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.
China White
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This cruel reality
And keep me from its storm
Suspicion has crept in, and ruined my life
I'm messed up, and hassled, and worn
Well its pure indignation
Just another sensation
But the boy he keeps on callin' for more
Yes and my sweet China White
She ain't here tonight
And love has robbed me blind
So cast away, cast away
From this ball full of pain
For it sinks beneath the waves
Yes and my sweet China White
She ain't here tonight
Oh and love has robbed me blind
Some sweet Maureen has robbed me blind
The lyrics of Little Feat’s “China White” explore themes of addiction and loss. The first stanza begins with the singer yearning for an escape from the harsh realities of his life, which have left him feeling “messed up, and hassled, and worn”. However, he acknowledges that his desire for escape is not a solution to his problems, but merely a temporary respite. The second stanza furthers this idea, with the singer expressing feelings of indignation at his situation, but recognizing that these feelings are also temporary and ultimately unsatisfying. The chorus brings in the theme of loss, with the singer lamenting the absence of his lover (“my sweet China White”) and the fact that his “love has robbed me blind”. The final line suggests that this lover may not be the only one responsible for the singer’s losses, as he acknowledges being “robbed blind” by “some sweet Maureen”.
Overall, the lyrics of “China White” paint a picture of a man struggling with addiction and the negative consequences it has had on his life. He yearns for escape and relief from his pain, but recognizes that this is not a permanent solution. The loss of his lover and feelings of being “robbed blind” suggest that the singer’s addiction may have caused him to lose important things in his life, such as relationships or financial stability.
Line by Line Meaning
I said blow away, blow away
I want to escape from the harsh reality of life
This cruel reality
The difficult and harsh aspects of life
And keep me from its storm
Protect me from the difficulties of life
Suspicion has crept in, and ruined my life
Doubt has caused problems in my life
I'm messed up, and hassled, and worn
I'm confused and exhausted
Well its pure indignation
It's a feeling of righteous anger
Just another sensation
It's just another feeling
And I'd like to knock on that door
I'd like to take action and get involved
But the boy he keeps on callin' for more
But temptation keeps pulling me back
Yes and my sweet China White
This is a reference to drugs
She ain't here tonight
I don't have access to the drugs
And love has robbed me blind
Love has caused me to suffer and lose sight of things
So cast away, cast away
Get rid of the problems and negative emotions
From this ball full of pain
Escape from the painful situation
For it sinks beneath the waves
Let it go and move on
Some sweet Maureen has robbed me blind
This could be referring to a woman who has caused problems
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LOWELL GEORGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.