The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (song)
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"The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" is a song by the band Traffic from their 1971 album of the same name, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. The song is reminiscent of a relaxed mellow jazz jam, beginning with a gradual fade-in and ending with a slow fade-out, thus evoking the feeling that it is part of something much longer. At about 11 minutes and 35 seconds, it is the longest song on the album.
The title refers to an inscription written by actor Michael J. Pollard in band member Jim Capaldi's book while they were both in Morocco. Capaldi and Pollard were planning to work on a movie that was never filmed. Capaldi said:
- Pollard and I would sit around writing lyrics all day, talking about Bob Dylan and the Band, thinking up ridiculous plots for the movie. Before I left Morocco, Pollard wrote in my book 'The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.' For me, it summed him up. He had this tremendous rebel attitude. He walked around in his cowboy boots, his leather jacket. At the time he was a heavy little dude. It seemed to sum up all the people of that generation who were just rebels. The 'Low Spark,' for me, was the spirit, high-spirited. You know, standing on a street corner. The low rider. The 'Low Spark' meaning that strong undercurrent at the street level.
"The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" was written by Jim Capaldi and Steve Winwood. In addition to being performed solo by Capaldi and Winwood after the breakup of Traffic, the song has been covered by Rickie Lee Jones,Widespread Panic, and Phish, among others.
Musically, it is innovative for its sparse arrangement and slow deliberate pace alternating with a double-time densely layered pop chorus. It is also notable for being possibly the only top selling record to ever use a fuzzbox (electronic distortion device) on a saxophone. The extended solos over the slower progression have received wide praise.
