Album: Smokin' (1972)

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• Roll my tape
  Ooh, ooh, ooh
  
  Thirty days,
  Anyone doin' that one?
  I'm doin' that one
  
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  
  All right all right all right all right, yeah
  
  Chicago Green, talkin' 'bout Black Lebanese
  A dirty room and a silver coke spoon
  Give me my release, come on
  Black Nepalese, it's got you weak in your knees
  Sneeze some dust that you got buzzed on
  You know it's hard to believe
  
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  That's what they give you
  30 days in the hole
  I know
  
  Newcastle Brown, I'm tellin' you, it can sure smack you down
  Take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
  It's got your head spinnin' round
  If you live on the road, well there's a new highway code
  You take the urban noise with some durban poison
  It's gonna lessen your load
  
  30 days in the hole
  That's what they give you now
  30 days in the hole
  Oh, yeah
  30 days in the hole
  All right, all right
  30 days in the hole
  
  What you doin' boy?
  You here for 30 days
  Get, get, get your long hair cut
  And cut out your ways
  
  Black Nepalese, it got you weak in your knees
  Gonna sneeze some dust that you got busted on
  You know it's so hard to please
  Newcastle Brown can sure smack you down
  You take a greasy whore and a rollin' dance floor
  You know you're jailhouse-bound
  
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  Oh, yeah
  30 days in the hole
  30 days, 30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole
  30 days in the hole Writer/s: Steve Marriott
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 46

• Ez-rocker from GermanyHey, does anyone know what key harmonica is used on this song? Better yet, does anyone actually have the harmonica tab for the song? I’m wanting to learn the harmonica part. Thanks in advance!
• Nhemp from NycAre you the Hippy Johnny from "I'm Straight" by the Modern Lovers?
• Hippy John from PaI knew what this song was about when I was too young to know simply by the lyrics,man. One of my all time favorites and I'm 64.
• Ray In Chitown from ChicagoI saw them do this live at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago in 71 or 72.....Just guessing but I bet Chicago Green is home grown pot.....Red Lebanese and black Napalese were hash and New Castle brown was heroin
• Jerry from Seattle The Dead Daisies new album Holy Ground has a great cover on it with Glenn Hughes on board now from
  TRAPEZE- Deep Purple- Black Sabbath- Black Country
  Communion-California Breed to name a few
• Nooch from UsaNewcastle Brown is a form of heroin slang based on the ale, SMH.
• Mond from FloridaWhat is it .......RED or BLACK Lebanese!?!?!
• Kenny from NjI've read that the lyric, seeds and dust that you got bust on is actually seeds and dust and you got Borstal, which was a prison in England.
• John from Cleveland, OhioThe cool thing about this song is that the rhythm is done differently in each of the three versus. And all of it sounds great!
  
  1st verse: 16th notes on the hi-hat, standard boom-chick rock beat between bass and snare
  2nd verse: swung 8th notes on the shaker, with a jungle type beat on the toms, and cymbal splashes
  3rd verse: quarter notes on the hi-hat and a boom-boom-chick rock beat on the bass and snare
  
  This song is a great reference from drummers in how to sound cool.
• Paul from Wilton, Ct'30 Days In The Hole'
  
  Became a poplar FM hit. This gritty song helped Humble Pie become the early leaders in the gritty 'Boogie Movement'.
  
  While many of the Rock Critics called 'Humble Pie' a minor league version of 'The Rolling Stones', this song was a favorite
  with the college crowd.
  
  In 1972, when this song was played at their shows, it spun the place to high RPM's and stirred the crowd into a frenzy.
  
  Humble Pie was the perfect Rock Group for 2000-to-4000 seat Auditorium venue's.
  
  While '30 Days In The Hole' was released as a single, it never charted on the US Billboard Charts. But, it was a steady song in
  both FM Radio and College Radio playlists from 1972 thru 1975.
• Paul from Wilton, CtThis is a 100% complete Steve Marriot song.
  A 'Boogie Rock' song that Steve Marriot worked on in late-1971.
  New guitarist (Clem Clempson) had replaced Peter Frampton (who left 'Humble Pie') on September 20, 1971.
  
  This song was on the Smokin' album which was released in March 1972 by 'A & M Records.
  
  This song was mixed with a new High-Tech '24-Track' Mixing Board.
  
  Steve Marriot had said that Peter Frampton had heard the early stages of this song and had wanted to make it a 'hard rock' song,
  but Steve wanted a 'boogie sound'.
  
  
  
  
• Dawn from Warren, MiI found an '86 concert of Steve Marriot singing and while the digital delay is bad, you can hear the lyrics clearer. He says in the live version smoke some Durban poison, and he does say on the last chorus 'some smoke and seeds get ya bust so hard to please " I must say finding this song with Steve singing and his mouth moves at the right place is somewhat of an enigma. Youtube "steve marriot live Ontario 86 30 days in the hole"
• Dawn from Warren, Mii think the last seeds and dust do say got bust on - so hard to please... maybe. Great song. The beginning and ending after and before he music make it the best!
• Dawn from Warren, MiThe release I think in that dirty room... a room people crash to do drugs, w/ paraphernalia. The release in my opinion is from the coke they shot up. And it's urban noise and DURBAN poison and potent creeper pot from africa, my older sister said she's had it. I've had hash w/opium, its black napalese, but this was the 80's and again a sibling told me what I had before he tried to steal it..lol.
• Chris from Toronto, OnLebanese and Napalese were types of hashish. Newcastle Brown smacking someone down doesn't refer to beer, it refers to black tar heroin. Newcastle Brown is used as a euphemism in this case.
• Rob from Everywhere, CtLOVE this song!!
  "Newcastle Brown, it can sure smack ya down" is a reference to back in early 70's, peeps round Newcastle (crazed Geordie footballers perhaps?) were dissolving heroin with alcohol and shooting it, anything too strong wasn't good so they used ale.
• Kevin Doyle from Louisville, KyI saw Humble Pie with Steve(rest in peace) and Peter in 1970s. Alexis Korner and King Crimson, with Greg Lake.
  They all jammed at the end with Pie. Review headline" Humble Pie: Fans get just dessert. Some guy from audience came up and played mouth harp with Korner... My 2nd concert. Saved ticket stub and review...
• Richard from Tustin, CaSorry, I forgot to mention the reference to "Angels with Dirty Faces". I did not know that. A favorite movie of mine with the 'Dead End Kids' from the movie of the same name, "Dead End", 'East Side Kids', and/or 'Bowery Boys'. Oh, and, "Angels with Dirty Faces" is Cagney, though I believe Bogart plays a part. I was going to add something but don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen, but must see it! Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and Bogart! "No way!" you say! Yes, way. Rent it. Netflix, or buy it on amazon.com, even better! LOL
• Richard from Tustin, CaSometimes folks, "a dirty room" is just a dirty room, Ok? Just like Rick once wrote, "...roses in your low rent tomb..." I mean where do addicts do their thing? And, no, I don't believe Steve was referring the to effevescent, amber beverage from a town in England. Come on. But, I like the line "...that you got buzzed on..." That makes sense now. I thought it was "...you got bust on..." which I think someone else mentioned. All B.S. aside, great song. Shout out to Ty, "Rory rocks, and lives within your heart!" R.I.P. Rory and Phil! Irish ruckahs!
• Bruce from Munnsville, Ny"Thirty Days in the Hole": an AWESOME lament about getting busted for possession of popular and widely used drugs with only less than trivial evidence. Perhaps the best rock song ever?! Here arte my thoughts on the definitions and translations:
  
  "Chicago Green": weed. "RED Lebanese": really fine trippy hash.
  "A Dirty room": one full of evidence that can get you busted; especially if you ALSO possess a "silver coke spoon."
  "Gimme my release -- come on": What you beg the cops to do after a less than righteous bust for nothing but seeds, crumbs and dust.
  "Black Nepalese": Nepalese hash mixed with Opium.
  "SOME SEEDS AND DUST that you got buzzed on": pretty trivial evidence.
  "Newcastle Brown": now famous, but in the early 70s it was an obscure local brand -- but "brown" and "smack" can also mean heroin.
  "Take a greasy whore": a slippery/slick/sneaky/conniving woman with no morals; who'd set you up for a bust when you're not paying attention.
  "Durban Poison": a very potent strain of Sativa from South Africa.
  "ONLY SEEDS AND DUST that you got buzzed on": STILL pretty trivial evidence.
  
• Vernon A Bird from Warner Robins, GaI saw them on 4/4/71 and, yes, Frampton was definitely there. He was a founding member. Listen to 'Shine On' and you can hear Frampton's voice for yourself. Or, better yet, listen to 'I Don't Need No Doctor' (especially the ending) on 'Rockin the Fillmore', that guitar is signature Frampton.
• Jim from Long Beach, Ca"Hello boys I'm here for 30 days"....Not a fun place..
• John from Los Angeles, Ca"seeds and dust, and you got Borstal" Wiki, people. I've got a longtime English mate, who can really translate the whole song, if needs be. But, back in the day, I was singing along and said "busted", and he corrected me. "You got Borstal". Where else would you get 30 days in the hole?
• Mark from Waterford, MiNewCastle Brown..... refers to a type of Herion.... AKA....Smack
• Steve from Channahon, IlDurban poison is very potent African marijuana
• Alex from Vienna, Austria30 Days In The Hole was covered by GREAT WHITE on their 2007 output "back to the rhythm".
• Ed from Pittsburgh, PaMarriot & Frampton formed the band! Frampton from the Herd & Marriot from the Small Faces!
• Todd from Tallahassee, FlMy 2 cents:
  "Red" Lebanese (hash/marijuana);
  a dirty "rum" (true drink; I doubt a dirty "room" would give anyone release);
  "Seeds and" dust that you got "buzzed" on...you know it's hard to believe [true] (then later: Only seeds and dust...);
  Newcastle "Brown"..."smack" you down ("Brown" is slang for "smack," or heroin);
  take a "grease-sick" whore (heard better the second time; meaning "money-sick" whore) and a "Rollin" (double meaning: rock and "rollin" and "rollin" as in ecstasy).
  It is a killer tune...awesome harmony and a wild, upbeat rhythm.
• Lazur from Chicago, Il"Chicago Green"? I suppose it could be pot, but if a guy from England wanted to get high on drugs not used by his hippy fans in Chicago back in the day, he would go to "The Green", Cabrini Green , the north-side high-rise black ghetto. It a was safer back then.
• Tom from Akron, OhAnother drug reference?
  "Newcastle Brown, I'm tellin' you, it can sure smack you down"
  "Smack" also was another name for Heroin. "Newcastle Brown" probably wasn't a reference to beer.
• John from Los Angeles, United StatesAt first I thought the lyrics were "Its just the sneezin' dust that you got bust on" meaning being arrested for cocaine but after listening to the song like 5,000 times I think it is actually "Its just the seeds and dust that you got bust on ...you know its hard to believe" meaning it was just a bullsh*t charge they they got arrested on. Just seeds and dust...hard to believe the a-hole police would arrest me for that. Just my two cents. The song ROCKS and the bass effing MOVES!
• Kevin from Pleasant Hill, CaUUUUhhh Yes but what about the 30days in the hole. Indianapolis Indiana 30 days in a cell...specifically Speedway Indiana if memory serves.
• Gary from Sunrise, FlMariot and Franpton WERE in the band at the same time. They are both on the Rockin' The Filmore album. Franpton quit between the time it was recorded and when it was released. Listening to the album you can tell why Frampton quit: This was The Steve Marriot Band.
• Bill from Denver, CoOne of todays thoughts
  
  The new Paris Hilton theme song, 30 days in the hole by Humble Pie.
  Play it for the baby girl.
  )-:
• Ray from Palm Bay, Idframpton and marriot WERE in the band at the same time. check early band info.
• Tomi from Orange, CaMany sites are erroneously quoting the lyrics as "Black Lebanese," and a poster here says that "Chicago Green [is] a certian branch of the marijuana family Red Lebanese." Anyone who was part of the 70's drug culture (to which this song is a paen) knows that Red Lebanese is hash. There was Blond Lebanese as well, but no such thing as "Black Lebanese," to my knowledge. Black Nepalese hash contains opium and is very nice indeed if you can find it. This is a great song that captures the spirit and mood of that time, not that we should regret its passing.
• Robert from Tweed Valley, AustraliaA song of vices from one of the most talented rockers ever... Just listen to 'Tin Soldier'.
  There's Marriot and Rodgers then daylight.
• Vic from Wheeling, IlThe version of this song on the "Smokin'" LP is different than the UK single. A verse is missing on the LP.
• Fintan from Cheltenham, EnglandAh, ok, Frampton quit in 1971.
• Fintan from Cheltenham, EnglandFrampton and Marriott were in the band at the same time, they founded it. Frampton quit in 1970 ( I think), Marriott stayed.
• Alan from Louisville, KyFrampton and Marriott weren't in the band at the same time.
• Steve from La, Caanother drug reference is Durban Poison, a potent type of marijuana from S. Africa.
• Ty from Canal Fulton, Ohi was told by a reliable source that the following phrases were indicating certian drugs, obviously...
  
  Chicago Green - a certian branch of the marijuana family
  Red Lebanese - same as above
  Black Napalese - heroin
  NewCastle Brown - beer/ale
  
  what i didn't know is just what drugs they meant... it interested me to say the least...
  
  i'm not sure but i think Ted McKenna may have played drums with Humble Pie for a time... he also played with Rory Gallagher and Alex Harvey... but the bassist Greg Ridley came out of Spooky Tooth (another european band who didn't make it to the states) and the original drummer was Jerry Shirley...
• Phil from San Jose, CaPeter Fampton on guitar, and Steve Marriot from the Small Faces
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScIt was also covered by a southern rock group called Governt Mule.
• Vincent from Simi , CaThe song was covered by Mr. Big on their self-titled first CD.

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