Liking a song more when you hear its history. I’m more than anti this idea, but having heard a heart-aching song this morning on my travels, and then hearing its even more heart-rending story makes me want to at least discuss the subject. Its the reason why I particularly dislike Imagine – not just its sappiness but that Lennon’s death has invested it with some odd poignancy. This appears nonsensical to me, yet perhaps I am disliking what is a rather blandly inoffensive piece of pap more than it deserves due to the reverence in which it is held.
Anyway, the tune was Lowell George’s “2 Million Things” – off of his only proper solo album “Thanks I’ll Eat It Here” (but don’t buy it from Amazon – you can get it in the HMV sale for a fiver). Now my knowledge of Little Feat and indeed their music is pretty darn minmal, yet this seemed like an oddly bitter sweet paean about not having enough time to do all the things he wanted to do. I rather liked the sentiment, and the country tinged melancholy was still resolutely upbeat. The general idea I got was positive, you can’t get everything done, but its the trying that matters. However, the story behind the tune makes it more poignant. Lowell George dies realtively soon after it was recorded, and “2 Million Things” was the last session from that album. So – the story goes – it was the last tune he ever recorded.
It is a fabulous record, but – this demon on my shoulder asks – would I have even made a note about it if it was not for its history. Sadly, probably not. So maybe “Imagine” goes up in my estimation. Hating is so hard anyway.