When Frampton Came Alive: His singles and 5h album

“Frampton Comes Alive” would sell 8 million copies in the U.S., making it the top selling album of 1976.

None of that prepared the 25-year old rocker and guitarist for the phenomenal success of his first live album, released Jan. 15, 1976 — a half century ago this month.

After three years and five albums with a group called Humble Pie, English guitarist and rocker Peter Frampton went solo. His first three albums didn’t attract much attention but his fourth was a moderate success.

Peter Frampton's Fifth Solo Album

Guitarist and vocalist Peter Frampton of Kent, England, began singing with rock bands at age 12. He played with a number of bands, rubbed elbows with a few of big-name rockers and was hired to play recording sessions for George Harrison, Harry Nilsson and Jerry Lee Lewis. He and a friend formed Humble Pie in 1969 and issued five albums.

In 1972, Frampton — now 22 — signed a contract for a solo career with A&M records. His fourth solo album, “Frampton,” peaked at No. 32 on Billboard’s album chart in 1975.

By then, Frampton and his backing band had developed a reputation for their stage presence. So Jerry Moss — the “M” in A&M — suggested Frampton issue a live album.

In June 1975, Frampton’s band recorded a particularly good set at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom.

“We were so hot, we were so well-oiled,” Frampton said later. “We had that show down. We came off stage and that’s where you usually go, ‘Wow, I wish we’d recorded that.’ And then we said, ‘Oh my God, we recorded this.’ ”

Frampton and his producer selected five live songs for the album. Late that year, they played the tapes for Moss.

“I remember he stood up and said, ‘Where’s the rest?.’ ” Frampton said. “I’ll never forget that.”

Moss made the call to expand the project to two discs — four sides of live music. The band had to scramble to record more tracks to fill out what became “Frampton Comes Alive.”

The album was released Jan. 15, 1976 with a list price of $7.98 — only one dollar more than the standard price for single-disco albums at the time.

The album caught the ear of disc jockeys who would play entire sides of rock albums at a time, without commercial interruption. “Frampton Comes Alive” climbed up the Billboard 200 album chart, reaching No. 1 for one week on April 10.

It returned to the top spot for another week on July 24. And then for three weeks in August. And for five more weeks in September. In all, “Frampton Comes Alive” would spend 97 weeks on the Billboard album chart and 10 weeks at No. 1. It would sell 8 million copies and would finish 1976 as the year’s top-selling album.

Three Hit Singles From 'Frampton Comes Alive'!

Debut on Chart: Feb. 21, 1976

Peaked at 6, on May 8th, 1976, with 18 weeks in the Hot 100.

“I just met somebody that gave me such confidence,” Frampton told Melody Maker in 1976. “My life is completely changed. All the lyrics in that song are about me and her.”Her name was Penny McCall. Frampton was married when they met in 1972, but his divorce wasn't finalized until 1976. Therefore, he tried not to talk about her in public. He did name an instrumental song after her — “Penny For Your Thoughts” — on his 1975 album.

“Show Me the Way” also appeared on that album. The live version from “Frampton Comes Alive” was the first single released from the new album, giving Frampton his first top-10 hit in the Billboard Hot 100.

Debut on Chart: June 26, 1976

Peaked at 12, Aug. 28, 1976, with 16 weeks in Hot 100

This track, too, is also about McCall and had also appeared on Frampton’s 1975 album. Frampton said he had traveled to the Bahamas to concentrate on songwriting. After wasting a week drinking with friends, he got up early one morning and wrote “Show Me the Way.” That afternoon, he wrote “Baby, I Love Your Way.”

“I’ve been trying to work out which side of the bed I got out on that day ever since," he said.

The couple had moved in together in 1973 but never married. After they broke up in 1978, McCall filed a lawsuit claiming half of Frampton’s earnings during their time together.

She lost her suit.

Debut on Chart: Sept. 18, 1976

Peaked at 10, on Nov. 28, 1976, with 18 weeks on the Hot 100

After a night of heavy drinking, Frampton was jamming with his band and played some of the chords he had been toying with the night before.

After firming up the tune, his band urged him to come up with some lyrics. “I can’t,” he told them. “I have a really bad hangover.”

Well, then, write about that, they suggested. So he did.

For the live version, Frampton used a talkbox, which linked a tube in his mouth with his guitar amp that allowed him to distort his vocals.

Aerosmith had used it the year before on “Sweet Emotion” but Frampton’s use of it here made the talkbox famous.