I’m really big on his music and his sociological views.
A little backround on him for those unfamiliar:
He was a a rock guitarist/serious composer/satirist/socialogist. The man understood music so well that he could parody any style he chose with unsurpassed ability. His styles range from complex progressive rock, to parodies of cliche’d genres (the unbelievable bands he put together could swap back and fourth between full on jazz, to poppy parody rock, to complex serious compositions in a heartbeat)
He also used music to spread his world views and for people to take note of the many lies politicians produced in public press. He was all around an exceptional human being who really wanted to change the world and make some interesting music at the same time.
Anways, I thought I’d open up a thread for discussion.
Hey there, people, I’m Bobby Brown
They say I’m the cutest boy in town
My car is fast, my teeth is shiney
I tell all the girls they can kiss my heinie
Here I am at a famous school
I’m dressin’ sharp’n’ I’m acting cool
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper
Let her do all the work’n’ maybe later I’ll rape her
Oh God I am the American dream
I do not think I’m too extreme
An’ I’m a handsome sonofa bitch
I’m gonna get a good job’n’ be real rich
Women’s liberation
Came creepin’ all across the nation
I tell you people, I was not ready
When I fucked that dyke by the name of Freddie
Love that guy. Everything. I acquire every piece of FZ I can get my hands on.
From Joe’s Garage: John’s got a sausage
Yeh man
John’s got a sausage
Yeh man
John’s got a sausage
that’ll make you fart.
John’s got a sausage
that’ll break your heart.
Make you fart
And break your heart
Don’t bend over if you are smart.
He took a little walk
to the weenie stand.
John’s got a sausage
Yeh man
In fact, after reading this, I think I’ll bust out The Yellow Shark tonight.
A good example of his genius is Joe’s Garage. He’s got these clever lyrics,
“It wasn’t very large
There was just enough room to cram the drums
In the corner over by the Dodge
It was a fifty-four
With a mashed up door
And a cheesy little amp
With a sign on the front said “Fender Champ”
And a second hand guitar
It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar”
Its this cheesey progression that sounds like every other song. He’s got these clever lyrics that are the story of every band that didn’t make it. Then he throws a solo right before “all we did was bend the string like ‘dooo dooo doo errrrn duunn’”.
Later in the song he has a musician play the same solo on a saxaphone but since you can’t bend a note on a sax its just one note.
The song itself is simple as hell, but the fact that he knows this and the context of the song makes it hilarious and genius at the same time.
[quote]SinisterMinister wrote:
Hey there, people, I’m Bobby Brown
They say I’m the cutest boy in town
My car is fast, my teeth is shiney
I tell all the girls they can kiss my heinie
Here I am at a famous school
I’m dressin’ sharp’n’ I’m acting cool
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper
Let her do all the work’n’ maybe later I’ll rape her
Oh God I am the American dream
I do not think I’m too extreme
An’ I’m a handsome sonofa bitch
I’m gonna get a good job’n’ be real rich
Women’s liberation
Came creepin’ all across the nation
I tell you people, I was not ready
When I fucked that dyke by the name of Freddie[/quote]
Love a lot of Frank’s stuff, but this is one of my favorites, off of a great album.
Many people can’t get past the lyrics, so they never realize what a brilliant musician he was. Absolutely wailing guitar, with a sound all his own.
Agreed that while the lyrics were exceptional for the songs, the genius is in the music. For those that only know his ‘popular’ works like Apostrophe, Joe’s Garage, etc., give his orchestral compositions a listen.
The Mothers and his backing studio/touring bands were also breeding grounds for other great musicians: Asley Dunbar, Steve Vai, Mike Keneally, Adrian Belew, Vinnie Colauta (Think “Catholic Girls”-- ‘Viiinnieee Coollllauuutaaa!’), etc.
For all of Steve Vai’s technical prowess, if you listen to his compositions and phrasing, it smacks of Zappa, just on steroids.
"And Dagmar
Without a doubt, the ugliest sonofabitch I ever saw in my life
Was his name…
One Two Three Four!
The whiskers sticking out from underneath of his
Pancake make-up
And yet he was a beautiful lady
Nearly drove you insane
Let’s talk about Leather: LEATHERRRRRR
And so you kissed a little sailor
�?�??�?¥�?µ Abel, starring in the latest Shepperton Production:
Who had just blew in from Spain
“Sir Richard Pump-A-Loaf”
You sniffed the reeking buns of Angel
The story of a demented bread-boffer
And acted like it was cocaine
Cucumber pud annexed to a fine whole-wheat loaf
You were dazzled by the exciting new costume of Ko-Ko
Then on Tuesday night,
Ceasar’s back in town
In a way you can’t explain
Facing off in a no-holds-barred tag team grudge match With Kona… .
And so you worked the wall with Michael
Three-hundred-seventy-nine pounds of Samoan dynamite
Which gave your back an awful strain
Volcanic Hell
But you came back on Sunday for the gong show
Next Thursday, teen town’s finest
But you forgot what I was sayin’
'Cause you’re an asshole,
You’re an asshole
That’s right
You’re an asshole, you’re an asshole
Yes, yes
You’re an asshole, you’re an asshole
That’s right
You’re an asshole, you’re an asshole
Now you been to The Grape ‘n’ you been to
The Chest ‘N’ now I think you know what you are: you’re an asshole
You say you can’t live with what you’ve been through
Well, ladies you can be an asshole too
You might pretend you ain’t got one on the bottom of you
But don’t fool yerself girl
It’s lookin’ at you
Don’t fool yerself girl
It’s winkin’at you
Don’t fool yerself girl
It’s blinkin’ at you
That’s why I say
I’m gonna ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Corn hole
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Fist fuck
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Wrist-watch: Crisco
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Pud!
Don’t fool yerself, girl,
It’s goin’ right up yer poop chute
Don’t fool yerself, girl,
It’s goin’ right up yer poop chute
(etc., repeats)
Aw, I knew you’d be surprised"
[quote]IronAbrams wrote:
He was awesome enough to get mentioned in ‘Smoke on the Water’ :D.
What are some good albums to get started on some Zappa?[/quote]
Not sure what a good ‘starter’ would be for him, but I started on a friend’s copy of Burnt Weeny Sandwich and then bought Hot Rats. They got me hooked and are still two of my favorite albums by him.
[quote]swivel wrote:
killer version of montana…really just unbelievable how good this ensemble was…
clip of steve vai talking about auditioning for frank:
“play it in 7/8…reggae!!”
[/quote]
Haha, that’s a cool clip with Vai. A few years ago I was in Lake Tahoe at a mini-golf park. Satch and Vai were there with their wives and kids and ended up being the group directly behind me. I was pretty starstruck, never even said anything to them. Vai’s wife is a SMOKING blonde. Satch’s…not so much. Steve may have the biggest hands I’ve ever seen.
