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.
Walkin' All Night
Little Feat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listenin' for signs of the small talk
Waitin', hesitatin', got tired of all that waitin'
Decided to walk around, that blonde bull
She's been waitin' once again on the home town
There ain't enough room this time 'round
I gotta chasin' that woman all around town
Seems that satisfaction just can't be found
'Cause she's a side street swinger
She's a side street swinger
Got a kiss on her lips for the askin'
Just gotta keep movin'
She's bear walkin
She's gotta wiggle her way up them sidestreets
Lookin' for a ride through town
Well I've been savin' my money for a week
Tryin' to be somethin' real sweet
I can't find the one, you know my luck is so dumb
She's probably walkin' all over the street
She's a side street swinger
She's a side street swinger
Got a kiss on her lips for the askin'
Just gotta keep movin'
She's bear walkin all night
She's bare walkin' all time
She's been waitin' once again on the home town
There ain't enough room this time 'round
But the woman's too scared to try and slow down
Those bulls will just love to take her down town, downtown
She's gotta wiggle her way up them sidestreets
Lookin' for a ride through town
She's a side street swinger
She's a side street swinger
Got a kiss on her lips for the askin'
Just gotta keep movin'
She's bear walkin all night
She's bear walkin all night
She's bare walkin' all time
The lyrics of Little Feat's song Walkin' All Night have an interesting storyline. The song describes a woman who is walking around town, looking for something, but can't seem to find satisfaction. She's hesitant and tired of waiting, and decides to move around instead. The woman is described as a "side street swinger," moving through the sidestreets of town, wiggling her way up and looking for a ride through town. The singer also mentions that he has been saving his money for a week, trying to find something sweet, but his luck is down as he can't find the woman he is looking for.
The lyrics are rich in imagery, evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of a bustling town. The woman is described as a blonde bull, with the bulls in this case referring to the men who are eager to take her downtown. She's bare walkin' all night, a nod to the informal form of foot travel, barefoot. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a woman who is always on the move, trying to find something elusive and ultimately failing to find it.
Overall, the lyrics of Walkin' All Night are an exploration of restlessness, the wanderlust that afflicts some people who can't seem to find contentment in one place. The song is catchy and upbeat, with a funky sound that captures the feel of the 1970s. It's a classic example of the Southern Rock genre, blending elements of blues, jazz and country into an energetic, foot-tapping tune. The lyrics may seem simple at first, but they have a depth and complexity that rewards repeated listens.
Line by Line Meaning
Well she was plantin' her feet on the sidewalk
She was standing still on the sidewalk
Listenin' for signs of the small talk
She was trying to eavesdrop on conversations around her
Waitin', hesitatin', got tired of all that waitin'
She was waiting and hesitating, but eventually got fed up with waiting
Decided to walk around, that blonde bull
She decided to start walking and move away from the area, which had many people
She's been waitin' once again on the home town
She had been waiting again in her hometown for something to happen
There ain't enough room this time 'round
There wasn't enough space for her to stay in her hometown this time
I gotta chasin' that woman all around town
The singer has been following her around town
Seems that satisfaction just can't be found
They couldn't find the satisfaction they were looking for
'Cause she's a side street swinger
She likes to walk and move around in areas away from the main roads
Got a kiss on her lips for the askin'
She's open to kissing someone who asks her
Just gotta keep movin'
She needs to keep walking and not stop
She's bear walkin
She's walking in bare feet
She's gotta wiggle her way up them sidestreets
She has to walk swiftly and keep moving through the side streets
Lookin' for a ride through town
She's trying to find a way to get to the other side of town
Well I've been savin' my money for a week
The singer has been saving money for a week
Tryin' to be somethin' real sweet
They were trying to find a way to be romantic
I can't find the one, you know my luck is so dumb
The singer is having bad luck in finding the right person
She's probably walkin' all over the street
The woman he's looking for is probably walking all over town
But the woman's too scared to try and slow down
The woman is scared to stop and take a break
Those bulls will just love to take her down town, downtown
People in the crowded areas of town would be interested in her
She's bear walkin all night
She's been walking all night in bare feet
She's bare walkin' all time
She walks barefoot all the time, especially at night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL BARRERE, WILLIAM H PAYNE
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.