Humble Pie…………..Eat It

I have just finished reading the Steve Marriott biography “All Too Beautiful” written by the brilliant Paulo Hewitt and John Hellier.

It was therefore no surprise that I picked up one of my favourite albums from the past at Sunday’s Record fair “Eat It”

Humble Pie were one of my early seventies introduction to “rock music” via their legendary album “Performance – Rockin’ The Fillmore”

Despite Humble Pie’s success in the US as a rock act, both with and without Peter Frampton as a guitarist, Marriott never strayed far from his R&B roots which acted as such an influence for him and the rest of the Small Faces.

The album title Eat It means ‘dig it’. Each side of this double album is different: Side 1 features Steve Marriott penned rock and roll; Side 2 has classic R&B covers; Side 3 is a collection of acoustic Steve Marriott songs; finally Side 4 features Humble Pie live in concert.

This album showcases the dynamic diversity and talent of Steve Marriott’s gritty bluesy vocals with some funky soul mixed in throughout along with straight ahead blistering rockers. The band is right on and they deliver an extremely energetic powerhouse combination on this double album that overall ranks with their best along with Smokin’ and Performance Rockin’ The Fillmore.

Eat It was the band’s seventh official album release and their fifth for A&M Records. [This was also their 3rd double LP (2-record set) within 18 months, the other 2 being 1972’s Performance Rockin’ The Fillmore and the late 1972 A&M compilation – Lost & Found.]

Steve Marriott produced this album and it was the first album recorded in Marriott’s newly-built home recording studio he titled Clear Sounds, in a converted barn at Beehive Cottage, Moreton, Essex.

Ray Charles was his all time favourite with “Drown In My Own Tears being played at his funeral after his life was cut short by an accidental fire in his home in 1991.

“Eat It” featured Humble Pie’s version of Ray Charles’ “I Believe To My Soul”

“I Believe To My Soul” – Humble Pie

One of these days and it won’t be long,
You’re gonna look for me and I’ll be gone
‘Cause I believe (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Well I believe to my soul now,
Tryin’ to make a fool of me (I believe it, I believe it)

Well you’re goin’ ’round here with your head so hard,
I think I’m gonna have to use my rod
‘Cause I believe (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Well I believe to my soul now
Tryin’ to make a fool of me (I believe it, I believe it)

Last night you were dreaming and I heard you say
“Oh, Johnny” when you know my name is Ray
That’s why I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Whoa I believe to my soul now
Tryin’ to make a fool of me (I believe it)

Here is a highlight from the Fillmore the brilliant “I Don’t Need No Doctor”

Finally you can find this cover of “Drown In My Own Tears” on the compilation “Natural Born Bugie – The Immediate Anthology”

“Drown In My Own Tears” – Humble Pie

To buy the music of Humble Pie click HERE

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