Charity Chic featured the debut album from Little Feat over at his place a few days ago and chose his two favourite tracks... which led both Lynchie and myself to ask: "What about Willin'!?"
Willin' is my favourite Little Feat song and it's the song I discovered them through. It's also the first Little Feat song ever written, and allegedly the track that got Lowell George fired from The Mothers of Invention, either because a) Frank Zappa thought it was such a good song that Lowell was wasted in his band and should form his own (Zappa did help Little Feat get a recording contract); or b) because of the drugs references which Zappa didn't approve of (really!?). There's another story about how George was fired from The Mothers for playing a 15 minute guitar solo with his amp off... you can take your pick, really.
In Charity Chic's defence though, the version of Willin' on the eponymous debut album isn't my favourite - I far prefer the re-recorded version which appeared on their second album, Sailin' Shoes. That's also the version on which George plays guitar himself, since on the original recording he'd hurt his hand playing with a model airplane (ROCK 'N' ROLL!!!) so Ry Cooder filled in.
Anyway, I'm bending the rules shoehorning either version of the track into my Talky Songs feature since only the first verse is really spoken... but I had to feature it somehow, and as Charity Chic points out, a bit of Little Feat is perfect for this rare UK summer...
I agree that the "Sailin' Shoes" version is better. The one on the debut album sounds like a demo and Lowell George's voice just sounds plain wrong.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "Sailin' Shoes"; though I was never a fan Robert Palmer did a fine job including it in a medley of "Sailin Shoes", "Hey Julia" and "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley" on his debut solo album. although the best version of the latter is on the 1970 Lee Dorsey album "Yes We Can" - an Allen Toussaint masterpiece that everyone who loves music should own.
Seems I need to re-assess Willin'
ReplyDeleteOne of their finest moments. I also prefer the Sailing Shoes version and you'll find this song on almost every playlist I've ever made
ReplyDeleteI like some of Little Feat's songs but tend to struggle with the albums. The funkier Feats Don't Fail Me Now (1974) is my favorite LP by them. I also have a soft spot for Under the Radar (1998)
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