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.
Salome
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whose name is salome
Bear east on sixty-three
South of aquacay
You're still in texas
But just a stone's throw away
Cross the river
Lies lou'isian-i-ay
Whoa-oh whorehouse moan
Love that fat-back boiled in bone
Salty gravy seasoned with tears
Keep me happy for a hundred years
She got corn upon the cob
Black-eyed peas and ham
Served with salty gravy
For the kind of man i am
She got roast potato
Pheasant under glass
Moonshine in a dixie cup
Knock you back on your ass
Salty salty gravy
Fat-back boiled in bone
Salty salty gravy
Texas whorehouse moan
If you got an appetite
She can't satisfy
Ain't her fault you couldn't
Not' cuz she didn't try
No dance of seven veils
To feast your eyes upon
Get down and lose yourself
Come on baby c'mon
Whoa-oh whorehouse moan
Gimme fat-back boiled in bone
Salty gravy seasoned with tears
Keep me happy for a hundred years
Last whorehouse in texas
Damn near on the state line
I can't tell you how i wish
Salome was mine
I'd marry that lady today
Move to new orleans
Spite of what people say (how)
She's too good for the likes of me
Whoa-oh whorehouse moan
Gimme fat-back boiled in bone
Salty gravy seasoned with tears
Keep me happy for a hundred years
Each year on her birthday
I send a big bouquet
Of red, red, red, red roses
And a jug of fine tokay
Salty salty gravy
Maybe crepe suzette
Forty second of july
A date i don't forget
Salty salty gravy
Fat-back boiled in bone
Salty salty gravy
Texas whorehouse moan
The lyrics to Little Feat's song Salome tell the tale of a man's infatuation with a woman named Salome, who works in the last whorehouse in Texas, near the state line with Louisiana. The song is written in a casual, laid-back tone with a simple melody and guitar riffs that evoke a feeling of southern comfort. The singer talks about Salome's cooking skills and how her food keeps him happy for a hundred years. He also mentions how he wishes to marry her and move to New Orleans, despite feeling that she is too good for him.
The lyrics are rich in imagery and metaphors. Salome is compared to a biblical figure who danced for King Herod and asked for the head of John the Baptist as a reward. Salome's dance is also referred to as the "dance of seven veils," implying that she is a seductive woman. The "whorehouse moan" in the chorus translates to the melancholic feeling of being trapped in a brothel.
The song is about the desire for something that is out of reach and the longing for a better life. In a way, Salome represents the unattainable dream of happiness and love that the singer seeks. Overall, the lyrics of Salome are a combination of nostalgia, humor, and longing that make it a classic piece of southern rock.
Line by Line Meaning
I know this jasper girl
I am acquainted with a young woman named Salome
Whose name is salome
Her name is Salome
Bear east on sixty-three
Travel to the East on Route 63
South of aquacay
Location of Aquacay is South of the current location
You're still in texas
The current location is still in Texas
But just a stone's throw away
The location of Salome is close by
Cross the river
The river needs to be crossed
Lies lou'isian-i-ay
Salome's location is in Louisiana
Whoa-oh whorehouse moan
Describes the atmosphere of the brothel
Love that fat-back boiled in bone
Enjoying a traditional Southern dish
Salty gravy seasoned with tears
The gravy is made from salty tears
Keep me happy for a hundred years
The food is satisfying enough to keep one happy for a very long time
She got corn upon the cob
Salome serves corn on the cob
Black-eyed peas and ham
Black-eyed peas and ham are also served
Served with salty gravy
All the dishes are served with gravy made from salty tears
For the kind of man i am
These dishes are to the liking of the artist
She got roast potato
More dishes include roasted potatoes
Pheasant under glass
A fancy dish of pheasant under glass is also offered
Moonshine in a dixie cup
A drink of moonshine in a Dixie cup is available
Knock you back on your ass
The moonshine is strong enough to knock you down
If you got an appetite
If you're hungry
She can't satisfy
Salome may not have enough food to feed everyone
Ain't her fault you couldn't
It's not her fault if you couldn't be fed
Not' cuz she didn't try
Salome does her best to feed everyone
No dance of seven veils
There are no exotic dance performances to watch
To feast your eyes upon
To enjoy watching
Get down and lose yourself
Have a wild time
Come on baby c'mon
Encouragement to party
Last whorehouse in texas
This brothel is the last one in Texas
Damn near on the state line
Location is close to the border of Texas and Louisiana
I can't tell you how i wish
The singer wants something very badly
Salome was mine
The artist wants to be in a closer relationship with Salome
I'd marry that lady today
The artist would get married to Salome right away
Move to new orleans
The couple would move to New Orleans
Spite of what people say (how)
Despite what other people might think/feel/say
She's too good for the likes of me
Salome is a good person and the artist doesn't feel that he deserves her
Each year on her birthday
Each year, on Salome's birthday
I send a big bouquet
The singer sends flowers
Of red, red, red, red roses
The flowers are red roses
And a jug of fine tokay
A type of Hungarian wine is also sent as a gift
Salty salty gravy
Repeating the description of the gravy from earlier in the song
Maybe crepe suzette
Another potential dish to add to Salome's menu
Forty second of july
A nonsensical reference to a fictitious holiday
Contributed by Mateo P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jon Halverson
Gimme a big old helping of dat Feat anyday. Yeah buddy...keep me happy for a hundred years!
Rob Lamb
Gotta git me a mandolin!