The Firm were an English rock supergroup comprising former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers, ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, ex-Uriah Heep and -Manfred Mann’s Earth Band drummer Chris Slade and bass player Tony Franklin. Formed in 1984, the band had only mediocre album sales, although they did have sellout tours. Page and Rodgers originally wanted former Yes drummer Bill Bruford and fretless bassist Pino Palladino in the group; however, Bruford was contracted to another label and Palladino had tour commitments with singer Paul Young.
Both Page and Rodgers refused to play any material from their former bands and instead opted for a selection of Firm songs plus tracks from both their solo albums. The new songs were heavily infused with a soulful and more commercially-accessible sound, courtesy of Franklin’s fretless bass guitar underpinning and understated song structure. Despite refusing to play old material, the last track from The Firm, “Midnight Moonlight”, was originally an unreleased Led Zeppelin song entitled “The Swan Song”. This caused some critics to believe that Page had begun to run out of ideas. In subsequent press interviews, Page had indicated that the band was never meant to last more than two albums. After the band split, Page and Rodgers returned to solo work while Chris Slade joined AC/DC and Franklin teamed up with guitarist John Sykes in Blue Murder.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
http://djallyn.org/media/the-firm-satisfaction-guaranteed.flvMystery surrounds me, and I wonder where I’m going
There’s a cloud above me and it seems to hide the way
I’m going straight ahead, ‘cos it’s the only way I know
I wanna leave the past, and leave just for todayNow then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?Sitting in the gutter with my head wrapped in my hands
I’ve been drinking all night, and I just can’t stand the pain
It took an awful lot of trouble just to make me understand
Now it’s clear to me, but will it ever be the same?Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?Head upon the highway, just as fast as I could go
I rode through the night, and halfway through the day
I had no direction I didn’t even want to know where I was going
The only thing I knew, was that I had to get awayNow then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?Tell me baby…Tell me baby…Tell me baby, do you need my love?
Now that I’m here, yeah…Do you need…Do you need my love?
- Audio from the 1985 album, The Firm:
Break