Lowell George's first band, The Factory, formed in 1965. Members included future Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward (he replaced Dallas Taylor in Sept 1966), and Martin Kibbee (a.k.a. Fred Martin) who would later co-write several Little Feat songs with George, including "Dixie Chicken" and "Rock & Roll Doctor". Frank Zappa produced two tracks for The Factory. Following the disbanding of The Factory, George briefly joined the band The Standells. There followed a few months in late 1968 to early 1969 where George was a member of Zappa's band, the Mothers of Invention.
After leaving the Mothers of Invention, George invited fellow musicians to form a new band, which they named Little Feat. As Feat's primary motive force and chief songwriter, he sang, played slide guitar and produced much of their output of eight albums...plus "Hoy Hoy," a collection of live recordings and studio outtakes released posthumously. Recorded one amazing solo LP. Died at the age of 34. An autopsy showed that he died of an accidental drug overdose.
With Little Feat, Lowell crafted a completely unique-sounding band. His approach to the slide or "bottleneck" guitar was not based in the blues from whence it originated, but was rather tailored specifically for the New Orleans-style funk, jazz-tinged improvisations and straight-ahead rock which the band played so brilliantly.
Lowell became a major influence on other artists such as Linda Ronstadt and the Rolling Stones. Even a producer for the Grateful Dead.
Notorious for his hard partying life style, died of a heart attack at age 34. The rock world lost a musician of singular talent and vision with his passing.
Lowell's daughter, Inara George, is a solo artist and member of the duo The Bird and the Bee.
20 Million Things
Lowell George Lyrics
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I've got lots of experience
Rent gets spent
All the letters never written, that don't get sent
It comes from confusion, all things I left undone
It comes from moment to moment, day to day
The time seems to slip away
All I can think about is you
With twenty million things
Twenty million things to do
I've got mysterious wisteria hanging in the air
The rocking chair I was supposed to fix
Well it came undid
And all the things that I let slip, I found out quick
It comes from moment to moment, day to day
The time seems to slip away
But I've got twenty million things to do, twenty million things
All I can do, is think about you
With twenty million
Twenty million things to do
In Lowell George's song, "20 Million Things," the singer is overwhelmed by the amount of tasks they have yet to accomplish. Despite having experience with fixing fences and fender dents, and having many letters to write, the singer becomes distracted by thoughts of someone they cannot stop thinking about. The repeated chorus of "twenty million things to do" emphasizes the singer's feeling of being stuck in a never-ending cycle of tasks and responsibilities. The lyrics suggest that this feeling of being overwhelmed and the inability to stay focused on one task comes from a place of confusion and uncertainty about what to prioritize. The final lines, "All I can do is think about you / With twenty million things to do," suggest that despite this distraction, the singer is still holding onto an underlying desire for connection and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's fix a fence, fender dents
My experience covers a broad range of handyman chores and car repairs
I've got lots of experience
I possess a wealth of practical knowledge
Rent gets spent
I pay for my basic needs and financial obligations, leaving little time for personal pursuits
All the letters never written, that don't get sent
I regret not expressing my feelings to others through unsent correspondence
It comes from confusion, all things I left undone
My scattered thoughts and unfinished business haunt me
It comes from moment to moment, day to day
The feeling of being overwhelmed and stuck is a daily occurrence
The time seems to slip away
Time passes by too quickly, leaving me unable to accomplish everything
But I've got twenty million things to do, twenty million things
I have an immense number of tasks and responsibilities to tackle
All I can think about is you
Despite my busy schedule, you are constantly on my mind
With twenty million things
I can't escape my overwhelming to-do list
I've got mysterious wisteria hanging in the air
The ambiance around me is both alluring and perplexing
The rocking chair I was supposed to fix
I failed to accomplish a basic household repair task
Well it came undid
Even the little things I do manage to do fall apart
And all the things that I let slip, I found out quick
The consequences of my inaction catch up to me sooner than I realize
Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.