| "The Universal" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dutch picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by Small Faces | ||||
| B-side | "Donkey Rides, A Penny, A Glass" | |||
| Released | 28 June 1968 | |||
| Recorded | May – 5 June 1968 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic folk | |||
| Label | Immediate | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marriott/Lane | |||
| Producer(s) | Marriott/Lane | |||
| Small Faces singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Universal" is a song by English band Small Faces, released as a single on 28 June 1968. It reached number 16 in the UK, staying in the top 40 for a total of 10 weeks. [1]
"The Universal" was originally titled by composer Steve Marriott as "Hello the Universal", but because of an error early in the single's production and manufacture the title was instead printed as the shorter "The Universal". Due to the costs involved in doing so, the error was never corrected.
A densely-lyrical song largely performed in an acoustic 'busking' style, the basic track of Marriott alone with an acoustic guitar was originally recorded by him 'on-the-fly' onto a portable tape machine, outdoors in the garden of his Essex home, Beehive Cottage. The lo-fi recording also picked up various ambient background noise such as birdsong, distant voices and car horns, and even the sound of the wind rumbling through the microphone. Marriott's dogs can also clearly be heard barking in the background (one of Marriott's dogs, Seamus, was also recorded howling in the studio for the Pink Floyd track of the same name, from their 1971 album Meddle ). The Universal's lyrics involved complex wordplay and the vocal were delivered by Marriott in an uncharacteristically offhand but still tuneful singing style. The basic track was enhanced later in the recording studio with various overdubbed instruments that slowly gain prominence as the song progresses, particularly a loud bass drum and percussion whose persistent thud and crash during the latter half of the song add to the recording's 'one-man-band' atmosphere. [2]
Unusually for a Small Faces song of the period, keyboardist Ian McLagan was absent from the recording, having briefly fallen out with Marriott before the session. [3]
Following the success of the Small Faces' previous chart-topping single "Lazy Sunday", a song Marriott himself was dismissive of, he was especially disappointed that The Universal only reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, Marriott was quoted at the time as saying that he thought "The Universal" was the best song he had ever written. [4] He said of the song:
People keep saying that "Universal" is a send-up of Dylan or the one-man band – they don't seem to realize that it's a serious record. This proves that they don't really listen to it because if they did they'd understand what it's all about. It's about getting up in the morning and going outside and saying hello to the Universe [5]
"The Universal" was the final authorized single released by Small Faces before they disbanded in 1969. Almost a year later, their record label Immediate would release a version of "Afterglow of Your Love" as the unauthorised final single by the group.
It has been suggested that Britpop band Blur's song of the same name was so titled in homage to this track. The band were said to also have been influenced by the Small Faces' "Lazy Sunday" with their song, "Parklife", further adding to the speculation.
Small Faces
Other musicians
Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The band was one of the most acclaimed and influential mod groups of the 1960s, recording hit songs such as "Itchycoo Park", "Lazy Sunday", "All or Nothing" and "Tin Soldier", as well as their concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. They evolved into one of the UK's most successful psychedelic bands until 1969.
Small Faces is the second studio album by Small Faces, released through Immediate Records on 23 June 1967. Although this was their first album for new manager Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label, recording actually commenced during their tenure with Decca Records, whom they left in January 1967 after severing professional ties with original manager Don Arden. As a result of the switch of label and management, Decca and Arden released an outtakes compilation album, From the Beginning in early June 1967 in order to sabotage the chart success of the Immediate Small Faces release - something that it managed to do to some extent when From the Beginning reached number 17 in the UK charts. The Immediate album shares its name with their 1966 Decca debut album, which has led to some confusion regarding the titles. As a result of this, it has been unofficially dubbed The First Immediate Album by several fans.
"Itchycoo Park" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, first recorded by their group, the Small Faces. Largely written by Lane, it was one of the first music recordings to feature flanging, an effect at that time made possible by electro-mechanical processes. The single was not featured on any of their UK albums, but was however featured on the North American release There Are But Four Small Faces.
As Safe as Yesterday Is is the debut studio album by English rock band Humble Pie, released in August 1969.
"All or Nothing" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane of the British rock band Small Faces and released as a single in 1966.
"Tin Soldier" is a song released by the English rock band Small Faces on 2 December 1967, written by Steve Marriott. The song peaked at number nine in the UK singles chart and number 38 in Canada. It has since been covered by many other notable rock artists.
"Sha-La-La-La-Lee" was the third song by English R&B-influenced group Small Faces, recorded in December 1965 and released on 28 January 1966, reaching number three in the UK Singles Chart. It was also the first single by the group to feature Ian McLagan on keyboards.
"My Mind's Eye" was the sixth song released on 11 November 1966 by the successful English rock group Small Faces. It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart.
"I've Got Mine" was the second official song released by the English rock band Small Faces in 1965. The song failed to chart despite receiving favourable reviews in the British music press.
"I Can't Make It" is a song that was released in March 1967 by English band Small Faces. The single peaked at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart.
The Autumn Stone is a posthumous retrospective double album, and the second compilation album released in the UK by Small Faces in 1969 on the Immediate label.
From the Beginning is the first compilation album by the English rock band Small Faces. It was released by Decca Records of group material after the band had left the record label; it consisted of the band's Decca hit singles combined with various unreleased recordings. The album rose to Number 17 in the UK Album Chart.
Steve Marriott (1947–1991) was a successful and versatile English blue-eyed soul, singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best remembered for his uniquely powerful voice and aggressive guitar in groups Small Faces (1965–1969) and Humble Pie (1969–1975). In England, Marriott became a popular often photographed mod style icon through his role as lead singer and guitarist with the Small Faces in the mid to late sixties. Marriott's music was influenced from an early age by his heroes Buddy Holly, Booker T & the MG's, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Muddy Waters, Bobby Bland and later the Rolling Stones. Marriott posthumously received an Ivor Novello Award in 1996 for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music and listed in Mojo magazine as one of the top 100 greatest singers of all time.
"The Sad Bag of Shaky Jake" is a single released in 1969 by English rock band Humble Pie. The B-side "Cold Lady" was written by drummer Jerry Shirley in a R&B style and Shirley plays Wurlitzer piano and guitarist Peter Frampton plays the drums.
"Get Yourself Together" is a song by British rock band Small Faces, first released in 1967. It was cut during their tenure on both Decca and Immediate Records in 1966 and 1967 and was written by the Marriott/Lane partnership, who wrote a majority of the Small Faces material. It is regarded as one of their best compositions. It remains one of their most popular efforts despite it not being released as single in the United Kingdom nor the United States and has since been covered by other influential artists.
"Talk to You" is a song by English rock band Small Faces. It was recorded in 1967 and issued as the B-side of "Here Come the Nice" that peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
"(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me?" is a song by English rock band Small Faces. It has a complicated release history and was issued by both Decca and Immediate Records in 1967. The track apparently had a working title of "Mystery" in 1966. Initially planned as the Small Faces debut single on Immediate in mid-1967, it was shelved due to threats from Decca.
"Green Circles" is a song by English rock band Small Faces first recorded in 1966. While not issued as a single in the United Kingdom, it was originally intended as the B-Side of "Here Come the Nice", their first single release on Immediate Records, this release was cancelled and the B-Side was replaced with "Talk to You." It remains one of the group's most well known and influential songs, and showcases the group's venture into psychedelic music, which would be prevalent in their later work, such as on "Itchycoo Park", "Lazy Sunday" and Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake.
"Patterns" is the eighth single by British rock band, Small Faces, first released on Decca Records in 1967. It was the first of two unauthorised singles released in the United Kingdom. It was written by the Small Faces primary songwriters Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. It became one of few singles by the group that features Lane on primary vocals, in contrast to Marriott's standard role as the group's lead vocalist.
In Memoriam is the first posthumous album release by East London rock band Small Faces after the announcement of their break-up in early 1969. It was released on 1 May 1969 through Immediate Records in West Germany only. Their second compilation album following 1967's From the Beginning, In Memoriam is a collection of live cuts and unreleased studio tracks. The studio material was recorded during 1967 and the 1968 sessions for Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, and also included a few tracks possibly intended for their projected but unrealised fourth album 1862. The studio outtakes were complemented by five live tracks recorded on tour in November 1968.