Little Feat (1974) The Fan - LOST 70s GEMS

Little Feat were reaching their stride in the early 70s, after the heavy horn funk of 1973's Dixie Chicken and 1974's Feat Don't Fail Me Now with it's more Jazzy funk workouts. They always balanced soft balladry, southern fried rock n roll and atmospheric electric piano and funk breakdowns. A band that could be wacky and cool but also real and emotional were working at their height on this record with Rock and Roll Doctor's melodic rock balladry and The Fan.


The Fan is a superb little rock track starting with a Yes like symphonic organ before launching into a more Bachian rock riff. The two part vocal harmonies are smooth and slide along nicely with this track before another dark ominous patch where featuring Eastern Bluesy guitar licks whirring off in operatic string bends and legatos. A Oberheimer synth cuts in a dizzying array of sustain, phased panning and oscillating notes. Though this musical delight underscores some horrifying lyrics telling a crude tale of a cheerleader's fall from grace into drugs, heartache and scandal.