Tag: Thunderbox

This guitar riff caught me right off the bat…I heard it for the first time not long ago. It’s pretty much irresistible. It reminds me of a song that Free would have one. The term “thunderbox” is British slang for a portable toilet, which reflects Steve Marriott’s sense of humor.

You know, I love Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, John Prine, and other performers who write deep songs. Sometimes though it’s nice to play a song like Thunderbox and let it go. The song was written by Steve Marriott and David Clempson.

Humble Pie released their seventh studio album Thunderbox in 1974. They were considered a “supergroup” at the time. Along with Small Faces Marriott, they featured former Herd lead guitarist Peter Frampton and ex-Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley plus teenage drummer Jerry Shirley. The album peaked at #52 on the Billboard 100 and #58 in Canada in 1974. This was the start of the decline of the band. They got ripped off bad and Steve Marriott mentioned the mob and John Gotti being one of the beneficiaries of the band’s profits.

Humble Pie had some great songs but nothing really caught on with the masses. That’s not always a bad thing but they never had a big song identifiable to them as some other bands do. The Faces had Stay With Me but Humble Pie never had that one song. For me, it should have been 30 Days in the Hole.

They did have four top twenty albums but were more known as a live band…check out Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore …that album put them over the hump.

Thunderbox

Oh, yeah
Ooh, oh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Oh, yeah
He’s a thunderbox, sure
You got your hot pants round your shoulders
Lick your lips and you a fox
Everybody stopped and told us
They say you got a thunderbox
You can see for yourself, I’ve got a clean bill of health
I ain’t never seen a thunderbox
Oh, oh, what do you know
Well, I get to sing–solo
He’s a thunderbox
Oh yea, he’s a thunderbox…
Well, was your claim to fame
In the same letter name
It’s your game I’m playing
While the music is swaying
Oh, I’m so glad I came in here
He’s a thunderbox
Oh yea, he’s a thunderbox…
You’re not a lot, you know, when you ain’t a gypsy
And a hooker with your wicked knots
I had to park the car and take a look to see
‘Cause I ain’t never seen a thunderbox
Oh, oh, well, I don’t know where you’ve been
But I can guess what you’ve seen
You know what I mean
He’s a thunderbox
Oh, yea, he’s a thunderbox…
Oh, oh, I can see what you’ve got
Since you sure got a lot
And, and the band’s still playing
Let the music sway
Oh, I’m so glad I came in here
He’s a thunderbox
Oh, yea, he’s a thunderbox…
Some say you from Dallas there
And you’re hooked on pork and beans
But I think it might be you’re from Louisiana
Roundabout New Orleans
I can see you don’t smell like no flower
But I can say the same for myself
Tell you girl, I know that you know that I know I’ve got my reasons
You know that you’re bad yourself
Don’t ask me for no answers
You could never ever take the shock
I’ve got the grief and I’ll take my chances
Rolling with my thunderbox
Oh, oh, I guess you may say
It’s just a casual affair
But I just got to know you all
He’s a thunderbox
Oh, yea, he’s a thunderbox…

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