February 25, 2019

1969 - August - Humble Pie - As Safe as Yesterday is.

41 minutes

August 1969 — Humble Pie — “As Safe as Yesterday is”

Wayne presents this incredible album featuring both Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton on vocals and guitar. It is easy to see how Humble Pie was such a powerful - but underrated - rock band at the end of the 60's. Their debut album “As Safe as Yesterday is” was a UK release, and remains surprisingly hard to pin down in genres with its mix of pop, rock, and blues - it was even one of the first albums to be described as “heavy metal.” Let's take a look at this groundbreaking album and see for ourselves how we would describe it.

“Stick Shift”

Peter Frampton wrote this psychedelic-leaning song, which was the second track on the album. Frampton was 18 years old at the time, and this was his second band.

“Bang ”

This rocking piece leads off side two of the album. Steve Marriott wrote this blues laden, almost southern rock track. By the way, the origins of the phrase "humble pie" are from a peasant's dish of deer innards, though now it is more similar to the phrase "eating crow."

“As Safe as Yesterday Is”

This lengthy title track is one of Wayne's favorite. Frampton's vocals are prominent on this song. Frampton would leave the group in 1971. The drum work is reminiscent of The Who, with moments that sound like Robert Plant and Jethro Tull.

“Natural Born Bugie (Woman)”

This one is very similar to southern Rock, which is interesting given the UK origins of the band. "Looking like the cover of a 20-dollar magazine." Steve Marriott tried to revive Humble Pie in 1991, and had gotten together with Frampton about it when he tragically died from a cigarette fire in bed.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“The Pusher” by Steppenwolf

The motorcycle cult classic "Easy Rider" was released in 1969, and produced or inspired a number of songs popular at the time, including this very dark blues riff.

STAFF PICKS:

“Marrakesh Express” by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Brian's staff pick was inspired by Graham Nash's trip to Morocco. Nash rode the train from Casablanca to Marrakesh, moving from first class on down to the lower class cars, encountering different types of people and situations along the way.

“One” by Three Dog Night

Rob's staff pick starts with a beat that was inspired by the busy signal on a phone line. This song made it to number 5, and was Three Dog Night's first gold record.

“Polk Salad Annie” by Tony Joe White

Bruce's staff pick takes us to backwoods Louisiana for some swamp rock, and a "poke sallet" - a dish of cooked greens made from a common weed in the southern U.S. Elvis Presley would make this popular as a staple on his tours.

“Questions 67 & 68” by Chicago

Wayne's staff pick hearkens back to the first album from The Chicago Transit Authority - known as Chicago after the governmental organization sued them.

LAUGH TRACK:

“A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash

We finish off this podcast with Johnny Cash's humorous song about a boy who had to grow up with a decidedly feminine name.

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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks and Brian Dickhute

4.8

4646 ratings