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.
What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
Lowell George Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To eat up your lies like it's good
(Your lies like apple pie)
(She don't even cry)
She is not a fool
She's just tryin' to do what her heart says to
To love you
And as you take to the wind
And as she breaks down within (within, within)
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
She waits for you patiently
Hopin' that someday you'll see
[That] all she really wants to be
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
What do you want the girl to do
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
[Can't you see]
What do you want the girl to do
All she really wants is you
She knows what you are
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
(Just say the word today)
(Build the world around her)
Now and then you'll promise
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
(You will see, you will see)
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
'Cause ma she knows better
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
And as she watched your promises erode
What do you want the girl to do
Don't you know you're breakin' the child in two
What do you want the girl to do
Can't you see you're breakin' the child in two
"What Do You Want The Girl To Do?" is a poignant song about a woman's unrequited love for a man who does not reciprocate her feelings. The song has a melancholic and unresolved feel to it with the repetitive chorus asking "What do you want the girl to do?" to highlight the woman's helplessness in the situation. Lowell George sings about the girl's unwavering belief in the man despite his lies, and how she holds onto the hope that he will someday see her love for what it is - a pure and selfless act.
The lyrics also seem to suggest that the man is taking advantage of the woman's love for him, promising her the world and yet never coming through on his promises. He is aware of her feelings, yet he fails to reciprocate them, leaving the girl broken and alone. Lowell George's voice captures the vulnerability and tenderness of the situation, making the listener feel empathetic towards the girl.
Overall, the song is a beautiful and emotional portrayal of unrequited love and the pain it can inflict on a person. It captures the complexities of relationships and the often-unspoken emotions that lie beneath.
Line by Line Meaning
So you think the girl is crazy
You believe that the girl is foolish because she believes in your lies
To eat up your lies like it's good
She accepts your lies as though it is something desirable
(Your lies like apple pie)
Your lies are as sweet and attractive as a delicious dessert
(She don't even cry)
She doesn't even cry or complain about the situation
She is not a fool
She is not naive, but trying to follow her feelings
She's just tryin' to do what her heart says to
She is following her heart and trying to pursue a relationship with you
To love you
She wants to love and be with you
And as you take to the wind
You leave her behind yet again
(to the wind again she breaks down)
Once again, she is left hurt and vulnerable
And as she breaks down within (within, within)
She feels overwhelmed and afraid that she will never be able to have a stable relationship with you
She waits for you patiently
She patiently waits for you, even when you are not around
Hopin' that someday you'll see
She hopes that one day you will realize what you mean to her
[That] all she really wants to be
Her only desire is to be yours, and yours alone
Is yours and yours alone, eternally
She wants to be with you forever, with nobody else in the picture
What do you want the girl to do
You need to decide what you want from her
[Don't you know] you're breakin' the child in two
You are causing her a lot of pain and hurt
[Can't you see]
You need to be aware of the effect your actions have on her
All she really wants is you
All she wants is to be with you
She knows what you are
She knows who you truly are, including your shortcomings and flaws
Still she'll be your queen if you let her
Despite your imperfections, she is willing to be your partner and make things work if you let her
(Just say the word today)
If you commit to her now, everything can be better
(Build the world around her)
Together, you can build a strong and meaningful relationship
Now and then you'll promise
You have made promises to her in the past
All the way-out things you're goin' to get her
You've promised extravagant things that you couldn't fulfill
(You will see, you will see)
You need to take action now, instead of just making promises
(You're so damn glad you found her, found her, years ago)
You're fortunate to have her in your life, but you need to appreciate her more
'Cause ma she knows better
Her mother has warned her about you and the potential heartbreak that comes with loving someone like you
As she watched you come and go (all you'll show)
As she observes your inconsistent behavior, she realizes that you only show her a small part of yourself
And as she watched your promises erode
She has seen how you have consistently failed to live up to your promises
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ruthdixon7807
a remarkable vocal, all liquid phrasing and life affirming roars.
@jum1801
Bought this album when it came out in 1979. Hadn't listened to it in decades because somewhere along the way it was lost. Man, I miss his voice.
@DoFrGe
Lowell George had such a beautiful voice.
@robertwoodward9231
I did the same long gone now but I think there's a couple out on record store day..24
@ToldAlthea
This song just took me RIGHT back to Freshman year of college in Smithfield, R.I.
We were GD, ABB, Little Feat music snobs. If you couldn’t get into this album, you weren’t coming into the room for the first 3 bong hits. “Go listen to Jumpin’ Jack Flash for the 2865th time” we’d say…..
@happarsons931
How can there be a dissenting vote? This starts out so smoooooth and Lowell picks it up to some of the strongest R&B you'll ever want to hear.
@sheffnyrofan
Hap Parsons I totally agree friend
@robbrown6934
What a great song! L.G. was a Great Singer😇
@mrblue6349
Great album. Lowell is in his prime with his vocals. Unique selection of songs. He is truly missed.
@williamamos4468
Did not think that anybody could match Boz Scaggs doing this Alle Toussaint tune. But Lowell does it in spades. Fantastic. Bill Amos