Lowell George met Bill Payne when George was a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. Payne had auditioned for the Mothers, but had not joined. They formed Little Feat along with former Mothers' bassist Roy Estrada and drummer Richie Hayward from George's previous band, the Factory. The name of the band came from a comment made by Mothers' drummer Jimmy Carl Black about Lowell's "little feet." The spelling of "feat" was an homage to The Beatles.
Their first two albums received nearly universal critical acclaim, and "Willin'" became a standard, subsequently popularized by its inclusion on Linda Ronstadt's album Heart Like a Wheel.
While touring in support of his solo album in June 1979, at the age of 34, George collapsed in his hotel room in Arlington, Virginia. The surviving members finished and released the Little Feat album "Down on the Farm" before disbanding.
The surviving former members of Little Feat reformed in 1987 when Paul Barrere, Sam Clayton, Kenny Gradney, Richie Hayward and Bill Payne added songwriter/vocalist Craig Fuller, formerly from the band Pure Prairie League (who also provided some rhythm guitar), and Fred Tackett on guitar, mandolin and trumpet.
With a seemingly constant tour schedule, Little Feat is easily one of the hardest-working and enduring bands in the industry today. With a history that spans more than 30 years, Little Feat is regarded by many rock music critics as a "band's band", and as one of the greatest rock bands in American rock music history. Best known for their combination of California rock and Dixie-inflected funk-boogie, they craftily blend folk, blues, rockabilly, country and jazz to create a unique style all their own, garnering a faithful grass-roots following. Simply put, Little Feat's sound transcends traditional music boundaries and they offer fans an unforgettable live performance.
Richie Hayward became the second founding member of the band to die, passing from pneumonia and other complications of lung disease on August 18, 2010.
20 Million Things
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got lots of experience
Rent gets spent, all the letters
never written that don't get sent
It comes from confusion
All thethings I've left undone
Comes from moment to moment, day to day
But I got 20 million things to do
20 million things
All I can think about you
With 20million things, 20 million things to do
I got mysterious wysterias hanging in the air
The rocking chair I was supposed to fix, well it came undid
And all the things that I let slip, I found out quick
Comes from moment to moment, day to day
The time seems to slip away
But I got 20 million things to do, 20 million things
All that I can do is thing about you
With 20 million things, 20 million things to do
In "20 Million Things" by Little Feat, the lyrics describe a character who is overwhelmed by the demands of daily life. Whether it's fixing a fence or paying the rent, there always seems to be something else that needs to be done. This sense of obligation is compounded by the fact that, as the song acknowledges, time seems to slip away from the singer. Despite these pressures, the character can't help but focus on one thing: the person they love.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "I got 20 million things to do," emphasizes the singer's sense of busyness, while also underscoring their preoccupation with their beloved. The line "all I can do is think about you" adds further weight to the song's central theme: the tension between the demands of the world and the desire for intimacy and connection. In this sense, the song speaks to a common human experience: the feeling of being pulled in multiple directions at once, and the longing to find respite from that chaos in another person.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's fix a fence, fender dents
Whether it's repairing a fence or fixing scratches on a car, I have experience in all sorts of odd jobs.
Rent gets spent, all the letters
Spending my money on rent each month, I often neglect writing letters that I should send.
never written that don't get sent
I have a habit of leaving letters unwritten or half-finished before abandoning them entirely.
It comes from confusion
The reason for all the things left undone is due to my state of confusion or uncertainty.
All thethings I've left undone
There are a multitude of tasks and responsibilities I have neglected or abandoned over time.
Comes from moment to moment, day to day
My inability to stay focused and productive is due to my tendency to take each moment as it comes and live day to day.
The time seems to slip away
Despite having many things to do, time seems to slip away from me, leaving me with unfinished tasks.
But I got 20 million things to do
Despite my struggles with focus and productivity, I have an overwhelming number of tasks and responsibilities on my plate.
All I can think about you
Despite all the things I have to do, my mind often drifts to thoughts of you.
With 20 million things, 20 million things to do
My to-do list is never-ending, with an overwhelming 20 million things to complete.
I got mysterious wysterias hanging in the air
Surrounded by mysterious and intriguing scents and sights, my focus often wavers, making it difficult to remain productive.
The rocking chair I was supposed to fix, well it came undid
Even when I attempt to complete tasks on my to-do list, things often fall apart, leading to an ever-growing list of unfinished projects.
And all the things that I let slip, I found out quick
Putting off responsibilities and neglecting tasks often leads to other problems and setbacks, causing me to realize the consequences of my actions too late.
Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robert Cochran
on Representing the Mambo
Heard this song right before I had to go on a buiness trip to Rio. The progression of the song up the mountainside to the dangerous favelas above the city to the isolated hidden samba clubs make this song a trip you can truly take in your mind to that place.