Small Faces were an influential British mod/psychedelic band of the 1960s, … Read Full Bio ↴Small Faces were an influential British mod/psychedelic band of the 1960s, led by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane with Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan (who replaced original organist Jimmy Winston). The Small Faces were all genuine East End mods . They were signed to Decca records initially and enjoyed major success across Europe between 1965 and 1967 with classic singles like "All or Nothing" and "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" before moving to a new label.

By late 1967, the band had felt constricted financially & creatively by manager Don Arden (father of Sharon Osbourne), and were lured by Rolling Stones' publicist Andrew Loog Oldham into signing with his new Immediate label. They soon recorded more expansive psychedelic sounding material including hit pop tunes like "Lazy Sunday" which was included with their UK number one classic concept album Ogdens Nut Gone Flake and "Itchycoo Park" which was their only stateside charting single.

The demise of the Small Faces arrived on New Years Eve 1968, when Steve Marriott walked off stage at The Alexandra Palace in London. Marriott felt that despite the success of the group, he was still not being taken seriously as a musician. He went on to achieve major status in the U.S.A with Peter Frampton in Humble Pie. The others continued as the Faces, opting to drop the "Small" after one LP as new recruits Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood towered above their new band mates. Drummer Kenney Jones later joined The Who after the death of their drummer Keith Moon. As years went on, Marriott kept recording various lineups as Humble Pie but became somewhat of a caricature and casualty of rock excess. Tragically, Steve Marriott died in a house fire in 1991 and Ronnie Lane followed him in 1997 after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Keyboardist Ian McLagan has continued to tour and record with his own band as well as with artists like Billy Bragg, The New Barbarians ( a group composed of Ian, Ron Wood, Keith Richards, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham), and The Rolling Stones. According to announcements at the shows on the New Barbarians tour, the proceeds of the live gigs were going to pay Ronnie Lane's medical expenses associated with Ronnie's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis.

The Small Faces remain one of British rock's most important legacy acts, with their membership having links to so many other acts. Amongst the many bands they influenced were The Jam, Ramones, Oasis and X.

There are a number of locations around London linked to the Small Faces, many to be found in the East End where they grew up.

The J60 Music bar in Manor Park, an instrument shop where Steve Marriott first met Ronnie Lane
http://www.musicpilgrimages.com/articl/4012.php

Little Ilford park, also located in Manor Park, inspired the track Itchycoo Park, Steve and other kids in the East End used to play in this park when they grew up.
http://www.musicpilgrimages.com/articl/4002.php

In 1968 the Small Faces recorded a video for their track Lazy Sunday, Steve sings in his native East end accent and the video was shot in the East End using Kenney Jones parents' flat in Havering Street. The video ends with a shot of the nearby Thames.
http://www.musicpilgrimages.com/articl/4014.php

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07-all or nothing
Small Faces Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I thought you'd listen to my reason
But now I see you don't hear a thing
Got to make you see how it's got to be
Yes if it's all right

All or nothing yeah yeah
All or nothing
All or nothing for me

Things could work out just like I want them to
If I could have the other half of you
That's all I would if I only could
Is to say

All or nothing oh yeah
All or nothing if I could I'd say
All or nothing for me

Pa pa pa pa ta pa pa pa ta ta
Pa pa pa pa ta pa pa pa ta ta

I ain't telling you no lie girl
So don't just sit there and cry girl
All or nothing (oh no)
All or nothing (oh yeah)
All or nothing (gotta gotta gotta keep on tryin')
All or nothing
(For me, for me, for me we're not children)

Overall Meaning

The Small Faces's song All or Nothing, released in 1966, is a classic rock and roll song that perfectly captures the rejection of half-hearted love. The song starts with the singer expressing his desire for his love interest to listen to his reason, to understand him, and see what he's offering, but it is evident that she's not paying attention. He wants her to comprehend the importance of the relationship, the significance of their love, and how it can work if she is willing to give it her all. The singer then states that he wants things to work out between them, and to have her all for himself, the other half that he is missing. The chorus of All or Nothing is a declaration; that he wants it all or nothing at all, he won't settle for anything in between.

The second verse of All or Nothing is the singer's proclamation of love for his sweetheart, with a touch of regret. He tells her that he's not lying about his feelings and that he's willing to go all out to make it work if she would only give him undivided attention. The ending of the song is vibrant, with a flurry of ad-libs that show the singer's decision to persevere with his efforts, the phrase "All or Nothing" repeated as a mantra to encourage himself and his love interest that they can make it work. The Small Faces perfectly captures the essence of love in this song, the need for commitment and hard work to make it flourish, and the importance of choosing All or Nothing.

Line by Line Meaning

I thought you'd listen to my reason
I believed you would understand my perspective

But now I see you don't hear a thing
But now I realize you are not paying attention

Got to make you see how it's got to be
I need to make you understand what's necessary

Yes if it's all right
Assuming you agree with me:

All or nothing yeah yeah
Either everything or nothing at all

All or nothing
No compromise will do

All or nothing for me
I won't settle for less

Things could work out just like I want them to
If things go as planned,

If I could have the other half of you
If only you were as invested as I am in this relationship,

That's all I would if I only could
I would settle for just that

All or nothing oh yeah
Everything I want, or not at all.

All or nothing if I could I'd say
If it were up to me, it would always be all or nothing.

All or nothing for me
I'm looking for total commitment.

Pa pa pa pa ta pa pa pa ta ta

I ain't telling you no lie girl
I wouldn't lie to you,

So don't just sit there and cry girl
so, please, don't just sit there looking sad,

All or nothing (oh no)
There can be no halfway.

All or nothing (oh yeah)
It's got to be everything I'm asking.

All or nothing (gotta gotta gotta keep on tryin')
I'm not giving up on finding my all or nothing.

All or nothing
No half measures.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PHILIP JAMES RICE, RICHARD GUARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

MrJohnop

3y↑4

If I could choose a decade to be stuck in forever it would without doubt be the 1960,s they were the best days of my life so many wonderful memories come flooding back when I hear this song 😊