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.
Down Below the Borderline
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a hot spot for all the fools from here to the corner
Looking for a square deal
A fair deal
She don't need a gun
She's an ultimatum
She can turn on a dime
She can turn on a dime
You can drop me anywhere there
Down below the borderline
Down below the borderline
Down below the borderline
Holding out your hand she be acting so demanding
She don't leave no stone for you to stand on
And if you think you might not be down here sometime
Down below the borderline
Onomatopoetry symmetry in motion
They heard about that girl clear across the ocean
To love her is a thrill, so tell me it's for real
Shell break away and leave you crying at some stop sign
Down below the borderline
Down below the borderline
Down below the borderline
Holding out your hand she be acting so demanding
She don't leave no stone for you to stand on
And if you think you might not be down here sometime
Down below the borderline
The lyrics to Little Feat's song "Down Below the Borderline" speaks about a woman who is a force to be reckoned with. The song speaks about her from the perspective of someone who has encountered her or heard about her. The opening line, "A side shot from south of the border, was a hot spot for all the fools from here to the corner," suggests that this woman has a reputation for being dangerous but still draws in people from all over.
The lyrics further describe the woman as someone who does not need a gun, as she is an ultimatum. She is someone who can turn on a dime, which means she is unpredictable and dangerous. However, the chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Down below the borderline," which could suggest that this woman is dangerous but also alluring.
The second verse speaks about how this woman has gained fame and notoriety even clear across the ocean. She is someone who is exciting to love, but will also break away and leave you crying at some stop sign. The overall message of the song is that this woman is not someone to be messed with, but people are still drawn to her despite the risks.
Line by Line Meaning
A side shot from south of the border
A quick glance from south of the border
Was a hot spot for all the fools from here to the corner
It was a popular destination for naive people everywhere
Looking for a square deal
Looking for a fair agreement
A fair deal
An equitable agreement
She don't need a gun
She's not dangerous
She's an ultimatum
She's a final demand
She can turn on a dime
She can change her mind easily
She can turn on a dime
She can change her mind easily
They're just fine darlin'
Things are okay, dear
You can drop me anywhere there
You can leave me anywhere there
Down below the borderline
Below the boundary
Holding out your hand she be acting so demanding
She's very demanding when she extends her hand
She don't leave no stone for you to stand on
She doesn't provide any solid ground
And if you think you might not be down here sometime
If you think you won't end up here one day
Down below the borderline
Below the boundary
Down below the borderline
Below the boundary
Down below the borderline
Below the boundary
Onomatopoetry symmetry in motion
The sound of words and rhythms in motion
They heard about that girl clear across the ocean
They heard about a girl far away
To love her is a thrill, so tell me it's for real
Loving her is exciting, but I want it to be genuine
Shell break away and leave you crying at some stop sign
She will leave suddenly and you will be upset
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LOWELL T 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.