← Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles
Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles
Baby I Love Your Way: Peter Frampton, But Make It Live!
00:10:45
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welcome to the behind the Song podcast, taking you deeper into classic rock's most timeless tunes. Here's your host.
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One of the most incredible success stories in classic rock is the way that Peter Frampton became a global smash. Not because of his time with Humble Pie and not because of his first four solo albums, but because of how fans couldn't get enough of his live album. The double album doozy that he unleashed upon the world with Frampton comes alive in 1976. It was his breakthrough a long time coming. The studio version of Baby I Love youe Way had already been released as a single the year before from his fourth studio album, Frampton. The studio version's nice, but when the live version was released as a single from Frampton Comes Alive, it helped the Frampton Comes Alive album go to number one on the Billboard album chart. Let's get into the magic that was unveiled when Frampton went live in this episode of the behind the Song podcast. And if you like it, give it a like and hit. Subscribe. The transition Frampton made from the early 70s to the explosive release of Frampton Comes Alive in January of 1976 is one of the greatest grinded out stories in classic rock. It represents the crucial window where Peter Frampton went from an industry underdog playing half empty clubs to an absolute stadium packing phenomenon. Here's how that transformation unfolded. Frampton was a member of the British rock group Humble Pie. Kind of a supergroup really until 1971 when he left the group that he helped form as a teenager to set out on his own path. He was very well respected for his guitar playing by his peers in England and abroad while in Humble Pie, but he really wanted to make music that balanced his substantial guitar chops with with his love for softer, melodic songs. He got a deal with A and M, who Humble Pie were also signed to and released his debut Wind of Change in 1972. This was an album that featured Billy Preston and Ringo's star among its cast of musicians, but it flopped at number 177 on the album chart in the U.S. he then formed a backing band called Frampton's Camel and got to work on his second album, which was named after the band and released in 1973. Frampton's Camel was respected by critics and it has great tracks like Lines on My Face and a really wonderful cover of Stevie Wonder's I Believe. When I Fall in Love, It Will Be Forever. The problem was that the studio versions felt a little clean and restrained. A and M Records didn't know how to market it and it peaked at number 110 on the charts in the U.S. frampton dropped the Camel from the band name and kept on going. Another album, Something's Happening, was released in 1974, an album that features the great Nicky Hopkins playing piano on a couple of tracks. But it too bit the dust at the record shops, peaking at number 125 on the album chart in the US with all these albums failing to move units, Frampton made a strategic pivot. If radio wouldn't play his records, he would take his music directly to the people. For nearly two years straight, leading up to Frampton Comes Alive, he toured America relentlessly. He took every gig available, frequently opening for acts like the Kinks, J. Giles Band and ZZ Top. It was in this era when he was grinding it out on the road when everything started to click because he started building a tribe of followers, even if only a quarter of the stadium was full. When the opening act went on. Frampton's blistering guitar solos and charismatic stage presence won people over show by show. Fans who bought a ticket to see the headliner walked away talking, talking about Peter Frampton. It was also during this period that his secret weapon arrived. In 1974, engineer Bob Hile gifted Frampton with a hand built talkbox effect pedal for his guitar, which routes the sound of an instrument via a tube through a musician's mouth. He started using it live on the song do youo Feel Like We Do? Making his guitar speak to the audience. And it became an instant showstopper. All this momentum kept building and 1975 was the turn turning point when all the work started paying off. When he released his fourth studio album, Frampton, it went to number 32 on the charts, driven by the studio versions of Baby I Love youe Way and Show Me the Way. It was his best showing yet, but he still was far from a household name. His live show, however, was a well oiled machine after all that touring so good that he began recording several shows starting in late 1975, most notably at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Chris Kimsey, also known for his work with the Rolling Stones, handled the live recording and mixing. And he caught lightning in a bottle. Originally, the plan was to release a standard single disc live album. But when A and M Records founder Jerry Moss heard the tapes, he realized a single LP couldn't contain all that energy. He told Frampton, where's the rest of the show? This needs to be a double album. When Frampton Comes Alive dropped In January of 76, it did something almost unprecedented for a live record. It completely eclipse the studio versions of the songs. The album was a total phenomenon, spending weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and selling over 8 million copies. And that turned Peter Frampton into a global superstar, a teen idol. Girls who came to his concert started screaming so loud that it would drown out his guitar solos. It's hard to quantify today just how popular Peter Frampton was after that. And it was all about the decision to put the live show at the forefront. Remarkably, Frampton wrote Book, Show Me the Way and Baby I Love youe Way. In one afternoon back when he was cobbling together material for the Frampton studio album, he had holed up in a seaside cottage that belonged to his friend Humble Pie frontman Steve Marriott in the Bahamas, spending three weeks there to write songs he said that he wrote Show Me the way in the morning and Baby, I love your way in the afternoon. And he says he's never had another day like that in his life. The lyrics of Baby I Love youe Way have a true dreaminess to them. And they go like this. Shadows grow so long before my eyes and they're moving across the page Suddenly the day turns into night Far away from the city but don't hesitate because your love won't wait Ooh, baby, I love your way every day Want to tell you I love your way every day Want to be with you night and day. Nature provided the backdrop and the verses just dropped into place. Moon appears to shine and light the sky with the help of some fireflies I wonder how they have the power to shine. I can see them under the pine, the chorus repeats, and then it's on to one of the most poetic verses. I can see the sunset in your eyes Brown and gray, blue Besides clouds are stalking Islands in the sun I wish I could buy one out of season. He's just sitting there thinking about a girl, writing lyrics about the colors of clouds and the sunset in her eyes, wanting to profess his love. So was there a specific girl that he had in mind? As a matter of fact, there was. Penny McCall, a woman who he had been seeing since his days in Humble Piece, who was married at the time to Humble Pies road manager. Frampton was married at the time. They met, too, but soon separated, and he and McCall moved in together in 1973. His divorce became final in 1976, which was why he was a little bit coy about naming who the song was about in the press after it was released. And here's a wild little side story. He and McCall never married. They broke up after five years in 1978. She then filed a lawsuit claiming that she was entitled to half his earnings and half of his estate. Frampton won the lawsuit, which set a legal precedent about entitlements for married versus non married couples, none of which Frampton had in mind when he was sitting under a tree on a beach in the Bahamas writing a song about her. But that's rock and roll for you today. Baby. I Love youe Way remains a lasting part of Peter Frampton's musical legacy and is a huge part of his definitive work, the Frampton Comes Alive album. By refusing to give up after failing commercially and choosing instead to take his music to the people on the road, Frampton turned the concert stage into his studio and became a true rock and roll star. And of course we can't wait to see the upcoming documentary titled Frampton. It was directed by his longtime band leader Rob Arthur, and it explores his amazing career, his personal challenges, and of course, his music. Until then, when the moon appears to shine and light the sky with the help of some fireflies, you'll have as good a reason as any to crank this track up and kick back with the incredible Peter Frampton in your ears. I'm Janda and this has been behind the song. If you liked this episode, give it a like and subscribe. Special thanks to Christian Lane for the music you hear on these podcast episodes. You can find me on the air at 97.1fm the drive in Chicago and on the way, much more classic rock and roll hey, did you know Chick Fil A helps you save time and earn rewards Every time you order with the Chick Fil A app, it's easier than ever to get your favorites fast. Whether you're craving a crispy Chick Fil A chicken sandwich, fresh made salads, or those golden waffle fries, it's all just a few taps away. Order ahead, skip the line and even customize your meal exactly how you like it. 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