Lowell George’s career was cut short by his death at the age of 34. George, who made his name as a member of Little Feat, was embarking on a solo career right before he passed away. The beautiful lament “20 Million Things” gives ample evidence of what this career might have entailed.
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The song displayed George’s knack for a heartfelt ballad. It also showed the ability to bring such a song home with a tender vocal. “20 Million Things” still shines with a lonely light, decades after its 1979 release.
George’s Solo Shot
Lowell George was a mercurial character who always seemed to gain more approval and admiration from his peers than from any commercial acclaim. Little Feat could never decide what they wanted to be from one album to the next, as different members jockeyed for control.
Even though he was the chief songwriter and songwriter, as well as lead guitarist, George felt he was losing control of the band’s direction. He imagined a career full of songs where the singer’s interpretation was in the spotlight instead of the instrumental interplay and rhythmic ingenuity for which Little Feat was known.
In between endless shows with Little Feat over several years, George laid down solo tracks with this preferred vibe. Eventually, he compiled enough for an album, Thanks I’ll Eat It Here, released in 1979. He left Little Feat and headed out on a tour to support the record.
Just two weeks after this tour began, George collapsed and died of a heart attack brought about by a heroin overdose. As a result, his belated debut became his swan song. The album served as a reminder of what an immense talent had been lost. And “20 Million Things” stands as the album’s showstopping high point.
Exploring the Lyrics of “20 Million Things”
George wrote “20 Million Things” with his stepson, Jed Levy. His soulful vocals adorn a tale of a guy who is overcome with tasks and duties. His chances of cutting into that to-do list are constantly thwarted by the time he spends pining for the one he loves the most.
He begins the song with a testament to his handiness: “If it’s fix a fence, fender dents/I’ve got lots of experience.” But that doesn’t help him follow through with his plans. “All the letters never written, that don’t get sent,” he mentions, a somewhat comical admission. (How could they be delivered if they weren’t penned in the first place?)
George then turns on a dime and gets vulnerable and confessional: “It comes from confusion, all things I left undone,” he says. “It comes from moment to moment, day to day/The time seems to slip away.” These are relatable concerns that anyone watching life speed past can appreciate.
In the second verse, he once again offers clever wordplay to explain his idleness. “I’ve got mysterious wisteria hanging in the air,” George shrugs. “The rocking chair I was supposed to fix/Well it came undid.”
The refrain explains the reason he just can’t finish what he’s started. “All I can do is think about you,” he laments. “With twenty million/Twenty million things to do.” Lowell George’s career endured its share of tribulations. Songs like “20 Million Things” suggest the musical triumphs he achieved more than compensated, at least from his fans’ perspective.
Photo by Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images
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