The bassist and songwriter for British bands the Small Faces and the Faces, Lane gave it all up for a curious solo career: he ran away and formed a circus. After he quit the Faces he released this single.
Ronnie started his own folk-country band named “Slim Chance” and released a surprise hit single “How Come?” in 1974 and it went to #11 in the UK. Ronnie had a unique idea of touring. His tour was called “The Passing Show” which toured the countryside with a circus tent and included a ringmaster and clowns.
During the recording of the album “Rough Mix” with Pete Townshend… Lane was diagnosed with was Multiple Sclerosis. He still toured with Eric Clapton and others afterward and released an album in 1979 called “See Me.”
Ronnie Lane died of Pneumonia while in the final stages of Multiple Sclerosis in 1997
How Come?
How come when I cut the ace of hearts
You always draw the ace of spades?
How’s it when your best friend
Brings you lillies on your birthday?
How come, how come?
Well, I ain’t superstitious, but
Well, these things I’ve seen
How come, how come?
I ain’t a superstitious fella, but it worries me
How come when the local clergy calls
He tells me that you shouldn’t wear black
And what kind of bread are you gonna bake
With that hemlock in your spice rack?
How come, how come?
Well, I ain’t superstitious, but
Well, these things I’ve seen
How come, how come?
I ain’t a superstitious fella, but it worries me
Did you eat it when the moon was new?
I drowned your cat, what do you say about that?
I’ve even broken up your broom
Well, I ain’t superstitious, but
Well, these things I’ve seen
How come, how come?
I ain’t a superstitious fella, but it worries me
Well, I ain’t superstitious, but
Well, these things I’ve seen
How come, how come?
I ain’t a superstitious fella, but it worries me
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Always loved the album ‘rough mix’. Nice track here too but what is up with his guitar!
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That is a resonator guitar isn’t it?
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Yeah looks like it. It’s just that it’s so big for him. Looks like he’s wearing his own suitcase lol
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LOL…Yea he was a small guy anyway…I read where he had a couple of Zemaitis guitars…this could be one of them.
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That guitar looks like a dobro with the metal piece taken out. I’ve never seen that done before. I never heard this song before…Good song.
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It is a Resonator Guitar I believe
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I’ve never known any details about the song, but it’s always a treat to hear it. It’s tragic he was taken young by MS.
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There a documentary about him…It’s on Youtube free to watch that is interesting. It’s called The Passing Show… It shows how talented he was and how the situation went from bad to good. His mother had MS also.
I loved his idea for touring…Townshend gives a lot of insight.
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I’ll look up the documentary. Thanks for the tip. What a loss to the music world.
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This is a great snappy tune. He sounds good, the lyrics are good, and the backup band are crisp. I love the idea of traveling around doing music with a circus tent and clowns. That’s the way they did it in the old days, I’m sure.
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It was a good idea…a very romantic way of touring. I think… I’m trying to remember…Pearl Jam talked about doing this at one time….so did the Stones and Who together.
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