The PPL ultimately located itself in Columbus, Ohio (sixty miles north of Waverly), and the group had its first success in Cincinnati. The original stage band was made up of Fuller, McGrail, Powell, Phil Stokes on bass, and Robin Suskind on guitar and mandola. His steel guitar greatly improved on the guys' country songs and sparked hot guitar duels with Fuller that contributed greatly to the 'fusion' ethos of the band, its signature sound.
PPL’s biggest hits include Fuller’s country classic, "Amie", a piece released in 1972 that still attracts major airplay today due to its smooth, emotional sound. Some of their other tracks are “Two Lane Highway” and the musically less-representative pop song "Let Me Love You Tonight", which was composed by Jeff Wilson, Dan Greer, and Steve Woodard. Vince Gill, later to become one of Nashville’s biggest solo stars, sang and played guitar with the band in the early 80s and recorded a revised version of "Amie" for their greatest hits album.
In the late 90s, PPL was back with a lineup of Fuller, Connor, Reilly, Burr, Fats Kaplin (pedal steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, washboard) and Rich Schell (vocals, drums, percussion). After two years, in June 2000, Burr was succeeded by Curtis Wright (vocals, guitars). The group began work on a new album in 2002, but abandoned the sessions and separated once again (probably due to the illness of Connor). Connor died on September 9th, 2004 after a long battle with cancer.
Following Connor's death, the group resumed touring once more in 2004 with Fuller, Reilly, Schell, Wright and Kaplin (when available), and released All in Good Time in 2005, their first album in 18 years. This release appeared on the small Drifter's Church label.
Since this time, PPL have continued to tour playing a handful of shows every year. Reilly was unable to continue in 2006 after he was forced to undergo a liver transplant. Jack Sundrud (from Poco) came in to sub for Reilly, and Rick Plant also briefly did a stint on bass (before relocating to Australia in late 2006). Sundrud then returned. Reilly appeared at a few shows in May 2007, playing guitar, but was unable to come back full-time until 2008. Jeff "Stick" Davis (from Amazing Rhythm Aces) sat in on bass for Mike in 2007. Call played some concerts in 2006 & 2007, standing in for Kaplin, and Donnie Clark replaced Curtis Wright in 2006, after Wright joined Reba McEntire's band.
A fourteenth album was released in 2006, composed primarily of Craig Fuller songs, an echo of their very first album back in 1971.
Help Yourself
Pure Prairie League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well you're down and out, wonderin' why things aren't the way they used to be
You're complainin', tryin' to explain how things went wrong to me
Say you need a friend who'll lend a helpin' hand and so you come to me
And if you're lookin' for some help, help yourself
Well you're weary, you're tired of everybody walkin' over you
'bout to give it up even though you know there's so much more to do
And you don't need nobody else to help yourself
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Gettin' better, lookin' like things finally start to go your way
And you've figured out exactly what it is that you've been tryin' to say
Sun is comin' up, with the mornin' comes the dawnin' of brighter day
You didn't need nobody else to help yourself
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
The lyrics of Pure Prairie League's song Help Yourself speak about a person who is in a difficult situation, feeling down, out of hope and complaining about their life. The person seeks help and understanding from the singer, but the singer encourages them to take responsibility and action for their situation. The chorus emphasizes the message that the person can find the strength within themselves to overcome their struggles and better their life without relying on anyone else.
The first verse talks about the person being in a state of confusion and trying to make sense of why their life has taken a negative turn. The second verse describes the person feeling defeated and wanting to give up, but still acknowledging that there is more for them to do. The final verse states that the person takes action and begins to improve their life, realizing that they had the power to change their circumstances all along.
Overall, the song is an empowering message about self-reliance and overcoming obstacles. It encourages listeners to take ownership of their lives and strive for a brighter future, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you're down and out, wonderin' why things aren't the way they used to be
You are feeling low and uncertain, questioning why things aren't as they were before
You're complainin', tryin' to explain how things went wrong to me
You are vocalizing your frustrations and attempting to justify how things went awry to me
Say you need a friend who'll lend a helpin' hand and so you come to me
You express that you require a supportive comrade, and therefore approach me
And if you're lookin' for some help, help yourself
If you're in search of assistance, rely on yourself
Well you're weary, you're tired of everybody walkin' over you
You are exhausted, fed up with how everyone mistreats you
Go get drunk again, sit and wonder why your friends all laugh at you
You turn to alcohol to cope, while pondering why your peers find amusement in your struggles
'bout to give it up even though you know there's so much more to do
You feel like relinquishing, despite knowing there is much more you could accomplish
And you don't need nobody else to help yourself
You can rely on yourself to handle things, without anyone's assistance
Gettin' better, lookin' like things finally start to go your way
Things seem to be improving, appearing as if they're unfolding in your favour
And you've figured out exactly what it is that you've been tryin' to say
You have discovered the words to express what you've been attempting to convey
Sun is comin' up, with the mornin' comes the dawnin' of brighter day
The sun is rising, and a better day is beginning to dawn
You didn't need nobody else to help yourself
You didn't require anyone's assistance, but managed things on your own
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Take responsibility for your own well-being and don't rely on others for aid
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
Empower yourself by handling your own affairs, without depending on others
Help yourself... you don't need nobody else, help yourself
You have all you need within yourself to succeed, so take charge of your own life
Contributed by Ella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.