It wasn't too long ago that I got into the Small Faces, 3 years ago it was - 'the boat that rocked' soundtrack, bloody hell I love that film (I saw it at the cinema 4 times!) and it's that stag do scene where 'Lazy Sunday' is playing, I got out of the cinema singing it to myself. For me, the Small Faces are a beautifully typical English band and, as you may know, I love a typical English band. You listen to songs like 'Lazy Sunday' or 'Itchycoo Park' and even the music just delicately screams "We are english!", though the lyrics of 'Itchycoo Park' aren't necessarily English, it's the music - I can't help but listen to it and for it to remind me of summer, sitting in my back garden in the sun and lazing around all day. But 'Lazy Sunday'? it's basically my situation, if I listen to music and it's only a little bit loud my neighbors begin banging on the walls and complain to my dear mam the next day. I imagine it's how cockney's (folk from London) spend their summer, asking how people's lumbago is and playing kazoo's - it creates a picture for me that was spoilt when I eventually went to London, no one even owned a kazoo.
What's my favourite Small Faces song? It's a toss up between 'All Or Nothing' and 'Happy Days Toy Town', both songs are completely different but they have a quality about them that I really enjoy and cherish. Let's talk about 'All Or Nothing' first; Steve Marriott's vocal in it is astounding, looking at him you wouldn't think he had such a beautiful voice, something so strong and powerful coming from this little singer - it blows my mind each time I listen to it. You can just about hear Mac in the back, if you listen out for him you are hit by this haunting organ - sometimes the thought has crossed my mind as to whether Mac really did anything for the Small Faces but in this classic it is so easy to tell that he belonged and earns his place rightly. Kenney Jones creates that drum beat that we all air drum to when it comes on, I don't even need to mention which part because you should know exactly what I'm talking about. I didn't enjoy Jones's input to the Who, but listening to him with the Small Faces it's easy to tell where he belongs and who with - he's a great drummer and really excelled when he was playing with Marriott, Lane and Mac. Now, I haven't really spoken about Ronnie Lane have I? And that's mainly due to the fact that he is one of my favourite people to have ever lived, if I began speaking about his input into 'All Or Nothing' I would be here all day; but let me just say that, to me, Ronnie Lane is the Small Faces.
'Happy days toy town' - now I prefer the live version that is performed on 'Colour me pop' in 1968, mainly because I think Lane's vocal sounds a lot better without the double tracking, but that is just personal opinion. But this is one of those songs that just make me smile, the call and response between Marriott and Lane just makes me give a little girly giggle, it brings out the 'fan girl' in me;
"Can I have a go?"
"Yes"
"Yeah?"
"Sing now;".
The lyrics make no sense at all, I mean the song opens with 'Life is just a bowl of All-Bran' - I've never had All-Bran, so for all I know this could be a lie but it doesn't make sense! It's certainly a thinker. But I love bobbing my head from side to side and singing along to the words, it's one of those summer classics and again this is because of the music, also the Cockney accents have something to do with this summer feel. That opening guitar riff just has you relaxed instantly, it winds on through the song like a wonderful dream, the simple drum beat causes no complications and something easy to tap our foot to. The keyboard makes a beautiful tune to enjoy, I know nothing about keyboards -even though I've sat in front of one for two years at college - all I can say is; well done Mac. Lane does a fantastic job on his bass, as per usual! Is there anything that man can't make brilliant?
"If you're very tuned to it you can't go wrong"
Great little blog, totally love the Small Faces too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ryan! :)
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