The Pretty Things was preceded by Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys which consisted of Dick Taylor, fellow Sidcup Art College student Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger. When Brian Jones joined Little Boy Blue and the Blues Boys as guitarist, Taylor was pushed from playing guitar to bass and the Rolling Stones were formed.
Several months later Dick Taylor (born Richard Clifford Taylor, 28 January 1943, in Dartford, Kent) quit the newly formed Rolling Stones to pursue his schooling when he was accepted at London Central School of Art, where he met up with Phil May (born Phillip Arthur Dennis Kattner, on 9 November 1944, in Dartford, Kent: died 15 May 2020) and they formed Pretty Things.
Taylor was once again playing his preferred guitar with May singing and playing harmonica. They recruited Brian Pendleton (born 13 April 1944 in Wolverhampton–died 16 May 2001 in Maidstone, Kent) on rhythm guitar; John Stax (born John Edward Lee Fullegar, 6 April 1944 in Crayford, Kent) on bass; and, after trying a couple of different drummers, including Pete Kitley and Viv Andrews, stuck with Viv Prince (born Vivian St John Prince, 9 August 1944, in Loughborough, Leices).
Early career
They caused a sensation in England, and their first three singles — "Rosalyn" #41, "Don't Bring Me Down" #10, and the self-penned "Honey I Need" at #13 — appeared in the UK singles chart in 1964-1965. They never had a hit in the United States, but had considerable success in their native United Kingdom and in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the Netherlands in the middle of the decade. However, in the U.S. they, along with The Yardbirds and Van Morrison's Them, were a huge influence on hundreds of garage bands, including the MC5 and The Seeds.
Their early material was hard-edged blues-rock influenced by Bo Diddley (they took their name from Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" in humorous contrast to their unkempt long-haired appearance) and Jimmy Reed, much like that of their contemporaries The Stones and The Yardbirds. They were known for wild "rock and roll" behaviour and shocking the establishment; their song "Midnight to Six Man" defined the mod lifestyle. Around this time, the first of what would be many personnel changes over the years also began, with Prince the first to go late in 1965. He was replaced by Skip Alan. Pendleton left late in 1966, and was not initially replaced. Then, Stax quit early in 1967 and Jon Povey and Wally Waller joined to make the band a five piece once again.
After an uncomfortable flirtation with mainstream pop on the Emotions album in 1967, they embraced psychedelia, producing the groundbreaking concept album S.F. Sorrow during 1967-68. This album, released in late 1968, is arguably one of the first rock operas, preceding The Who's Tommy by about a year. It was recorded in the legendary Abbey Road Studios six months after The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Each album shares a similar forward-thinking late-1960s psychedelic sound (as well as sharing the same record producer, Norman Smith, as the Floyd). S.F. Sorrow was followed by the highly-acclaimed record album Parachute, which continued the psychedelic sound and was named "Album of the Year" in 1970 by Rolling Stone Magazine. During this period they also recorded an album for a young French millionaire, Philippe DeBarge, which was intended only to be circulated among the man's social circle. The acetate has since been bootlegged.
Later career
From this point on, the group enjoyed less in the way of commercial success, but the devotion of a strong cult following, especially with critics and other rock musicians. Their material in the early 1970s tended towards more the hard rock and early heavy metal end of the spectrum, although still blues-based, on albums like Silk Torpedo. 1980's Cross Talk saw them incorporating influences of punk and New Wave into their hard rock sound; like most of their records, it was an artistic but not a commercial success.
With a new manager, Mark St John, they gigged sporadically during the 1980s. By the end of the decade their profile had almost disappeared, when founder members Phil May and Dick Taylor reformed the band for a successful European blues tour in late 1990 with Stan Webb's Chicken Shack and Luther Allison. This gigging outfit included drummer Hans Waterman (formerly of Dutch rock group Solution), bassist Roelf ter Velt and guitarist/keyboardist Barkley McKay (Waco Brothers and Pine Valley Cosmonaut's with Jon Langford of Mekon Fame). This line up regularly toured the European mainland playing a revitalised set that show cased their earlier, rootsy blues and r'n'b materiel, until late 1994. By 1995, they reformed the Cross Talk line-up and added Frank Holland on guitar in place of Peter Tolson. Their label, Snapper Music, issued remastered CDs with many bonus tracks, plus a DVD of a re-recording of S.F. Sorrow at Abbey Road Studios (with Dave Gilmour & Arthur Brown guesting). They toured more frequently, including a tour of the U.S. for the first time in decades
Original rhythm guitarist Brian Pendleton died of lung cancer on May 16, 2001.
In the early 2000's, they released new recordings, including a live album and the studio album Rage Before Beauty.
In 2003, Alan Lakey's biography of the band, Growing Old Disgracefully, was published by Firefly. The book dealt with the long and involved history of the band, and paid special attention to the legal proceedings issued against EMI in the 1990s.
The band did their final tour in 2018.
Under the Volcano
The Pretty Things Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hugged my friends on the pavement,
Hid my dreams on the roof.
Wrapped in a blanket from the national health.
It isn't money but then what is wealth?
My dad he left me back in '56,
The moon got tilted and the sadness was mixed.
She brought her kids up in a rabbit hutch.
Well it feels all right,
Wish it felt good every night.
Chuck berry riffing drove me into my teens,
The way I swaggered it was pure james dean.
In indo china things were getting hot,
I found the answer on a used car lot.
The sun gets murdered as we hold back the night,
The road's a river, but it feels alright.
Route signals flashing and the border's gone,
I'm rolling southward to a maggie bell song.
The lyrics to The Pretty Things's song "Under the Volcano" depict the singer's reflections on their youth and the rough road they had to travel to get where they are today. The first line "Flew into existence, just a sweet bird of youth" suggests that the singer feels like they suddenly came into the world without much preparation, much like a newborn bird. They then mention hugging their friends on the pavement and hiding their dreams on the roof, possibly indicating a feeling of freedom and abandonment to their youthful pursuits. The line "wrapped in a blanket from the national health" suggests that the singer may have come from humble beginnings, but they question the significance of wealth later in the song.
The second stanza begins with the singer reflecting on their past, specifically their father leaving them in 1956, and the sadness they felt during that time. They mention their mother's love but insinuate that it wasn't enough to provide them with a comfortable life, hence the reference to her raising her children in a "rabbit hutch." The chorus, "Well, it feels all right, wish it felt good every night" suggests that although the singer has come a long way from their difficult upbringing, they still long for something more.
The final two stanzas convey the singer's love for music and the role it played in their life. They reference Chuck Berry and James Dean as symbols of the era they grew up in and how they identified with their cool, rebellious attitudes. The line "I found the answer on a used car lot" suggests that the singer found their purpose or escape through music, much like buying a car can be the ultimate symbol of freedom. The final line "I'm rolling southward to a Maggie Bell song" indicates that the singer is still on the move and seeking new experiences, all while being inspired by the music they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Flew into existence, just a sweet bird of youth.
I came into the world full of optimism and energy.
Hugged my friends on the pavement,
I celebrated my youth with friends on the street.
Hid my dreams on the roof.
I kept my ambitions hidden away.
Wrapped in a blanket from the national health.
I rely on government assistance for my basic needs.
It isn't money but then what is wealth?
I question the true meaning of wealth.
My dad he left me back in '56,
My father abandoned me when I was young.
The moon got tilted and the sadness was mixed.
His departure left me feeling emotionally unbalanced.
My mother loved me, but she couldn't do much,
My mother cared for me, but had limited resources.
She brought her kids up in a rabbit hutch.
We lived in cramped living conditions.
Well it feels all right,
I'm content with my current circumstances.
Wish it felt good every night.
However, I yearn for greater joy in my life.
Chuck berry riffing drove me into my teens,
I was inspired by Chuck Berry's music in my teenage years.
The way I swaggered it was pure james dean.
I emulated James Dean's cool demeanor.
In indo china things were getting hot,
The political climate in Indochina was becoming volatile.
I found the answer on a used car lot.
I sought escape through material possessions, like buying a used car.
The sun gets murdered as we hold back the night,
As we live our lives, the sun sets and darkness takes hold.
The road's a river, but it feels alright.
I find comfort in the familiarity of the road.
Route signals flashing and the border's gone,
As I travel, I witness borders and boundaries disappear.
I'm rolling southward to a maggie bell song.
I find solace in the music of Maggie Bell as I head southward.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER TOLSON, PHILIP MAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
monte clark
I love this album.
Always amazed that all the vinyl collectors are totally ignorant of this one
Robert Davidson
This song ROCKS!
David Migliore
So good!!
nevadasmith38
A great band which most of America was oblivious to !
Otter's Vintage All-Sorts
Because only america matters, pfft, what do you mean there are other countries outside of america?
渡部健一
素晴らしい
渡部健一
かっこいい、すき
mark jacobs
Yeppers! A good one😀
TiebethTheNinja
RIP Phil May.
Robert Davidson
one album i owned