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
Grow Your Own
Small Faces Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This feeling of spring
Like the wing of a bird that is flying
The nights they go cold as my mind does go old
And I'm looked at, inspected, hated, accepted
The wise men they wrangle
(Meaning)
But the ceiling is light as I glide
Through the night and I'm leaving
Living, being, mmm, mmm, mmm
The Small Faces' song "Grow Your Own" is a poetic reflection on the passing of time and the changing of seasons. The lyrics open with a reference to the beat of music, counting off a rhythm as if to signal the start of a journey. The singer then describes the feeling of spring, using the metaphor of a bird's wing to convey a sense of lightness and freedom.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on aging, describing their mind as growing old in contrast to the freshness of spring. They describe being scrutinized by others, both accepted and hated, underscoring a sense of alienation and isolation. Meanwhile, the "wise men" of the world are preoccupied with finding meaning and purpose, but the singer is content to simply exist, to "live" and "be."
Through its vividly detailed lyrics, "Grow Your Own" captures a sense of existential uncertainty and the fleeting nature of time. The singer is acutely aware of the passage of seasons and the inevitability of aging, but rather than despairing, they seem to find comfort in simply being present in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
One and a-two and a-three and a-four and a
The beginning of a song, counting in the music
This feeling of spring
The feeling of new beginnings or a fresh start
Like the wing of a bird that is flying
A feeling of freedom or being unencumbered
The nights they go cold as my mind does go old
As time goes on, the world can feel colder and more isolating
And I'm looked at, inspected, hated, accepted
People will judge you, positive or negatively, from their own perspectives
The wise men they wrangle
Intellectuals or philosophers can argue and debate over the meaning of things
Their minds look for angles and meaning
They are trying to find deeper significance or understanding
(Meaning)
The pursuit of significance or interpretation
But the ceiling is light as I glide
Despite the heaviness of deep thinking or existential questions, there can be moments of lightness or ease
Through the night and I'm leaving
Moving on or leaving behind old worries or fears
Living, being, mmm, mmm, mmm
Enjoying the present moment or simply existing without the burden of overthinking or analyzing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN MC LAGAN, KENNETH JONES, RONALD LANE, STEVE MARRIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind