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
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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.
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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.
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Hey Girl
Small Faces Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl, I know you'll understand
That I've been waiting for a long, long time
Think every thing's gonna turn out fine
Hey, hey, it's alright
Hey, hey, it's alright
Hey, hey, my, my, my
Girl, treat me kind
And girl, I think you'll find
That no one can love you better than me
Close your eyes and I think you'll see
Hey, hey, it's alright
Hey, hey, my, my, my
Hey, hey, come on children
Hey, hey, my, oh, my
When I think of what I've missed
It makes me laugh inside
All the girls that I ain't kissed
Just to keep my pride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
So girl, look around
And girl, see what we've found
We've found something we can't fight
Don't think twice it'll be alright now
Hey, hey, it's alright
Hey, hey, I said my, my, my, yeah
Hey, hey, it's alright
Hey, yeah, hey, yeah, it's alright
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, yeah, hey, yeah, it's alright
Hey, ow, hey, ooh, it's alright
Hey, ooh, hey, yeah it's alright
Hey hey, c'mon shake your hand
Hey, hey, alright a promised land
Hey, hey, yeah woh, it's alright
Hey, hey, you know what I mean, it's alright
Well, I say alright alright, alright
The Small Faces' "Hey Girl" is a love song that speaks about a person who has been waiting a long time to be with their loved one. The singer is speaking to the girl, telling her to hold his hand, for he knows she understands how patient he has been in waiting for her. He tells her that he believes everything will turn out fine and that it's alright. The singer further asks the girl to treat him kindly because underneath, he assures her that nobody else can love her better than he can. He says that if she closes her eyes, she will see that he is the one for her.
The lyrics depict a story of a man who has been waiting for the right girl and found her. It's an expression of his love and promising his love to her. The song's tempo is relatively fast and upbeat, creating a sense of joy, and the lyrics are poetic and straightforward.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl, hold my hand
The singer asks the girl to hold his hand.
Girl, I know you'll understand
He believes that the girl will understand him.
That I've been waiting for a long, long time
He has been waiting for a very long time.
Think every thing's gonna turn out fine
He believes that everything is going to be okay.
Hey, hey, it's alright
He repeats that everything is alright.
Hey, hey, my, my, my
He repeats 'my, my, my.'
Hey, hey, yeah, yeah
He repeats 'yeah, yeah.'
Girl, treat me kind
He asks the girl to treat him kindly.
And girl, I think you'll find
He believes that the girl will find out.
That no one can love you better than me
He thinks that he loves her the best.
Close your eyes and I think you'll see
He asks her to close her eyes and think.
Hey, hey, come on children
He calls for everyone to come on.
When I think of what I've missed
He thinks of what he has missed.
It makes me laugh inside
He laughs inside about it.
All the girls that I ain't kissed
He has not kissed all the girls he wanted to.
Just to keep my pride
He kept his pride and didn't kiss them.
So girl, look around
He tells her to look around.
And girl, see what we've found
He wants her to see what they have found.
We've found something we can't fight
They found something they can't resist.
Don't think twice it'll be alright now
He reassures her it will be okay.
Hey, hey, I said my, my, my, yeah
He repeats 'my, my, my, yeah.'
Hey, yeah, hey, yeah, it's alright
He emphasizes it's alright again.
Hey, ow, hey, ooh, it's alright
He repeats that it's alright.
Hey, ooh, hey, yeah it's alright
He repeats it's alright again.
Hey, hey, c'mon shake your hand
He invites everyone to shake their hand.
Hey, hey, alright a promised land
He calls it a promised land.
Hey, hey, yeah woh, it's alright
He repeats that it's alright.
Hey, hey, you know what I mean, it's alright
He reassures them that it's alright.
Well, I say alright alright, alright
He repeats that everything is alright.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RONNIE LANE, STEVE MARRIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind