# "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577 "2006-07-08T00:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/1 "2006-07-08T00:04:07Z")
Occassionally I listen to oldies radio. Lately, I’ve been catching this song with the refrain “the sound that you’re hearing is only the low spark of high-heeled boys” in amongst meandering lyrics and riffs. WTF? 😕 Can someone explain this cryptic bit to me? Don MacLean’s _American Pie_ makes more sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/2 "2006-07-08T00:09:58Z")
I’ve seen the following explanation from Traffic drummer Jim Capaldi at a bunch of different music sites > [@](#): > > 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. Tells you where the title/chorus comes from, but it doesn’t literally answer your question because the song is very open to interpretation. I always thought there was something about the music industry going on (the “man in the suit”) stuff. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/3 "2006-07-08T00:14:49Z")
One of my favorite songs! It’s about the degradations and stupidity of the rock and roll business, though I’m only guessing that the “high-heeled boys” are the rock stars themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/4 "2006-07-08T02:20:36Z")
Traffic may be old, but it’s not oldies. Harumph. I am not old, I am not old. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/5 "2006-07-08T02:27:45Z")
It’s sad that this is the only Traffic song you hear on the radio. Not that it isn’t great, but Traffic was one of the greatest goups of their time. Low Spark is just the tip of their talent (and I can’t figure out why they play a 12-minute song instead of the group’s shorter works). They had two first-class songwriters in Steve Winwood and Dave Mason, put out at least four albums that deserve to be in the top 100 of all time, but are pretty much unknown to anyone nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/6 "2006-07-08T02:39:41Z")
John Barleycorn must die, doncha think? ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/7 "2006-07-08T02:57:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s sad that this is the only Traffic song you hear on the radio. Not that it isn’t great, but Traffic was one of the greatest goups of their time. Low Spark is just the tip of their talent (and I can’t figure out why they play a 12-minute song instead of the group’s shorter works). They had two first-class songwriters in Steve Winwood and Dave Mason, put out at least four albums that deserve to be in the top 100 of all time, but are pretty much unknown to anyone nowadays. Couldn’t agree more! **RealityChuck** What’s your top ten Traffic songs? ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/8 "2006-07-08T04:06:09Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Couldn’t agree more! > > **RealityChuck** What’s your top ten Traffic songs? I’m not **RealityChuck** , but here are mine: 1. Pearly Queen 2. Many A Mile To Freedom 3. Cryin’ to be Heard 4. 40,000 Headmen 5. Vagabond Virgin 6. John Barleycorn Must Die 7. Rainmaker 8. You Can All Join In 9. Freedom Rider 10. Dear Mr. Fantasy The first album is the best, IMHO. There isn’t a bad song on it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/9 "2006-07-08T04:15:25Z")
Nobody ever mentions the wonderful “Dream Gerrard” and nobody ever plays it, either. Must be the [lyrics](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/steve+winwood/dream+gerrard_20131325.html). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/10 "2006-07-08T04:39:23Z")
Ooh, I wanna play, too. 1. Low Spark of High Heeled Boys 2. Rainmaker 3. Forty Thousand Headmen 4. Shanghai Noodle Factory 5. Medicated Goo 6. Pearly Queen 7. Dealer 8. Dear Mr. Fantasy 9. John Barleycorn 10. Freedom Rider ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/11 "2006-07-08T05:34:31Z")
Me, too! Me, too! (except I couldn’t get it down to just ten) In no particular order: Sad and Deep As You (&) Forty Thousand Headmen (from _Welcome to the Canteen_) Feelin’ Alright Pearly Queen Empty Pages Rock ‘N’ Roll Stew The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys Glad / Freedom Rider (live version from _On The Road_) Dealer Hidden Treasure Love Nowhere Is Their Freedom Rainmaker When The Eagle Flies (and for Exapno Mapcase) Dream Gerrard And honorable mentions go to “Why Can’t We Live Together” and “Silvia (Who Is She?)” from Steve Winwood’s _About Time_. (Even if you haven’t liked his other solo work, you should check these out.) (For video, the only (DVD) choice is The Last Great Traffic Jam, which I also recommend highly.) Regarding the OP, I’ve always gone on the assumption that the lyrics were meaningful only to the writer (if even then). For me, they mean about as much as the lyrics to “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/12 "2006-07-08T17:01:11Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Couldn’t agree more! > > **RealityChuck** What’s your top ten Traffic songs? 1. Low Spark of High Heeled Boys 2. Glad/Freedom Rider 3. Dear Mr. Fantasy 4. Feelin’ Alright? 5. Heaven is in Your Mind 6. Stranger to Himself 7. 40,000 Headmen 8. Paper Sun 9. John Barleycorn 10. You Can All Join In Honorable mention: Shootout at the Fantasy Factory; Hole in My Shoe; Light Up and Leave Me Alone; Gimme Some Lovin’ (live version); No Face, No Name, No Number; Pearly Queen; and Medicated Goo. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/13 "2006-07-08T18:33:55Z")
So, getting back to “Low Spark” for a moment… What is the instrument featured in the long instrumental passage in the second half of the song? I’ve never exactly been able to pin it down, but it almost sounds like a saxophone run through some kind of effects box. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/14 "2006-07-08T18:46:10Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > So, getting back to “Low Spark” for a moment… > What is the instrument featured in the long instrumental passage in the second half of the song? I’ve never exactly been able to pin it down, but it almost sounds like a saxophone run through some kind of effects box. I can’t answer your question but just wanted to comment on how appropriate your name is for this thread. Lost yer spark, did ya? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/15 "2006-07-08T19:34:00Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > What is the instrument featured in the long instrumental passage in the second half of the song? I’ve never exactly been able to pin it down, but it almost sounds like a saxophone run through some kind of effects box. It’s an organ played through a fuzzbox. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/16 "2012-03-06T08:06:47Z")
I just browsed this webpage “Pearly Kings and Queens”, the likely source for Traffic’s “Pearly Queen”: [Pearly Kings and Queens - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearly_Kings_and_Queens) ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/17 "2012-03-06T14:05:30Z")
It may not be Traffic as such, but I’ve played [this lp](http://www.brumbeat.net/revgord.htm) quite a lot since I got it a couple of years ago. Good fun! ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/18 "2012-03-06T14:26:55Z")
I know this is a zombie thread, but… > [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s sad that this is the only Traffic song you hear on the radio. We must be listening to different radio stations, because the only Traffic song I hear on the radio is “Feelin’ Alright”. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/19 "2012-03-06T14:30:52Z")
Oddly enough, the last Traffic song I’ve heard on the radio is “Paper Sun”. But that’s cause it was played at the end of a block of Traffic. I hadn’t bought any Traffic up until that point, but I did purchase that one when I heard it. I even waited until the end of the block to make sure it wasn’t a different artist since it seemed so out of place. (Which isn’t to say I dislike the band, I wouldn’t turn off any song I heard from them on the radio.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577/20 "2012-03-06T14:41:29Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I know this is a zombie thread, but… > We must be listening to different radio stations, because the only Traffic song I hear on the radio is “Feelin’ Alright”. In five years, things change. 🙂 Doesn’t the radio go to Joe Cocker for “Feelin’ Alright?”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-low-spark-of-high-heeled-boys/363577.md?page=2)