Waiting for Columbus
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
|name = Waiting for Columbus
|type = live
|artist = Little Feat
|cover = Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus.jpg
|alt =
|released = February 10, 1978
|recorded = August 1–4, 1977
Rainbow Theatre, London, UK
August 8–10, 1977
Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., US
|venue =
|genre =
|length = 78:14
|label = Warner Bros.
|producer = Lowell George
|prev_title = Time Loves a Hero
|prev_year = 1977
|next_title = Down on the Farm
|next_year = 1979
}}
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r11762/review}}
|rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music
|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=Omnibus Press|edition=5th|isbn=978-0857125958|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}
|rev3 = Pitchfork
|rev4 = Rolling Stone
|rev4score = (favorable){{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/littlefeat/albums/album/86980/review/5946135/waiting_for_columbus |title=Little Feat: Waiting for Columbus |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=2009-03-01 |accessdate=2012-03-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301164758/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/littlefeat/albums/album/86980/review/5946135/waiting_for_columbus |archivedate=March 1, 2009 }}
}}
Waiting for Columbus is the first live album by the band Little Feat, recorded during seven performances in 1977. The first four shows were held at the Rainbow Theatre in London on August 1–4, 1977. The final three shows were recorded the following week at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on August 8–10. Local Washington radio personality Don "Cerphe" Colwell can be heard leading the audience in a "F-E-A-T" spellout in between the first ("Join the Band") and second ("Fat Man in the Bathtub") tracks.
The band were backed by the Tower of Power horn section with whom they had recorded for their 1974 album Feats Don't Fail Me Now.{{Cite web|url=http://gregholt.co.uk/littlefeat.htm|title=Greg Holt: The Musical Nature of Rock - Little Feat}} The result was one of their biggest selling albums.
Many of their more well-known songs were either re-worked or extended. For instance, one of their signature songs, "Dixie Chicken", was heavily extended to include a lengthy piano solo by keyboardist Bill Payne, a Dixieland horn arrangement and finally a dual guitar jam between the band's two guitarists, Lowell George and Paul Barrère. In some cases, songs such as "Rocket in My Pocket" and "Mercenary Territory" were re-worked to include the horn section, and Little Feat additionally covered such tunes as Fraternity of Man's "Don't Bogart That Joint" and Allen Toussaint's "On Your Way Down" (which had also appeared on 1973's Dixie Chicken album). Former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor makes a guest appearance playing slide guitar on "A Apolitical Blues".
The band recorded and mixed enough material from these performances for a triple LP, but for marketing reasons kept it to a double album. Three of the unused tracks were included on their 1981 album Hoy-Hoy!. All were eventually released on the 2002 "Deluxe edition" CD.
It was voted number 804 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).{{cite book|title=All Time Top 1000 Albums|author=Colin Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2006|edition=3rd|isbn=0-7535-0493-6|page=251}}
The cover art, by Neon Park,{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/p/park_neon.htm|title = Neon Park}} depicts items from the Americas unknown to Europeans before Columbus: an anthropomorphic tomato on a hammock in front of a backdrop of American native foliage and cactus.
Track listing
=1978 double LP=
{{track listing
|headline = Side one
|title1 = Join the Band
|writer1 = Traditional
|length1 = 1:50
|title2 = Fat Man in the Bathtub
|writer2 = George
|length2 = 4:50
|title3 = All That You Dream
|writer3 = Barrère, Payne
|length3 = 4:25
|title4 = Oh Atlanta
|writer4 = Payne
|length4 = 4:09
|title5 = Old Folks' Boogie
|writer5 = Barrère, Gabriel Barrère
|length5 = 4:22
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Side two
|title6 = Time Loves a Hero
|writer6 = Barrère, Gradney, Payne
|length6 = 4:20
|title7 = Day or Night
|writer7 = Payne, Fran Tate
|length7 = 5:23
|title8 = Mercenary Territory
|writer8 = George, Hayward
|length8 = 4:27
|title9 = Spanish Moon
|writer9 = George
|length9 = 4:49
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Side three
|title10 = Dixie Chicken
|writer10 = George, Martin Kibbee
|length10 = 9:00
|title11 = Tripe Face Boogie
|writer11 = Hayward, Payne
|length11 = 7:02
|title12 = Rocket in My Pocket
|writer12 = George
|length12 = 3:42
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Side four
|title13 = Willin'
|writer13 = George
|length13 = 4:42
|title14 = Don't Bogart That Joint
|writer14 = E. Ingber, L. Wagner
|length14 = 0:57
|title15 = A Apolitical Blues
|writer15 = George
|length15 = 3:41
|title16 = Sailin' Shoes
|writer16 = George
|length16 = 6:18
|title17 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|writer17 = Barrère, George, Kibbee
|length17 = 5:17
|total_length = 78:14
}}
=Vinyl reissue LPs=
There have been two different half-speed mastered vinyl reissues on LP, both on the Mobile Fidelity label and containing the original full track list. The first reissue was released not long after the original Warner Brothers LP, was mastered by Stan Ricker, MFSL 2–013, and pressed by JVC in Japan and features a GOLD banner on the cover.{{Cite web|url=https://elusivedisc.com/little-feat-waiting-for-columbus-2lp/|title=Little Feat Waiting For Columbus 2LP|via=www.elusivedisc.com}} The other is a 2011 release on Warner Brothers Records. This version is MFSL 2–322. It was mastered by Shawn R. Britton and pressed on 180g vinyl by Record Technology Incorporated in Camarillo, CA. This version features a GREEN banner the cover.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Columbus-Live-Little-Feat/dp/B004712042/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3J2MGF46GASYI&keywords=Waiting+for+Columbus%3A+Live+Limited+Edition+LP&qid=1650387670&sprefix=waiting+for+columbus+live+limited+edition+lp%2Caps%2C122&sr=8-1|title=Waiting for Columbus: Live Limited Edition LP|via=www.amazon.com}}
In order to fit the double LP onto one CD, the tracks "Don't Bogart That Joint" and "A Apolitical Blues" were omitted from this release,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/655751-Little-Feat-Waiting-For-Columbus|title=Little Feat – Waiting For Columbus|website=Discogs|date=1988}} but included as additional tracks on the CD issue of The Last Record Album.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3294622-Little-Feat-The-Last-Record-Album|title=Little Feat – The Last Record Album|website=Discogs|date=25 April 1988}}
{{track listing
|headline = 1988 single CD
|title1 = Join the Band
|writer1 = Traditional
|length1 = 1:50
|title2 = Fat Man in the Bathtub
|writer2 = George
|length2 = 4:50
|title3 = All That You Dream
|writer3 = Barrère, Payne
|length3 = 4:25
|title4 = Oh Atlanta
|writer4 = Payne
|length4 = 4:09
|title5 = Old Folks' Boogie
|writer5 = Barrère, Gabriel Barrère
|length5 = 4:22
|title6 = Time Loves a Hero
|writer6 = Barrère, Gradney, Payne
|length6 = 4:20
|title7 = Day or Night
|writer7 = Payne, Fran Tate
|length7 = 5:23
|title8 = Mercenary Territory
|writer8 = George, Hayward
|length8 = 4:27
|title9 = Spanish Moon
|writer9 = George
|length9 = 4:49
|title10 = Dixie Chicken
|writer10 = George, Martin Kibbee
|length10 = 9:00
|title11 = Tripe Face Boogie
|writer11 = Hayward, Payne
|length11 = 7:02
|title12 = Rocket in My Pocket
|writer12 = George
|length12 = 3:42
|title13 = Willin'
|writer13 = George
|length13 = 4:42
|title14 = Sailin' Shoes
|writer14 = George
|length14 = 6:18
|title15 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|writer15 = Barrère, George, Kibbee
|length15 = 5:17
|total_length = 74:00
}}
=2002 "deluxe edition" double CD=
This release now contains all the songs that were performed at the series of shows recorded for this album.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1421023-Little-Feat-Waiting-For-Columbus|title=Little Feat – Waiting For Columbus|website=Discogs|date=15 April 2002}}
From the Rhino reissue liner notes (p. 23):
- Disc 1 (all) & Disc 2, Tracks 1–5: From the original release of Waiting for Columbus. [Note: For aesthetic reasons, the playing order of Sides 2 (tks 9–12) & 3 (tks 6–8) has been switched so that the band's main set (contained on Disc 1) now concludes with the long ovation that leads into the encore.]
- Disc 2 Tracks 6–10: Performances that were refurbished & mixed for the original album, but not used.
- Disc 2 Tracks 11–12: Selections that were apparently never considered for inclusion on either the original album or Hoy-Hoy!. They are newly mixed from the original multitrack tapes and do not contain any overdubs.
- Disc 2 Tracks 13–15: First issued on the album Hoy-Hoy!.
{{track listing
|headline = Disc one
|extra_column = Venue & date
|title1 = Join the Band
|extra1 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., August 10, 1977
|writer1 = Traditional
|length1 = 1:54
|title2 = Fat Man in the Bathtub
|extra2 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., August 8, 1977
|writer2 = George
|length2 = 4:53
|title3 = All That You Dream
|extra3 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., August 8, 1977
|writer3 = Barrère, Payne
|length3 = 4:29
|title4 = Oh Atlanta
|extra4 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., August 8, 1977
|writer4 = Payne
|length4 = 4:20
|title5 = Old Folks' Boogie
|extra5 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 4, 1977
|writer5 = Barrère, Gabriel Barrère
|length5 = 4:26
|title6 = Dixie Chicken
|extra6 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 3 & 4, 1977
|writer6 = George, Martin Kibbee
|length6 = 8:53
|title7 = Tripe Face Boogie
|extra7 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 2 & 3, 1977
|writer7 = Hayward, Payne
|length7 = 7:09
|title8 = Rocket in My Pocket
|extra8 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 2, 1977
|writer8 = George
|length8 = 3:57
|title9 = Time Loves a Hero
|extra9 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 4, 1977
|writer9 = Barrère, Gradney, Payne
|length9 = 4:19
|title10 = Day or Night
|extra10 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 4, 1977
|writer10 = Payne, F. Tate
|length10 = 5:30
|title11 = Mercenary Territory
|extra11 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, August 2, 1977
|writer11 = George, E. George, Hayward
|length11 = 4:36
|title12 = Spanish Moon
|extra12 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., August 8, 1977
|writer12 = George
|length12 = 5:36
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Disc two
|extra_column = Venue & date
|title13 = Willin'
|extra13 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C. 08/08/1977
|writer13 = George
|length13 = 4:42
|title14 = Don't Bogart That Joint
|extra14 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 08/08/1977
|writer14 = E. Ingber, L. Wagner
|length14 = 1:01
|title15 = A Apolitical Blues
|extra15 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, 03/08/1977
|writer15 = George
|length15 = 3:51
|title16 = Sailin' Shoes
|extra16 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 10/08/1977
|writer16 = George
|length16 = 6:23
|title17 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|extra17 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 09/08/1977
|writer17 = Barrère, George, Kibbee
|length17 = 5:35
|title18 = One Love Stand
|extra18 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 09/08/1977
|writer18 = Barrère, Gradney, Payne
|length18 = 4:27
|title19 = Rock and Roll Doctor
|extra19 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 09/08/1977
|writer19 = George, Kibbee
|length19 = 4:17
|title20 = Skin It Back
|extra20 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, 02/08/1977
|writer20 = Barrère
|length20 = 5:40
|title21 = On Your Way Down
|extra21 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 10/08/1977
|writer21 = Allen Toussaint
|length21 = 6:25
|title22 = Walkin' All Night
|extra22 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 08/08/1977
|writer22 = Barrère, Payne
|length22 = 4:12
|title23 = Cold, Cold, Cold
|extra23 = The Rainbow Theatre, London England, 04/08/1977
|writer23 = George
|length23 = 5:18
|title24 = Day at the Dog Races
|extra24 = Lisner Auditorium Washington D.C. 09/08/1977
|writer24 = Barrère, Clayton, Gradney, Hayward, Payne
|length24 = 12:12
|title25 = Skin It Back
|extra25 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 08/08/1977
|writer25 = Barrère
|length25 = 4:40
|title26 = Red Streamliner
|extra26 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 08/08/1977
|writer26 = Payne, F. Tate
|length26 = 4:59
|title27 = Teenage Nervous Breakdown
|extra27 = Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C., 09/08/1977
|writer27 = George
|length27 = 4:12
|total_length = 2:17:56
}}
= 2022 "Super Deluxe Edition" eight CD box set =
On 29 July 2022, Rhino released an eight disc "Super Deluxe Edition" of Waiting for Columbus. It contained the two shows used for the original 1977 album in their entirety, plus a previously unreleased live show recorded at Manchester City Hall.{{Cite web|url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/little-feat-waiting-for-columbus-super-deluxe-edition/|last=Sinclair|first=Paul|date=4 June 2022|title=Little Feat/Waiting For Columbus Super Deluxe Edition|website=Super Deluxe Edition}}
{{track listing
|headline = Original Album Remastered, Disc 1
|title1 = Join the Band
|writer1 = Traditional
|length1 = 1:55
|title2 = Fat Man in the Bathtub
|writer2 = George
|length2 = 4:54
|title3 = All That You Dream
|writer3 = Barrère, Payne
|length3 = 4:29
|title4 = Oh Atlanta
|writer4 = Payne
|length4 = 4:15
|title5 = Old Folks' Boogie
|writer5 = Barrère, Gabriel Barrère
|length5 = 4:32
|title6 = Time Loves a Hero
|writer6 = Barrère, Gradney, Payne
|length6 = 4:20
|title7 = Day or Night
|writer7 = Payne, Fran Tate
|length7 = 5:30
|title8 = Mercenary Territory
|writer8 = George, Hayward
|length8 = 4:38
|title9 = Spanish Moon
|writer9 = George
|length9 = 5:04
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Original Album Remastered, Disc 2
|title10 = Dixie Chicken
|writer10 = George, Martin Kibbee
|length10 = 9:02
|title11 = Tripe Face Boogie
|writer11 = Hayward, Payne
|length11 = 7:10
|title12 = Rocket in My Pocket
|writer12 = George
|length12 = 4:11
|title13 = Willin'
|writer13 = George
|length13 = 3:50
|title14 = Don't Bogart That Joint
|writer14 = E. Ingber, L. Wagner
|length14 = 1:02
|title15 = A Apolitical Blues
|writer15 = George
|length15 = 3:50
|title16 = Sailin' Shoes
|writer16 = George
|length16 = 6:26
|title17 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|writer17 = Barrère, George, Kibbee
|length17 = 5:35
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 3, Live At Manchester City Hall, Manchester, U.K. July 29, 1977
|title1 = Walkin' All Night
|length1 = 4:50
|title2 = Skin It Back
|length2 = 5:15
|title3 = Fat Man In The Bathtub
|length3 = 5:26
|title4 = Red Streamliner
|length4 = 5:38
|title5 = Oh Atlanta
|length5 = 4:16
|title6 = Day At The Dog Races
|length6 = 9:56
|title7 = All That You Dream
|length7 = 4:59
|title8 = On Your Way Down
|length8 = 7:20
|title9 = Time Loves A Hero
|length9 = 4:26
|title10 = Day Or Night
|length10 = 7:51
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 4, Live At Manchester City Hall, Manchester, U.K. July 29, 1977
|title1 = Rock And Roll Doctor
|length1 = 4:10
|title2 = Old Folks Boogie
|length2 = 4:31
|title3 = Dixie Chicken
|length3 = 12:49
|title4 = Tripe Face Boogie
|length4 = 8:13
|title5 = Medley: Willin' / Don't Bogart That Joint
|length5 = 5:34
|title6 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|length6 = 6:39
|title7 = Rocket In My Pocket
|length7 = 4:33
|title8 = Sailin' Shoes
|length8 = 5:19
|title9 = Teenage Nervous Breakdown
|length9 = 3:51
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 5, Live At The Rainbow, London, U.K. August 2, 1977
|title1 = Walkin' All Night
|length1 = 5:02
|title2 = Fat Man In The Bathtub
|length2 = 5:04
|title3 = Red Streamliner
|length3 = 5:35
|title4 = Oh Atlanta
|length4 = 4:23
|title5 = Day At The Dog Races
|length5 = 12:51
|title6 = All That You Dream
|length6 = 5:36
|title7 = Mercenary Territory
|length7 = 4:36
|title8 = On Your Way Down
|length8 = 7:18
|title9 = Skin It Back
|length9 = 5:36
|title10 = Old Folks Boogie
|length10 = 4:41
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 6, Live At The Rainbow, London, U.K. August 2, 1977
|title1 = Rock And Roll Doctor
|length1 = 4:21
|title2 = Cold Cold Cold
|length2 = 5:11
|title3 = Dixie Chicken
|length3 = 11:47
|title4 = Tripe Face Boogie
|length4 = 6:35
|title5 = Medley: Willin' / Don't Bogart That Joint
|length5 = 5:47
|title6 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|length6 = 7:12
|title7 = Rocket In My Pocket
|length7 = 3:49
|title8 = Spanish Moon
|length8 = 6:00
|title9 = A Apolitical Blues
|length9 = 5:05
|title10 = Teenage Nervous Breakdown
|length10 = 4:20
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 7, Live At Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C., August 10, 1977
|title1 = Walkin' All Night
|length1 = 5:10
|title2 = Red Streamliner
|length2 = 5:38
|title3 = Fat Man In The Bathtub
|length3 = 5:06
|title4 = Day At The Dog Races
|length4 = 11:04
|title5 = All That You Dream
|length5 = 5:21
|title6 = On Your Way Down
|length6 = 6:41
|title7 = Time Loves A Hero
|length7 = 4:23
|title8 = Day Or Night
|length8 = 7:23
|title9 = Skin It Back
|length9 = 5:52
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Disc 8, Live At Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C., August 10, 1977
|title1 = Oh Atlanta
|length1 = 4:45
|title2 = Old Folks Boogie
|length2 = 4:05
|title3 = Dixie Chicken
|length3 = 14:04
|title4 = Tripe Face Boogie
|length4 = 7:43
|title5 = Feats Don't Fail Me Now
|length5 = 6:58
|title6 = Rocket In My Pocket
|length6 = 4:39
|title7 = Sailin' Shoes
|length7 = 6:21
|title8 = Teenage Nervous Breakdown
|length8 = 3:19
}}
Personnel
=Little Feat=
- Paul Barrère – guitar, vocals
- Sam Clayton – congas, vocals
- Lowell George – lead vocals, guitar
- Kenny Gradney – bass guitar
- Richard Hayward – drums, vocals
- Bill Payne – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
=Guest musicians=
- Mick Taylor – lead and slide guitar ("A Apolitical Blues")
- Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons – backing vocals ("Red Streamliner")
=[[Tower of Power]] horn section=
- Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone
- Greg Adams – trumpet
- Lenny Pickett – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and clarinet ("Dixie Chicken")
- Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone
- Mic Gillette – trombone, trumpet
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ 1978 chart performance for Waiting for Columbus !Chart (1978) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=178}}
| style="text-align:center;"|27 |
|---|
| {{album chart|Netherlands|29|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|11|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Norway|18|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|18|artist=Little Feat|rowheader=true|access-date=January 6, 2022}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2022 chart performance for Waiting for Columbus ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Flanders|170|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|51|id=31729|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 5, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|55|artist=Little Feat|album=Waiting for Columbus|rowheader=true|access-date=August 7, 2022}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Waiting for Columbus|artist=Little Feat|type=album|relyear=1978|region=United States|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}
Tributes
- On 31 October 2010, American rock band Phish covered Waiting for Columbus in its entirety as their "musical costume" for their Halloween show at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
- On 31 December 2011, Little Feat along with former member Craig Fuller performed the entire set on Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{youTube|zp8LthLjcNA|All That You Dream (Live)}} - provided by Warner Music Group
- {{youTube|jqs7Vk7SRq4|Dixie Chicken (Live)}} - provided by Warner Music Group
{{Little Feat}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Little Feat live albums
Category:Warner Records live albums