Savoy Brown – A Hard Way To Go

I’ve heard a lot about this band but never listened to them much. Yesterday I did and they were stacked with great musicians. They have a big blues punch and melodic songs.

I just started to listen to many of their songs and this one caught my attention because of the tight bass intro. That is when I noticed a little of Santana’s sound in there as well. This song is a brief 2:20. If you get a chance on Spotify or Youtube…check them out. So far I’ve been going through their first 4 albums.

They are a British blues rock band formed in 1965 by guitarist Kim Simmonds. They are one of the pioneering bands of the British blues rock scene and bands like The Rolling Stones and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

Over the years, the band’s lineup has changed numerous times, with Simmonds being the only constant member. Savoy Brown has released over 30 albums, with their early work being highly influential in the blues-rock genre.

Savoy Brown - Raw Sienna

They have Kim Simmonds’ expressive guitar work and the band’s tight rhythm section. The song was on the album Raw Sienna released in 1970. The album peaked at #75 in Canada and #121 on the Billboard Album Chart. It was written by the then lead singer Chris Youlden who would be with Savoy Brown from 1967 to 1970.

A Hard Way To Go

Ain’t got time for doubts or fearsAin’t got time for shallow tearsAin’t got time to bare my soulBecause I still got a hard way to go

Said that you got a losing handAin’t no point in you raising sandAin’t got time to bare your soulBecause I still got a hard way to go

And it’s a crying shameThat you can’t lay the blameOn anybody else but yourself

Wish that you had my sympathyYou ain’t got no hold on meAnd my heart is getting coldAnd I still got a hard way to go

And it’s a crying shameThat you can’t lay the blameOn anybody else but yourself

And I still got a hard way to go

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

25 thoughts on “Savoy Brown – A Hard Way To Go”

  2. Sorry! Here we go again!

    I have a copy of this on the Decca label – Blues Roots series (Savoy Brown.) I got hold of a 2nd hand copy last year that plays perfectly. Cost me £10 only.

    I had never seen their records on the shelves, though I’m sure I could probably have got a CD if I looked hard enough. It’;s so weird that didn’t do anything here in UK – especially as they were from the same era as John Mayall and Fleetwood Mac (early version.) The Blues scene was huge here at that time. I think it’s been put down to them doing their first major tour in the States instead of UK.

    Thankfully, even if it about 50 years late, they are getting a biot of praise over here now. Better late than never, I suppose.

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    1. Hey man…I love those album stories…keep them coming.
      That really surprised me when I looked up their chart history over there…only one album got into the top 75…

      Yes I’m glad they are getting some kind of praise…they are releasing albums now.

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  4. Neat song. I’m mostly familiar with the name Savoy Brown. A few years ago, I listened to their album “Street Corner Talking” and posted about it. Other than that, I haven’t listened to much of their music. Another group I’ve yet to explore more thoroughly! 🙂

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  5. Really don’t know them much at all. I know they covered some of old greai as I’ve seen the name in the list of covers. No idea they were so prolific and lasted so long. I liked the songs you listed.

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    1. Yea a band I’ve heard of and read about but never listened…they are really good. I thought every song would be 8 mins long with jamming….but they have some just solid songs as well.

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  6. You’ll get into a whole bunch of hard rock/blues. Along with the bands we discuss (Cream etc) these guys and Ten Years After all crank out some very cool music. On my spin cycle. Listened to a little Ten Years After yesterday. Those first albums are gold but lots of good stuff all along. When we were talking I think I called Simmonds , Simmons. spelling isnt my forte.

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    1. Me either CB…I have to google most of the words I type.
      When listening to them…they have quite a range and I like the latino feel they throw in there as well. They were not what I expected…I expected blues jams with not many melodic songs… I was dead wrong about that. Just the intro to this one is very cool. The hook got me and many songs are like that.

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      1. I dont know if it sent but I forwarded you ‘Im Tired’ it’s exactly what you describe. You’ll see Chris Youlden with a cigar stuck in his face in some of the old pics. Ten Years has the same idea. Lots of great tunes but they did jam and rock out.

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      2. Ten Years Later… thats another band I need to look into…I know one song by them…and you know that. I’ll check them out.
        Savoy Brown will be on my playlist….I like I’m Tired and Tell Mama also.

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      4. I guess we are on that page…one day I’m going to find someone you don’t know about…maybe lol. I’m listening to Hellbound Train right now. You are right…the vocals have that southern sound….the drums are awesome.

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      5. These bands were good just got lost in the shuffle for various reasons. Doesn’t make the music any less enjoyable than bands that got more exposure.
        You nudge me to all sorts of stuff. I just got an earlier start. We all find what appeals to us in time.

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      6. Yea I found that out with Big Star…the hell with the public if it’s good. What makes it cool is we never stop looking….there is always someone missed.

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  7. Like some others, I’ve seen the name quite a bit but don’t really know anything about them This song’s catchy enough, definitely sounds like something from the early-ish ’70s that the early album rock stations would have approved of.

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    1. I was telling CB…I was expecting 10 minute jam songs…but many are blues-melodic…I was pleasantly surprised.

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  8. A roommate introduced me to Savoy Brown and Climax Blues Band (another British blues band) about the same time. Both decent bands and, if they encouraged folks to listen to the masters who inspired them, more power to them. I do like the opening riff to this.

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  9. They have some of a jazzy flavor to them and also hear Cream in there. I like the singer’s smoky voice, it adds an extra oomph to the music. Commanding guitar flourishes also help it. Thanks for the introduction to this band, whose name is familiar but not familiar with them or their work.

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