Of all the great songs on Little Feat's 1972 masterpiece, Sailin' Shoes, the one that keeps coming to the front (for me) is Bill Payne's "Got No Shadow". There are several reasons for this. For one thing, the song requires many hearings before it can be truly appreciated. The melody is elaborate and beautiful (the opening two words - "Take yourself" - require an astonishing ten seconds for the melodic material they contain to unfold); the band plays with the kind of freedom that can only arrive after much disciplined effort (their rhythmic interplay deserves its own listen); the recently deceased Richie Hayward's drumming can only be described as wonderful; and Lowell George's singing and slide guitar playing are at their glittering best. Also, the song seems to point the way that this unique group was going to be heading for the next thirty-eight years: creating American music that is both deeply rooted and entirely original. Here's hoping for many more.