Willin' (Little Feat Song)

"Willin'" is a song written by American musician Lowell George, and first recorded with his group Little Feat on their 1971 debut album. The song has since been performed by a variety of artists.

Background

George wrote the song while he was a member of the Mothers of Invention. When George sang an early version of the song for bandleader Frank Zappa, Zappa suggested that the guitarist form his own band rather than continue under Zappa's tutelage. He did just that, and the song was subsequently recorded by Lowell's band Little Feat. The song was included on Little Feat's 1971 self-titled debut album. The band re-recorded the song at a slower tempo to much greater success on their 1972 '' Sailin' Shoes'' album. A live version recorded in 1977 appears on their 1978 album '' Waiting for Columbus''.

The lyrics are from the point of view of a truck driver who has driven "from Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Tonopah" and "smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico"; the song has become a trucker anthem.

Personnel

Source:
* Lowell George – lead, rhythm and slide guitars, lead and backing vocals
* Bill Payne – keyboards, backing vocals, piano
* Roy Estrada – bass, backing vocals
* Richard Hayward – drums, backing vocals

Additional
* Russ Titelman – percussion, backing vocals
* Ry Cooder – bottleneck guitar

Covers

Seatrain covered the song (titled "I'm Willin') on their eponymous 1970 album. Johnny Darrell also covered it (titled "Willing") on his 1970 album, ''California Stop-Over''.

The song was covered by Linda Ronstadt on her 1974 '' Heart Like a Wheel'' album. This version was featured prominently early in James Cameron's 1989 movie ''The Abyss'', with multiple characters singing along as a submarine tows an underwater oil rig. Later in the film, another character destroys a radio that is playing the song.

The Byrds recorded the song during the sessions for their 1970 album ''(Untitled)'' and performed the song live throughout that same year. The studio version was included as a bonus track on the reissue of ''(Untitled)'' and a live version is featured on ''The Byrds'' box set. Gene Parsons, who sang the song as a member of the Byrds, recorded his own version on his 1973 solo album ''Kindling''.

Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen covered the song on their 1975 album ''Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.''

Phish covered the song live on Halloween in 2010 as part of their whole-album cover of '' Waiting for Columbus''.

Steve Earle covered the song on his compilation album ''Sidetracks'', released in 2002.

Bob Dylan has performed the song live.

Phil Pritchett covered this song as a duet with Cody Canada on his 2002 album ''Tougher Than the Rest''. Jackson Browne covered this song with the band Lucius

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