Stone Cold Fever
Peter Frampton Lyrics


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Oh! Stone cold fever, yerr!
So hard to see
I've got trouble in my back bone
Since that lonesome day
Oh! Yerr!

Tried too hard, I heard you speak
Somethings wrong, only me
I've been washed, as long as my hair
What do I do? If it ain't no dream nightmare




Yerr!
Yerr! One, Two, Yerr! One, Two.

Overall Meaning

The song "Stone Cold Fever" by Peter Frampton features a bluesy rock sound and tells the story of a person who is suffering from a physical ailment. The singer describes a "stone cold fever" that is "hard to see" and causing trouble in their "back bone" since a "lonesome day." The lyrics suggest that the sickness is not only physical but also emotional, with the repetition of "yerr" lending a sense of desperation to the song.


The second verse is somewhat cryptic, with lines such as "Tried too hard, I heard you speak/Somethings wrong, only me" leaving room for interpretation. The singer mentions being "washed, as long as my hair" which could be a metaphor for trying to cleanse oneself of the illness, both physically and mentally. The line "What do I do? If it ain't no dream nightmare" also adds to the confusion and could be interpreted as the singer questioning the reality of their illness and whether it can be cured at all.


Overall, "Stone Cold Fever" has a melancholy tone that reflects the pain and confusion the singer is experiencing. Frampton's raw vocals and guitar playing contribute to the emotional weight of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh! Stone cold fever, yerr!
I am suffering from a severe illness that is causing me a lot of discomfort and pain.


So hard to see
My condition is so debilitating that it is affecting my vision and ability to perceive things clearly.


I've got trouble in my back bone
My illness is causing me back pain and stiffness, making it difficult for me to move around comfortably.


Since that lonesome day
Ever since that fateful day when I became sick, my life has been filled with pain and hardship.


Tried too hard, I heard you speak
I have been pushing myself too much to get better, but despite your encouraging words, I am still struggling.


Somethings wrong, only me
I know that there is something seriously wrong with my health, but nobody else seems to understand the severity of my condition.


I've been washed, as long as my hair
I have tried every remedy and treatment imaginable, but nothing seems to be helping me get better, and my illness has become as ingrained as the color of my hair.


What do I do? If it ain't no dream nightmare
I am at a loss as to what to do, as my situation seems hopeless and like a never-ending nightmare from which I cannot wake.


Yerr!
My agony and frustration are manifesting as a guttural cry of pain and discomfort.


Yerr! One, Two, Yerr! One, Two.
I am expressing my pain and frustration through this repetitive chant, hoping that it will help alleviate some of my suffering.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GREGORY RIDLEY, JERRY SHIRLEY, PETER FRAMPTON, STEVE MARRIOTT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Steve Cabral

Come the dawn of the 1970s, no band embodied the stylistic shift of the times more than Humble Pie. Psychedelia and the roots revival were on the fade, replaced by the more urgent impulses of rock ’n’ roll and the heavier end of electric blues.

Humble Pie – comprising one time Herd starlet Peter Frampton, former Small Faces leader Steve Marriott, ex-Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley and teenage drummer Jerry Shirley – had begun in 1969 as equal parts hard rockers and acoustic troubadours, complete with interchangeable frontmen.

But by 1971’s fourth album, Rock On, they’d become a leaner, louder, heavier proposition.

“Glyn sat us down and said: ‘Look, you’ve made some great albums already, but we have to narrow the direction’,” recalls Frampton. “‘This is my viewpoint: Steve’s the singer, Pete’s the guitar player and sometimes singer, Jerry’s the drummer and Greg’s the bass player. Now get on with it’. And he was right. It was about how to channel our strengths. And I believe that’s why Rock On was such a powerful record.”

The album’s blasted white boy blues was best served by stand out track Stone Cold Fever. Led off by a monolithic Frampton riff, the song is a four-minute powerhouse of whiplash boogie, complete with rolling harmonica and a yelping lead vocal from Marriott.

Marriott would usually suggest the band should all sing, and they’d disappear into separate areas of the studio to write their own lyric parts. But on this occasion there was no question as to who would sing it.

“Mainly because it was so damn high in range, it was determined that Steve would sing the lead all the way through the song,” explains Jerry Shirley. “The East End barrow boy singing the Delta blues.”

Despite this, Stone Cold Fever was a prime example of Humble Pie at their most democratic, with all four members sharing a writing credit.

“People think that Steve just came into Humble Pie and stole the show,” says Frampton. “But at that point he was always very open. He knew he had to take the responsibility because he was blessed with that voice and that talent, but he wanted to share it. It was just that he was a special character.”

Frampton may have kicked things off with his power chords, but an unexpected highlight of the track is his deftly expressive solo over a mid-section detour into jazz.

“We were at our most harmonious in every way, musically and personally,” says Shirley. “For most of the group-written stuff, Steve or Peter would come up with an idea. Then, as it all developed, Greg and I would help arrange the whole song. In this case we mostly put the middle piece together, which had the jazzy kind of feel that Peter was playing on top of.”

Such was the band’s prowess at this point – the product of punishing tour schedules and endless rehearsals – that the entire song was nailed in no time.

“Once we’d finished putting it together, we took a break and made some tea,” Frampton recalls. “They all had a joint, but I hadn’t started to imbibe at that point. Steve disappeared into a corner, and within 20 minutes or so he’d written the words. The next time we played it was when we actually recorded it in the studio with Glyn.” (Classic Rock)



Donald Quinn

Did you ever look up the lyrics to some song and say, "That's totally wrong?"
Like this one... Stone Cold Fever by Humble Pie... Here are what you will find for lyrics online...
Tried too hard, I heard you speak
Somethings wrong only me
I've been washed, as long as my hair
What do I do? If it ain't no dream nightmare
Here is what I heard...
Cried so hard my head is spinning
Something wrong Phone ain't ringing
I ain't washed in as long as my hair
All I do is daydream nightmares.
What do you hear?



johnny zell

Oh! Stone cold fever, yerr!
So hard to see
I've got trouble in my back bone
Since that lonesome day
Oh! Yerr!
Tried too hard, I heard you speak
Somethings wrong, only me
I've been washed, as long as my hair
What do I do? If it ain't no dream nightmare
Yerr!
Yerr! One, Two, Yerr! One, Two.



All comments from YouTube:

calvin3464

This is an awesome song despite the fact that it's an underrated gem from 1971 from an underrated band.

Brian Washington

This was the band at their peak. Frampton was just starting to really stretch his wings as a guitar player and Marriot was truly one of the greatest frontmen ever. Just too bad they didn't stay together longer as Frampton went on to become a guitar superstar and Humble Pie, while still a good band, was never the same without him.

StationDead96

the progression and direction in ea it was pretty good, fair but there last good album that did not have Frampton was definetly "smokin" theres really two from eat it that I do love like black coffee and get down to it. tho mariott's vocals were perfect for the soul music without  doubt.

Scott Hazlewood

Spot on.

Scott Hazlewood

Spot on, Brian W.

goodtasteification

Marriott from Small Faces wasn't just a front man the guy could sing!

Gail Gruenburg

And they both got ripped off royally by their manager. Such a shame.

3 More Replies...

drmwm1

This epitomizes the awesomeness of Humble Pie -- full balls synchronized rhythm from Shirley and Ridley; epic jazzy, melodic blues of Frampton; and the all time #1 singer of rock, the incomparable Steve Marriott.

Sarah Lahey

agreed. steve makes robert plant sound like a screeching toddler!

lonecrapshooter67

drmwm1 that's a very good description, you rock! Awesome ness.

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