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.
Thank You Mr. Churchill
Peter Frampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For making sure that I was born
Thanks for the innocence that made us feel secure
But time is wasting, hope is hungry now
It's a dream I'm talking here
Much closer to the poor
If we start waging peace
When I wake to see the sun rise
I know I'm poorer by the day
I know the world will keep on turning for a while
But time is wasting, hope is hungry now
It's a dream I'm talking here
Much closer to the poor
Information overload
It's harder to ignore
The day you do the things
I'll live with what's in store
Will there be peace on earth one day?
If so, I hope I will be near
'Til we're born with wisdom, war will still be here
It's a dream I'm talking here
Much closer to the poor
If we start waging peace
Instead of waging war
Information overload
It's harder to ignore
The day you do the thing
Or live with what's in store
The song ‘Thank You Mr. Churchill’ by Peter Frampton is a tribute to the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who played a significant role in World War II. Frampton believes that Churchill’s wartime leadership ensured his own birth, and therefore he expresses his gratitude towards him. The lyrics also evoke a sense of nostalgia for a time when innocence prevailed and everyone felt secure. However, the song also acknowledges the passing of time and the need to address the present hunger for hope. Frampton expresses his desire for peace, contrasting it with the current state of affairs where war is being waged.
In the final verses, the song urges for change with “If we start waging peace, instead of waging war” and the call for action with “The day you do the thing, I’ll live with what’s in store”. The song expresses hope for a better future, where wisdom will prevail and peace will reign. The repeated phrase “It’s a dream I’m talking here, much closer to the poor” reinforces the message of hope, and emphasizes that peace is not only necessary but also achievable.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to thank you, Mr. Churchill
I appreciate your role in ensuring my birth and upbringing
For making sure that I was born
I am grateful for the measures you took to safeguard my existence
Thanks for the innocence that made us feel secure
I value the naivety that made us believe in a safe and free world
But time is wasting, hope is hungry now
However, I believe we are running out of time and need change to happen soon
It's a dream I'm talking here
I am aware that my idealistic views may seem unrealistic
Much closer to the poor
I share the struggles of the underprivileged and speak on their behalf
If we start waging peace
I believe that promoting peace should be our top priority
Instead of waging war
And that we should stop resorting to violent means of resolving conflicts
When I wake to see the sun rise
Every day I see the light of the new day, but also the darker reality of the world's state
I know I'm poorer by the day
And understand that each day, we are losing more of what we value
I know the world will keep on turning for a while
It does not matter if we do not take immediate action, for life will go on even if we don't fix every problem
Information overload
We are inundated with too much news and details, making it harder to focus
It's harder to ignore
As a result, more and more people cannot turn a blind eye to the problems we face
The day you do the things
I am waiting for the moment when you take action
I'll live with what's in store
Until then, I am resigned to deal with the situation as it is
Will there be peace on earth one day?
I wonder if it is possible to achieve a world where peace is the norm
If so, I hope I will be near
And if such a world comes, I hope I will be alive to see it
'Til we're born with wisdom, war will still be here
Until we as humans evolve to have better judgment, we will always be susceptible to violence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN M. REGAN, PETER KENNETH FRAMPTON
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