Savoy Brown Photo: Jim Summaria, Press Photo: Ruf Records, U.K. Used with permission
Our 10 Essential Savoy Brown Songs list presents a look into the music of one of the most legendary rock and roll blues bands ever. The question that first hit us here at classicrockhistory.com was how to chose ten songs from a band that has released albums for 50 years. The band Savoy Brown has released forty five albums since 1967, counting studio and live releases. Sadly, Kim Simmonds passed away in December of 2022.
The band’s first album, Shake Down, was issued in 1967. The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years. However, the one constant has been founding member and lead guitarist Kim Simmonds. The man’s guitar work has set the tone for all blues rock guitar players since 1965.
The band Savoy Brown was founded by Kim Simmonds and harmonica player John O’Leary in England in 1965. The original lineup consisted of Leo Manning on drums, Trevor Jeavons and Bob Hall on keys, Ray Chappell on bass, and Brice Portius on lead vocals. From 1967 to 1971, the band featured Tony Stevens on bass, Roger Earl on drums, and Dave Peverett on lead vocals. Stevena, Earl and Peverett would leave the band in 1971 and form Foghat. Nonetheless, the Savoy Brown band continued to tour and release albums with an ever-changing lineup. The band’s final lineup at the time of Kim Simmonds’ passing, who had been playing together for over the past ten years, consisted of Garnet Grimm on drums, Pat DeSalvo on bass, and Kim Simmonds on guitar.
Our 10 Essential Savoy Brown Songs list is a subjective selection of Savoy Brown songs that we feel rock fans who have never heard of the band should check out. If you’re a longtime fan of the band, we will have undoubtedly missed many of your favorites because their catalog is just too extensive. With that said, we hope you enjoy the Savoy Brown songs list and let us know your favorites.
# 10 – I’m Tired
The great Savoy Brown track “I’m Tired” was released on the band’s 1969 album A Step Further. Like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the band Savoy Brown utilized different record labels in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Decca Records released the Savoy Brown albums in the United Kingdom, while Parrot Records released the United States editions.
# 9 – It Hurts Me Too
The song “It Hurts Me Too” is one of the most popular blues standards ever written. The song dates back to 1930. Like many old blues songs, no songwriter credit is attached to the song. Savoy Brown recorded the song for their 1969 album Blue Matter. It was the album’s closing track.
# 8 – Why Did You Hoodoo Me
In 2017, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown released the group’s 39th album, Witchy Feelin. The band now performs as a trio, featuring Kim Simmonds on guitar, Pat DeSalvo on bass, and Garnet Grimm on drums. The three musicians have defined Savoy Brown’s lineup since 2012. Fifty years later, Kim Simmonds still sounds as great as he did in 1967.
# 7 – Street Corner Talking
Street Corner Talking has always been one of our favorite Savoy Brown Songs. The opening guitar lick is vintage 1970s classic rock. The song is the title track from Savoy Brown’s 1971 album Street Corner Talking. The album is notable as being the first record released after Kim Simmonds had lost most of his musicians who had left to form the mighty Foghat band. Nonetheless, Street Corner Talking presented Savoy Brown fans with some of the best material that the band has ever recorded.
# 6 – Poor Girl
The song “Poor Girl” was released on Savoy Brown’s Looking In album. The record was issued in 1970. Savoy Brown has released some great album covers, but Looking In has always been our favorite cover. The track “Poor Girl” features the excellent guitar work of Kim Simmonds and the incredible vocals of Lonesome Dave Peverett. We are big Foghat fans here at classicrockhistory.com, so Listening to this lineup of Rod Rice, Tony Stevens, Dave Peverett, and Kim Simmonds is fascinating. Foghat’s sound was so different from Savoy Brown, which makes for a very interesting conversation.
# 5 – Hellbound Train
One of the most popular Savoy Brown songs is the smoking track “Hellbound Train” from the album of the same name. The Hellbound Train record was issued in 1972. Hellbound Train was the follow-up album to the great Street Corner Talking album. The Hellbound Train album was the band’s highest charting album, peaking at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 album charts in 1972. This sounds like and was a completely different band from the Lonesome Dave years.
# 4 – Kings Of Boogie
In 1989, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown released a rollicking record entitled The Kings Of Boogie. The late 1980s presented fans with a revitalization of the blues, with artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmy Vaughan’s band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, tearing it up. This was the title track. Simply smoking!
# 3 – Needle and Spoon
In the number three spot on our 10 Essential Savoy Brown songs list, we turn to the legendary Savoy Brown song “Needle and Spoon.” The song was released on the band’s fifth album entitled Raw Sienna. The album was released in 1970. The track featured Kim Simmonds on lead guitar, Chris Youlden on lead vocals, “Lonesome” Dave Peverett on rhythm guitar, Tony Stevens on bass, and Roger Earl on drums.
# 2 – Voodoo Moon
The slow, haunting, but grooving blues track “Voodoo Moon” was the title of Savoy Brown’s great 2011 album Voodoo Moon. Listen to Kim Simmonds playing in between verses; it’s simply to die for. Great music, great playing. Kim Simmonds kept improving every year he continued to tour and record. Talk about the real deal!
# 1 – Tell Mama
At the top of our Savoy Brown songs list stands our favorite track from the band. The great tune “Tell Mama” was released on the fantastic Street Corner Talking album. The great Dave Walker sang lead vocals on the track. Many people do not realize that Dave Walker actually replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath for a very short period. Dave Walker also sang lead for Fleetwood Mac in the early years and for about eight other rock groups throughout his career. Replacing the great vocalist Lonesome Dave Peverett in Savoy Brown was no easy feat, but Dave Walker did one hellbound helluva job.
Don’t miss our mutiple interviews with Savoy Brown Members
Roger Earl: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview
Pat DeSalvo: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview
Garnet Grimm: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview
Updated December 30, 2023
10 Essential Savoy Brown Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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Nothing from their high water mark, Raw Sienna? Needle and Spoon, A Hard Way to Go, Stay While the Night is Young? The Parrot years are under-served for me. But as you say, subjective, as all these types of lists are, especially with the voluminous number of choices.
We agree,those are great records and songs.I love that period. However since the band has been recording for 50 years we wanted to cover different time periods. It more of an introduction for people who do not know the band, and also a homage to the band’s longevity. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on the article.
Got to agree Raw Sienna was the high water mark but Kim Simmonds always entertains.