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
Show Me the Way
Small Faces Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For my sleep hath been torn and my happiness gone
There's an old man in me, who I talk to you see
He's as old as the sun
Want to know just what I've been saying
Please, please, show me the way
All the truth I have known has been scattered and blown
I don't know who I am
Please, please, show me the way
In Small Faces' song Show Me The Way, the singer is struggling with their identity and the direction of their life. They have been unable to sleep and have lost their happiness. The lyrics speak to the singer's inner turmoil and their desire for guidance. They describe an "old man" within themselves who they talk to, a wise and experienced part of themselves that they turn to for help. However, this old man is still searching for clarity, as the singer pleads "please, please, show me the way."
The singer acknowledges that they have known some truth in their life, but that it has been scattered and blown away. They feel as though they are playing someone else's part, rather than living authentically. The repetition of the plea to be shown the way emphasizes the singer's desperation for guidance and self-discovery.
Some possible interpretive angles include the significance of the references to age and time, the use of the old man as a metaphor, and the lyrics' themes of frustration, uncertainty, and yearning.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been walking with dawn
I've been awake since dawn and unable to sleep
For my sleep hath been torn and my happiness gone
I haven't been able to sleep and as a result, I've been feeling unhappy
There's an old man in me, who I talk to you see
There's a part of me that feels old and wise, and I converse with it often
He's as old as the sun
This wise part of me is as ancient as the sun itself
Want to know just what I've been saying
I need to understand my own thoughts and words
Please, please, show me the way
I need guidance and direction to find myself
All the truth I have known has been scattered and blown
Everything I thought to be true has been proven false and I feel lost
I don't know who I am
I've lost sight of my true self and identity
Someone else's part I am playing
I feel like I'm pretending to be someone I'm not
Please, please, show me the way
I'm desperate for guidance to find myself and my true purpose
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RONNIE LANE, STEVE MARRIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Javier Bermúdez Méndez
Lyrics:
I've been walking with dawn
For my sleep hath been torn and my happiness gone
There's an old man in me, who I talk to you see
He's as old as the sun
Want to know just what I've been saying
Please, please, show me the way
All the truth I have known has been scattered and blown
I don't know who I am
Someone else's part I am playing
Please, please, show me the way
VirreFriberg
1. Shake (from their 1966 debut album)
2. Just Passing (1967 B-side to I Can't Make It)
3. Patterns (1967 A-single, vocals shared with Steve)
3. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (from their 1967 album From The Beginning)
4. That Man (from From The Beginning)
5. Something I Want To Tell You (from their eponymous 1967 album)
6. Green Circles (from their eponymous 1967 album)
7. Become Like You (from their eponymous 1967 album, vocals shared with Steve)
8. All Our Yesterdays (from their eponymous 1967 album)
9. Show Me The Way (from their eponymous 1967 album)
10. Eddie's Dreaming (from their eponymous 1967 album)
11. I Feel Much Better (1967 B-side to Tin Soldier)
12. Song Of A Baker (from their 1968 album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake)
13. Happiness Stan (from Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, vocals shared with Steve)
14. The Hungry Intruder (from Ogdens'Nut Gone Flake, vocals shared with Steve)
15. The Journey (from Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake)
16. HappyDaysToyTown (from Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, full band harmony with primary focus on Ronnie and Steve)
17. Call It Something Nice (from their 1969 album The Autumn Stone, vocals shared with Steve)
José Candal
Beautiful song sung by Ronnie. A psycho-baroque gem by one of the best british bands of the 60's.
I love The Small Faces and specially their Immediate period.
Munda
Damn, love the Small Faces. The greatest "what if" band ever.
Darren Brown
I've loved this song for decades. Strange how life is.... An East End band with Ronnie Lane singing away here, but listen to it. Change the instruments, go back a couple of hundred years and it's classical music. Beautiful.
Craig Jones
Sensational band!!
Gerry Radford
One of the greatest bands ever !! So underrated,,,,, just brilliant albums ,,,, and they were incredible live …. Beautiful sounds Gx
paul martin
ronnies voice is hauntingly beautiful.
Abel Sr
Man, when I first heard it I would have sworn it was The Kinks, he sounds so much like Ray Davies on this. Great song.
Javier Bermúdez Méndez
Lyrics:
I've been walking with dawn
For my sleep hath been torn and my happiness gone
There's an old man in me, who I talk to you see
He's as old as the sun
Want to know just what I've been saying
Please, please, show me the way
All the truth I have known has been scattered and blown
I don't know who I am
Someone else's part I am playing
Please, please, show me the way
VirreFriberg
Underrated gem of the 1960's
Gerry Radford
Vocals. WOW ,,, whole atmosphere is amazing,,, what a band on every level. Gx