THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

565-Faces-Pool Hall Richard.

1973-Number 8 single.

Best Bit-At 4.21. If you don’t think that the song is ‘SMASHING’ by this stage, you never will.

Faces were formed in 1969, in London, England, after Steve Marriott (1947-1991) had left the ‘Small Faces’ (see also best songs 1048 and 872) in order to form ‘Humble Pie. The remaining three Small Faces, Ian McLagan, (1945-2014) (keyboards) Ronnie Lane, (1946-1997) (bass guitar, and vocals) and Kenney Jones, (drums) joined with Ronnie Wood, (guitar) (see also best songs 160 and 70) and Rod Stewart, (vocals) (see also best songs 965-206-179-70 and 34) who had both just left ‘The Jeff Beck Group,’ to form the ‘Faces.’ They remained active through until 1975, before reforming between 2009-2011, and then again in 2021, as well as performing one offs for special events, although after 1975 none of the five original members ever played together as a unit at the same time again. In total there have been nine official members come and go, with Jones, Stewart and Wood being the three current members. When forming in 1969, their record label ‘Warner Bros.’ wanted to stick with the name ‘Small Faces,’ for marketing purposes, but the group insisted on dropping the ‘Small,’ stating that the new members Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart were 5’9′ and 5’10’ respectively.

Faces were active until 1975 releasing four studio Albums, and 10 singles, of which four entered the UK top 20. As well as being the groups lead singer, Rod Stewart also had a very successful solo career running concurrently with his time with the Faces. Ronnie Lane left the group shortly before the recording of this song, stating his frustration at, has he saw it, the lack of opportunities to contribute new songs, and take the lead vocal. Ronnie Lane would later develop multiple sclerosis, and he passed away on June 4th, 1977. Lane was replaced by the Japanese bass guitarist Tetsu Yamauchi, who played on this song, and the groups final Album release, the live recording ‘Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners,’ from 1974. In 1978 drummer Kenney Jones joined ‘The Who’ as the replacement for the recently deceased Keith Moon, (1946-1978) Ronnie Wood joined The Rolling Stones and has played on all of their studio Albums since 1976, and keyboard player Ian McLagan also joined The Rolling Stones as part of their touring band, as well as playing electric piano on their 1978 single ‘Miss You’ (see also best songs 160.) Rod Stewart who was already a very successful solo artist by 1975, would go on to even greater success as a solo artist after the initial split.

Ian Patrick McLagan, was born on May 12th, 1945, in Hounslow, Middlesex, England, he died on December 3rd, 2014, of a stroke, at the age of 69. McLagan first started playing in bands in the early 1960’s in London, eventually joining the Small Faces as a replacement for Jimmy Winston (1945-2020) in 1965. With the Small Faces he played on all of their final five studio Albums, and then on all four studio Albums with the Faces, he has also released 10 solo Albums between 1979-2014.

‘Pool Hall Richard’ which was issued as a stand alone single in December 1973, was co-written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, with the production credited to Ron Nevison, and Mike Bobak. Ron Nevison is an American music producer, and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970’s, getting his big break as an engineer on ‘Quadrophenia,’ (see also best songs 265) the sixth studio Album by The Who in 1973, this was followed shortly with his first production on Thin Lizzy’s fourth studio Album ‘Nightlife,’ in 1974. Ron Nevison has gone on to produce for some of the worlds top artists, including Ozzy Osbourne, Meatloaf, and Grace Slick. In 1987 he produced the Album ‘Crazy Nights,’ for the American Rock band ‘Kiss,’ which provided the hit single ‘Crazy Crazy Nights,’ (UK Number 4) which is perhaps his most recognisable produced track.

‘Pool Hall Richard’ which first appeared on a Faces Album in 1976, as the opening track on their compilation ‘Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces,’ tells the tale of a pool player, who is also the songs narrator. The narrator knows he has met his match in his opponent, who goes by the name of ‘Pool Hall Richard.’ He is in awe of his talent, and also thinks that he could take his lady as well, if he wanted to.

‘Sweatin’ hard, I didn’t get a shot, all I did was stand around and get too hot. Knowin’ all the people walkin’ on my side, losin’ all my money and I’m getting tired.’