After touring the US and Europe for two years, he left Humble Pie as the group was gaining popularity because of disdain for Marriott's hard living lifestyle and screaming boogie rock direction. Aside from his work with Humble Pie, other recordings of this era that feature Frampton include albums by Harry Nilsson, Jerry Lee Lewis, and George Harrison. His solo debut was 1972's Wind of Change, which did not fare well on the charts though receiving critical praise. It also featured appearances by musicians such as Ringo Starr and Mick Jones.
Two more efforts by Frampton also struggled commercially, one released under the moniker Frampton's Camel. Constant touring began to create awareness of his talents, however, and 1974's Frampton LP went gold. It also peaked #32 on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S., showing his growing international appeal.
He finally gained lasting international fame by 1976 when his much-loved live album, Frampton Comes Alive! was released. Having built up his reputation on the road, the LP debuted at No. 1 on the charts in January 1976. It was long considered the best-selling live album of all time, moving over 16 million copies worldwide.
In 1978, Peter suffered a near fatal car crash in the Bahamas, which left him with a concussion, muscle damage and broken bones. But in 1979, he released the album 'Where I Should Be', which went gold and produced the hit 'I Can't Stand It No More'.
His extensive use of the Talk Box effect was and still is an integral part of the Peter Frampton experience.
His albums never regained the high chart placements of the 70's era but he has continued his musical career none the less. Among the gimmicks he's employed to maintain interest have been releasing Frampton Comes Alive II, as well as joining Ringo Starr's touring revue, recording two CDs with ex-Stone Bill Wyman and unsucessfully attempting to reunite with Steve Marriott before his death in 1991. Other notable occasions include starring with the Bee Gees in a film version of The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album and playing with David Bowie on his Never Let Me Down album and tour.
In 2006, Frampton released Fingerprints, a completely instrumental guitar showcase album.
In 2013, two of the ballet’s spring production segments were choreographed to Frampton and his band. A third section featured these new compositions. As Frampton says about the experience: “Writing for dance was a wonderfully freeing experience, There were no boundaries…Songwriters and musicians create music to move people. This was beautiful, graceful, and instantly gratifying!”
“The Promenade’s Retreat” features Frampton laying down some light picking. The verses are few, so we don’t get all that much singing, though Frampton’s voice is very distinctive. There is an easy backbeat provided by drummer Chad Cromwell and Frampton manages his trills, pulls-offs and clean intricate leading.
The title track is a poppy acoustic guitar number. Frampton sings at the high end of his range, we get very Beatlesque sing-able choruses, a tickle of Dobro guitar slide in the bridge, and harmony vocals from Gordon Kennedy. Erik Darken’s congas keep everything slipping along as Frampton leads on top of the concoction, showing his mastery on acoustic as much as he ever has on electric.
“The One in 901” is the first real rock mover and probably the heaviest. There is a chunky Chad Cromwell drumming and Frampton double octave riffing. Over the top, he delivers slightly distorted simple yet effective leads. We even hear some softly sung “ooh’s” before the break out at the end.
“Heart To My Chest” is a delicate tune. Frampton offers up his acoustic yet again for the main voicing and some poignant lyric, his voice breaking even slightly on top of it all. When Blair Master’s piano, Gordon Kennedy’s bass and Cromwell’s drums come in for the choruses, we are in latter-day John Lennon-sounding territory. This tune features guitar and piano descending lines at its end with Frampton offering up clean leads over it. This is the best tune here.
A shuffling mid-tempo beat pushes “Norman Wisdom.” Frampton leads all over the tune on acoustic, offering a fun lyric and Steely Dan-like backing vocals from Kennedy and Frampton. Hummingbird In A Box: Songs For A Ballet is clean, simple, not overly stylized playing from Peter Frampton. The songs are strong enough to stand on their own, ballet or not. We get another example of what Peter Frampton is capable of after five decades.
Peter now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio and can still be found playing concerts around the world.
Don't Fade Away
Peter Frampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love light burnt so bright lady you're a fantasy
I play on her emotions
There's no point I don't get no reaction
'Cause she'll leave as she came
And I gave her my name
Serpentine sunshine with you, baby with you
Pisces child running wild weeping willow cries alone
I don't want to replace her
She don't look, she don't look when I face her
Though I treasure the thought
Which could never be bought
Side by side rowing with you, rowing with you
I need your love more than I need you
So please, don't fade away keep you in my view
I can't see, I can't be
I don't want to replace her
She don't look, she don't look when I face her
Though I treasure the thought
Which could never be bought
Side by side rowing with you, rowing with you
Don't fade away, please don't fade away
The song "Don't Fade Away" by Peter Frampton is a beautiful and heartfelt ballad about a man's desire for a woman he loves deeply. The song opens with the lines "Mine she's blind she's all I need to be at ease, love light burnt so bright lady you're a fantasy," which suggest that the man is infatuated with the woman to the point where he is willing to overlook any flaws she may have. Despite his attempts to garner a reaction from her, he is met with no response, indicating that she may not feel the same way about him. The lines "And I gave her my name, Serpentine sunshine with you, baby with you," reveal that the man has given himself to her completely and is willing to do anything to be with her.
The second verse of the song starts off with the lines "Floating mind you're a kind of candle shadow on the wall, Pisces child running wild weeping willow cries alone," which allude to the woman's elusive and mysterious nature. Although the man desires her deeply, he does not want to replace her with someone else because he treasures the thought of being with her, even though it is unlikely to ever happen. The lines "Side by side rowing with you, rowing with you" suggest that he is willing to put in the effort to try and make things work between them. The chorus "I need your love more than I need you, so please don't fade away, keep you in my view, I can't see, I can't be" reiterates the man's deep desire for the woman and his fear of losing her.
Line by Line Meaning
Mine she's blind she's all I need to be at ease
I am content with my partner despite her blindness
Love light burnt so bright lady you're a fantasy
The intensity of our love feels surreal like a fantasy
I play on her emotions
I manipulate my partner's feelings
There's no point I don't get no reaction
My actions fail to elicit a response from my partner
'Cause she'll leave as she came
My partner will depart without any noticeable impact on me
And I gave her my name
I have committed myself to this partner
Serpentine sunshine with you, baby with you
Our love is like a twisting light beam, entwined and dazzling
Floating mind you're a kind of candle shadow on the wall
Your presence is fleeting and elusive, like the flickering shadow of a candle on the wall
Pisces child running wild weeping willow cries alone
Your emotional nature is like that of a wild and free Pisces, yet you express your sorrow and solitude like a weeping willow
I don't want to replace her
I cannot imagine being with someone else
She don't look, she don't look when I face her
My partner is emotionally distant and unresponsive
Though I treasure the thought
Despite this, I still value the idea of our love
Which could never be bought
No amount of money could replicate the uniqueness of our love
Side by side rowing with you, rowing with you
We journey through life together, like two people rowing a boat
I need your love more than I need you
My love for you is intense, but it is not enough to sustain me without you
So please, don't fade away keep you in my view
I fear losing you, and I ask that you remain with me
I can't see, I can't be
I cannot exist without your love
Don't fade away, please don't fade away
I beg you not to leave me, to stay with me always
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEVIN KADISH, MATT SERLETIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Beverly Esparaguera
on Apple Of Your Eye
Good Day Heritage Singers!!!
I am an avid of your singing group. I always listen to your songs because i feel more happy everytime i play your music everyday. I want to ask a lyrics of your song "The Apple of your Eye". I really love this music. Looking forward to receive a response from you, Thanks a lot. More Power and God Bless. Kindly send the lyrics to bhevscasida@gmail.com