What's new

Little Feat's Dixie Chicken - Classic Album Discussion

johnniegold

"Got Shoes?"
As requested. :biggrin: Here is the classic 1973 Little Feat recording that brought us the classic title track as well as Fat Man in the Bathtub. This record is Little Feat at their funkified best. Another great tune, Two Trains also showed up on Lowell George's solo album, Thanks, I'll Eat It Here.

From the Rolling Stone Album Guide:

Of Little Feat:

"At a time when most rockers were busy cultivating eccentricities and sub-dividing into strict genres, Little Feat melted its various influences into a big, lazy-rolling ball of wax."

Of Lowell George:

"His nimble slide-guitar runs and honey-in-the-sludge vocals run over patches of blues, country, beatnik poetry and rock."

Sadly, Lowell George passed away in 1979 but thankfully he (and Little Feat) left behind this classic five-star performance. From 1973, Little Feat's classic: Dixie Chicken.


Front Cover
full

1. Dixie Chicken
2. Two Trains
3. Roll Um Easy
4. On Your Way Down
5. Kiss It Off
6. Fool Yourself
7. Walkin' All Night
8. Fat Man In The Bathtub
9. Juliette
10. Lafayette Railroad​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The Feat and Mr. George at their best -- their peak, IMO! This album is easily in my top 10 of all time, and maybe even in the top 5. Easy, lazy, funky all rolled into one, and yet very tight with some clean clean sound and production. :thumbup1:

Always wanted to see Lowell George play live, but I passed on seeing the Feat in Buffalo back in 78 or so -- "too busy"; figured I'd catch them next time around. Well, there was no next time, not with Lowell (and, again IMO, while post-George LF are still a great band, they aren't as great as they were with him...). Was the last time I passed on an act I really wanted to see.
 
Bob, at a glance I thought you had posted a Dixie Chicks album and needless to say if you had we would have made fun of you for months. :lol:
 
Aside from the astounding musicianship and melodies, this album is a great example of the lost art of lyric-writing. It covers everything from sex to friendship, and from comedy to despair.

"Then one night in the lobby
of the Commodore Hotel,
I chanced to meet a bartender
who said he knew her well."

"The same people you abhor
on your way up,
you might meet up
on your way down."

"All I want in this life of mine
is some good clean fun,
all I want in this life and times
is some hit and run."
 
Last edited:
Aside from the astounding musicianship and melodies, this album is a great example of the lost art of lyric-writing.

Definitely, and I'm pretty sure that's all Lowell George (and at his finest): he was a Master at writing. His solo album (Thanks, I'll Eat It Here -- referred to in the OP) has some great lyrical work on it too (although he didn't write everything on that...); he co-wrote "20 Million Things To Do", which is simply superb (I was going to post the lyrics, but since they aren't from Dixie Chicken, I figured it would be a thread hijack!). The Allan Toussaint material is always a nice blend (musically and lyrically) with LF/LG too (On Your Way Down).
 
johnniegold, Thank you for this memory! Harkens me back to a period of some of my favorite music. The song Dixie Chicken and Little Feat's performance appropriately exemplifies that time frame in my life, funky, fun, loose, and carefree. Let me here you say YES (that's with two syllables...YAY US):biggrin:

Another song, not appearing on this album, but one that will take you back (if you were ever there) is Willin'. Though I have to admit to a preference to Linda Rondstat's version.

Thanks again for this area of B&B. Looks like there is a nice collection of memories to catch up on. Keep up the good work.
 
A 5 star album indeed! However you want to define "it", Little Feat possessed it in spades - you can hear it in their fat, "lazy" grooves. Lowell George does not get near the press his songwriting merits. Thanks Bob, for reminding me of another album I have to dust off.
 
Great stuff. I am a fan of Lowell's work: The Factory, Little Feat, solo, with FZ, studio work...s'all good. This a wonderful album- loose, funky and a bit greasy. Dixie Chicken, Two Trains, The Factory-era Julliette and Fat Man. A loaded disc, no doubt.

I have a recording of Lowell and Linda in a Boston radio station performing a few tunes- the "Willin'" is stunning.
 
The live version of that on Waiting for Columbus is pretty nice too!

+1 on Waiting on Columbus. Probably on of the top 5 or 10 live albumns.:smile:

Thanks for the recommendation. I never owned that album. Might have to dig around and pick up the CD version.

...I have a recording of Lowell and Linda in a Boston radio station performing a few tunes- the "Willin'" is stunning.
I'll bet!!! Was it an over-the-air recording, or something commercially marketed?
 
It is just Lowell and Linda sitting in on a radio show- a little interviewing, a little singing. Lowell was one of a kind.
 
Check out this live version-

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO3ZMdcL8Pc&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
 
:thumbup: Great representation of the country/funk/soul delivery of the band and that song in particular! Sure miss the days (nights) of the Midnight Special.

Emmy Lou appears to be a mere child (I could say Babe! and be accurate) in this clip. Call me crazy, but looking at Bonnie Raitt then and now and she may have found that elusive fountain of youth!
 
Top Bottom