Lightning-Rod Man

Album: Lightning-Rod Man (1993)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Lightning-Rod Man" was an early effort by Lowell George, who recorded the song with his pre-Little Feat band, The Factory. George wrote the song with his friend Martin Kibbee and also played guitar and sang on it. Actually, "sang" is giving him too much credit - George really just screeched out the vocals like a lunatic. The song is either avant-garde or a musical dumpster fire, depending on your perspective. You'd never guess it's the same guy who led Little Feat, one of the most musically adept and thoroughly respected groups of the '70s. The drummer on "Lightning-Rod Man," Richie Hayward, also joined Little Feat. Martin Kibbee continued writing songs with George, some of which ended up with Little Feat, including one of their most famous songs, "Dixie Chicken."
  • The song was inspired by an 1854 Herman Melville story called The Lightning-rod Man about a guy who sells lightning rods during a thunder storm. It's one of Melville's lesser-known works - you'll know him for Moby Dick.
  • "Lightning-Rod Man" was recorded in 1966 or thereabouts, but it wasn't released until 1993 when it appeared on a compilation called Lightning-Rod Man that includes lots of early material from Lowell George. In 2000 it showed up on the Little Feat boxed set Hotcakes & Outtakes.
  • You won't be surprised to learn that Frank Zappa had a hand in this song - he produced it. In 1966 Lowell George auditioned for Zappa, who was impressed enough to produce the song for George's band The Factory. Three years later, George joined Zappa's backing band, the Mothers Of Invention. That wasn't a good fit, and George left the group a short time later to form Little Feat, where he emulated Zappa's authoritative style of leadership.
  • Lowell George called this song "a cross between 'They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-haaa' and Ian and Sylvia."

    "They're Coming To Take Me Away" was a novelty song from 1966 about a guy who loses his mind. Ian and Sylvia were a Canadian folk duo.

Comments: 1

  • Mr. Smartypants from ConnecticutWow you are waaaaaay off. He walks in the STORM (hence lightning. Get it?) He carries his old brass POLE ( as in LIGHTNING ROD)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.