Studios, engineered by Martin Birch. They released the single "Plynth" and laid down three Donovan backing tracks as a favour to Most. Two of them were used for his single "Barabajagal" (Love Is Hot).[3].
In May 1969 the Jeff Beck Group embarked on their fourth U.S tour, this time with Nicky Hopkins as a full fledged member. The tour went smoothly, Beck-Ola was received extremely well, reaching #15 on The Billboard Charts, but it was reported that there was now terrible in-fighting within the band. Rod Stewart had recorded his first album The Rod Stewart Album for Mercury Records. They finished and returned to England, only to turn around and come right back to the States in July 1969 for their fifth and final time. It was a short tour, mostly along the East Coast, including Maryland, their final Fillmore East appearance, and the Newport Jazz Festival. Beck broke up the band on the eve of the Woodstock Music Festival, altthough they had been scheduled to play there. This is something that Beck now regrets.[2]
[edit] The second Jeff Beck Group
Jeff Beck with Fender Stratocaster
Courtesy: Jean-Luc Ourlin
Late in 1970 Jeff Beck reformed The Jeff Beck Group with vocalist Alex Ligertwood, keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Clive Chaman. During June 1971 Beck signed a record deal with CBS and was looking for a new singer. After hearing Bobby Tench perform with his band Gass, "Upstairs" at Ronnie Scott's club in Soho London,[4] Beck employed him as vocalist and second guitarist.
Tench was given only a few weeks to write new lyrics and add his vocals to the album Rough and Ready, before mixing resumed on tracks previously recorded in London by Beck and the other band members. The album was finished in July 1971 and they toured Finland, Holland, Switzerland and Germany. Rough and Ready was released in UK on 25 October 1971,[5] with the US release following during February 1972. A sixteen day promotional tour in USA followed[6] and the album eventually reached #46 in the album charts.
In January 1972 the band travelled to USA, to join Beck at TMI studios in Memphis, Tennessee. This is where they recorded the album Jeff Beck Group,[7] using Steve Cropper as producer.[8] Jeff Beck Group was released in UK on 9 June 1972. The promotional tour which followed included an appearance on the BBC Radio 1 "In Concert" series, which was recorded on 29 June 1972. During this session they played "Definitely Maybe" which featured Bobby Tench playing guitar[9], a rare occasion whilst Tench was associated with Beck.[10]
On 24 July 1972 The Jeff Beck Group was officially disbanded and Beck's management put out this statement: "The fusion of musical styles of the various members has been successful, within the terms of individual musicians, but they didn't feel it had led to the creation of a new musical style with the strength they had originally sought".[10]
[edit] Discography
* 1968 - Truth (Epic)
* 1969 - Beck-Ola (Epic)
* 1971 - Rough and Ready (Epic)
* 1972 - Jeff Beck Group (Epic)
[edit]
Ol' Man River
Jeff Beck/Mickey Waller/Nicky Hopkins/Rod Stewart/Tony Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
That old man river, he just keeps rolling along.
He don't plant tater's,
And we all know he don't pick cotton.
But them that plant 'em, are soon forgotten, that
Old man river, he just keeps rolling along, oh yes he does.
You and me, we sweat and toil,
Our bodies all achin' and racked with pain, now listen!
Lift that bar, you'd better, tote that bail,
And if ya' get a little drunk,
You'll land in jail.
I'm so weary, and sick of tryin',
I'm tired of livin', but afraid of dyin'.
That, that god-darn' old river, he just keeps rolling along.
Keep on rollin' along.
Keep on rollin' along.
Old man river don't you stop your way.
Keep on runnin' from the north, the south, the east or west,
You gotta roll it
The song "Ol' Man River" is a contemplative ballad about the enduring nature of time and the constancy of life. The opening lines pay homage to the Mississippi River, an iconic symbol of the American South, that has been flowing for centuries, through wars, natural disasters, and social change. The lyricist captures the unyielding spirit and quiet resilience of this great river. The phrase "He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'", suggests that Old Man River has seen and experienced everything there is to know about life, without ever saying a word. The refrain "He just keeps rolling along" serves as a reminder of the unstoppable force of time and the importance of persistence in the face of adversity.
The second verse describes the hard work and physical pain of everyday life, "sweating and toiling" for a living. The lyrics reference the harsh reality of the time, when being drunk on the job could result in imprisonment. Stewart's voice conveys the fatigue and yearning for relief, with lines like "I'm so weary, and sick of tryin'/ I'm tired of livin', but afraid of dyin'". Finally, the song comes full circle with the return of the final verse, urging Old Man River to "keep on rollin' along", impervious to the struggles and strife of the world around him.
Interpretation of this song varies depending on the listener's perspective, but most agree that it serves as a poignant reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. The song has resonated with people of all ages and backgrounds, earning it a place in the pantheon of classic American music.
Line by Line Meaning
Old man river, that old man river,
The river has been around for a long time and continues to exist even today.
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
The river doesn't speak, but it has seen a lot of things over time.
That old man river, he just keeps rolling along.
The river flows without any interruption.
He don't plant tater's,
The river doesn't plant potatoes.
And we all know he don't pick cotton.
The river doesn't pick cotton either.
But them that plant 'em, are soon forgotten, that
People who plant and pick crops are easily forgotten.
Old man river, he just keeps rolling along, oh yes he does.
The river continues to flow no matter what happens.
You and me, we sweat and toil,
We work hard.
Our bodies all achin' and racked with pain, now listen!
Our bodies hurt with pain from hard work.
Lift that bar, you'd better, tote that bail,
We have to carry heavy loads.
And if ya' get a little drunk,
If we drink too much alcohol...
You'll land in jail.
...we might end up in jail.
I'm so weary, and sick of tryin',
I am tired and exhausted from trying so hard.
I'm tired of livin', but afraid of dyin'.
I am tired of living, but afraid to die.
That, that god-darn' old river, he just keeps rolling along.
The river just keeps on flowing, no matter what.
Keep on rollin' along.
The river will keep flowing.
Old man river don't you stop your way.
The river should keep flowing without stopping.
Keep on runnin' from the north, the south, the east or west,
The river should keep running from all directions.
You gotta roll it
The river must keep rolling.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@someguy4653
There's an old man called the Mississippi
That's the old man that I long to be
What does he care if the world's got troubles?
What does he care if the land ain't free?
Old man river
That old man river
He must know something
But don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin'
He keeps on rolling along
But he don't plant taters
And he don't plant cotton
And them that plants 'em
Are soon forgotten
But old man river
He just keeps on rolling along
Oh, you and me, we sweat and strain
Body all achin' and racked with pain
Tote that barge
Lift that bale
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail
I gets weary
And sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin'
And scared of dyin'
But old man river
He just keeps rolling along
@benwalker8474
what a line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying"
@vulpesinculta3238
Sums up the lives of half the world's population, no doubt.
@angie6995
I remember my gran saying that's how she felt (when she became bedridden). So pertinent for so many.
@maskedsaiyan1738
Ben Walker Yep.
@miamimarauder6430
Ben Walker its a true quote preparing for it but still fearing it
@arielfruge1099
Ben Walker me to
@chimpolad5064
“I get weary, and sick of tryin’, I’m tired of living, and scared of dyin’”
What a timeless line
@chosenlight7289
@Tweed Penguin lol it is always that one.... I guess today it is you 😒🙄😂
@blumen9724
@Tweed Penguin hater
@benrogers5050
@Tweed Penguin bro your life isn’t special, just shut up.