Along about 1976 or 1977, a buddy of mine called me and wanted to know if I wanted to go to a concert. My buddy planned to drive to Omaha to the show, a pretty considerable haul in those days when pretty much all the highways through Iowa were two-lane state highway routes that went through the center of every town one encountered. I declined, claiming (honestly) a lack of money. My buddy went anyway and came back beaming about what a great show it was.
That concert, the one I missed, was Peter Frampton, who was then on his “Frampton Comes Alive!” tour. Frampton did a considerable number of shows on that tour - and he sold a lot of albums, one of them to me.
I remember jamming to “Do You Feel Like We Do” when I was in junior high school. All of Peter Frampton’s stuff got a lot of radio play back in those days, when radio play or a turntable were pretty much our only options. I had a few Frampton LPs, and now that I think on it, I think I probably still have them around somewhere, not that I have anything to play them on. But I do have a Spotify account, and now and then, while I’m sitting here at my desk, I still go on a Frampton kick. And it’s not all ‘70s stuff either. Not this guy.
Peter Frampton is a guy with staying power. I was buying his albums when I was in junior high school, and now, 50 years later, he’s still rocking. But when I think of Frampton, I always think of the great old ‘70s classics. Here are six of my favorites.
Show Me The Way (1975): This song was my introduction to Peter Frampton. Released in the summer of ’75, I was thirteen when it came out, and was just picking up a sense of discrimination in music. It’s a simple, fun tune, but it appealed to enough people that Frampton recorded another version on his 1976 album “Frampton Comes Alive.” This song also featured an early version of Frampton’s famous “talking guitar.”
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Do You Feel Like We Do (1976): From the aforementioned concert album, “Frampton Comes Alive,” this is actually my favorite Frampton tune, and is at the top of my Frampton playlist. It opens with some great guitar riffs. This song, interestingly, first appeared on Frampton’s 1973 album “Frampton’s Camel,” but it was this version that hit #10 on the US Billboard Top 100.
Lines On My Face (1976): Another song from “Frampton Comes Alive,” this one didn’t generate a lot of radio play, as best as I can remember. This one was also originally released on the 1973 “Frampton’s Camel,” but again, this version is better, after Peter hit his stride. This song is a little more relaxing and more thoughtful than a lot of the other songs on this list, but I still like it a lot.I’m In You (1977): This was not only one of Peter Frampton’s better-known tunes, but the album of the same name, of which this song was the opening track, was his most successful album, breaking Platinum status and making #2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in the year of its release. It’s a fun, easy song, with some great piano work and an easy, relaxing pace.Read More: Start Your Weekend Right With 6 Great '70s-Era Fleetwood Mac Songs
Breaking All The Rules (1981): This tune, from the album of the same name, was among the beginning of Peter Frampton’s evolution out of the ‘70s style to his foray into harder rock. The title track, this song, was co-written with Procul Harum’s Keith Reid. Sadly, the album didn’t blow up many skirts; the only charts where it broke into the top 100 was the Australian “Kent Music Report” albums chart.While My Guitar Gently Weeps (2003): A remake, of course, of the famous Beatles song, one of their best. But the more… mature Peter Frampton gives it a new, acoustic sound. The song originally appeared on the Beatles’ 1968 album, known as the “White Album.” Interesting side note: My brother has a White Album that he had signed by Ringo Starr in black magic marker. He later told me that his intent was to outlive Ringo, so when Ringo died, he could put that album on eBay and get a huge pile of cash for it.Peter Frampton may not have had the charisma of Led Zeppelin, the raw power of AC/DC, or the flamboyance of Van Halen. But he had songs everyone remembers, and he’s had a career now that spans the better part of six decades; and half a century in the music business, well, that’s kind of a big deal. I may yet get to see him in concert – not here in Alaska, though, as sadly, he doesn’t appear to have ever performed live in the Great Land. Too bad.
I’m sure you all have some Frampton favorites of your own. The comments are all yours!
