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.
Silver Screen
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every night she sits there TV blasting in her face
People runnin' runnin' to and fro, it's such a frantic pace
But in her hand she's got control, remote as that may seem
A certifiable obsession a broadcast malady
When all is said and done she's in love with the silver screen
With the silver screen
Video tape movies where she cashes in her dreams
Ghostly illuminations how they brighten up her scene
Her perception of reception is her lone reality
What to eat and what to wear she edits out without a care
The rest falls through the cracks, an unconscious stream
When all is said and done she's in love with the silver screen
With the silver screen
In a city full of wishes that she shut out long ago
If wishes were a penny we all know which way she'd go
Gvien choice 'tween perfect health and peace throughout the world
Apocalypse utopia or space not explored
When all is said and done she's in love with the silver screen
The song "Silver Screen" by Little Feat tells the story of a woman who is obsessed with television, movies, and the idea of fame. She spends every night sitting in front of the TV, with the volume turned up loud, as if trying to drown out the rest of the world. Her remote control is her only source of power and control, as she zaps between different channels, seeking some form of escape from her mundane existence. She sees herself in the characters she watches on the screen and lives vicariously through them. In her mind, the bright, flashy lights of the silver screen offer a way out of her reality.
The lyrics also suggest that this woman is somewhat addicted to the medium of television itself. She devours video tape movies, editing out the parts that don't interest her and brightening up the rest with her own projections. She has a distorted perception of reality, believing that what she sees on the screen is the only truth. The rest of the world, including what she eats and what she wears, falls through the cracks of her unconscious mind.
Overall, "Silver Screen" is a commentary on the mass media obsession of modern society and the way it can warp our sense of reality. The woman in the song represents all of us who have allowed ourselves to become seduced by the media and have lost touch with our own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Every night she sits there TV blasting in her face
Every night she sits in front of the television with the volume set to a high level, engrossed in the content.
People runnin' runnin' to and fro, it's such a frantic pace
There is a frenzied energy to the programming, with people constantly moving and acting in a hyperactive state.
But in her hand she's got control, remote as that may seem
Despite the chaos on screen, she holds the power to switch channels or turn off the television, even if that seems like a small action.
A certifiable obsession a broadcast malady
Her love for television has become a diagnosable obsession, a sickness of sorts that plagues modern society.
When all is said and done she's in love with the silver screen
Despite any negative effects or consequences, she remains infatuated with the world of television.
Video tape movies where she cashes in her dreams
She escapes her reality by investing her emotions and hopes in the fabricated world of video tapes and movies.
Ghostly illuminations how they brighten up her scene
The flicker of light from the screen seems to breathe life into the darkness of her surroundings, providing her with a sense of comfort and stimulation.
Her perception of reception is her lone reality
What she sees and hears through the television is the only world she knows, and it shapes her perception of the outside world.
What to eat and what to wear she edits out without a care
The outside world is insignificant to her, and she disregards the need for basic essentials like food and clothing because they are not a part of her televised world.
The rest falls through the cracks, an unconscious stream
Everything outside of the world of television is lost to her, as if it were an unconscious stream that she cannot process or remember.
In a city full of wishes that she shut out long ago
She separates herself from the world of real-life desires and aspirations, likely due to disappointment or disillusionment.
If wishes were a penny we all know which way she'd go
If given the opportunity to make a wish, she would undoubtedly choose to invest in the world of television once again.
Given choice 'tween perfect health and peace throughout the world Apocalypse utopia or space not explored
Even when given choices between elements of the outside world that would seemingly be important to someone's well-being, she would still choose the comfort and excitement of the world of television.
When all is said and done she's in love with the silver screen
Without any other distractions or options, she remains enamored with the world of television.
Contributed by Eliana A. 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.