''Thunderbox'' is the seventh

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by English hard rock group

Humble Pie Humble Pie are an English rock band formed by guitarist and singer Steve Marriott in Moreton, Essex, in 1969. They are known as one of the first supergroups of the late 1960s and found success in the early 1970s with songs such as " Black Cof ...

, released in 1974. It reached number 52 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. The planned UK release was cancelled.

Background

Twelve songs appear, seven of them covers, including "Grooving With Jesus" originally released by The Violinaires;

Ann Peebles Ann Lee Peebles (born April 27, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s for Hi Records. Two of her most popular songs are " I Can't Stand the Rain", which she wrote with her husband ...

song " I Can't Stand the Rain" once referred to by

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

as the perfect single; "

Anna (Go to Him) "Anna (Go to Him)", or simply "Anna", is a song written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander. His version was released as a single by Dot Records on September 17, 1962. A cover version was performed by the Beatles and included on their 196 ...

" originally written and performed by

Arthur Alexander Arthur Alexander (May 10, 1940 – June 9, 1993) was an American country soul songwriter and singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for AllMusic, said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and that, though largely unknown, "his music is the stuff ...

and recorded by The Beatles on their first album; and "Oh La-De-Da" by The Staple Singers. The word ''Thunderbox'' is a seventeenth century slang word for the toilet, which gives an example of Humble Pie's sense of humour. The cover shows a keyhole through which a woman can be seen sitting on a toilet.

Track listing

# "Thunderbox" (Marriott, Clempson) # "Groovin' with Jesus" (Gene Barge, Bennie Swartz) # " I Can't Stand the Rain" (

, Don Bryant, Bernard Miller) # "

" (

) # "No Way" (Marriott, Ridley) # "Rally with Ali" (Marriott, Clempson, Ridley, Shirley) # "Don't Worry, be Happy" (Marriott, Clempson, Ridley, Shirley) # "Ninety-Nine Pounds" ( Don Bryant) # "Every Single Day" (Clempson) # "No Money Down" (

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

) # "

Drift Away "Drift Away" is a song by Mentor Williams written in 1970 and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album ''Reunion''. Mentor Williams was a country songwriter, and John Henry Kurtz was an actor and swamp rock singer. It was later ...

" (

Mentor Williams Mentor Ralph Williams (June 11, 1946 – November 16, 2016) was an American songwriter and producer. He is best known for writing " Drift Away," a popular song first performed by John Henry Kurtz in 1972 and popularized by Dobie Gray the followi ...

) # "Oh La-De-Da" (Phillip Mitchell)

Personnel

Humble Pie *

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted po ...

– guitar, harmonica, keyboards, lead vocals * Dave "Clem" Clempson – guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals *

Greg Ridley Alfred Gregory Ridley (23 October 1941 – 19 November 2003) was an English bassist who was the bassist and a founding member of the rock band Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth. Career Ridley was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Early in h ...

– bass, backing vocals; lead vocals on "Drift Away" *

Jerry Shirley Jerry Shirley (born 4 February 1952) is an English rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Humble Pie, appearing on all their albums. He is also known for his work with Fastway, Joey Molland from Badfinger, Alexis Korner, Billy Nicholl ...

– drums, backing vocals; piano on "I Can't Stand the Rain" With guest: *

Mel Collins Melvyn Desmond Collins (born 5 September 1947, Isle of Man) is a British saxophonist, flautist and session musician. Collins has played in several progressive rock groups, having been a member of King Crimson on two occasions (the first from ...

– horns *Special thanks to The Blackberries: **

Carlena Williams Carlena Williams (February 25, 1942 – November 13, 2013) was an American vocalist. Early in her career, she recorded under her name, Flora Williams, as an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. In the 1960s she released a few singles as Carlena ...

– vocals **

Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble ...

– vocals **Billie Barnum – vocals Technical staff *

Hipgnosis Hipgnosis were an English art design group based in London, that specialised in creating album cover artwork for rock musicians and bands. Their commissions included work for Pink Floyd, T. Rex, the Pretty Things, Black Sabbath, UFO, 10cc, Ba ...

– original album sleeve design *Arranged and produced by The Pie *Recorded at Olics Sound, somewhere east of

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

*Editing: Alan O'Duffy

Tour

References

External links

History of Humble Pie
{{Authority control 1973 albums Humble Pie (band) albums Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis Albums produced by Steve Marriott A&M Records albums