Dance Contest
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Ike willis (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Ray white (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Steve vai (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Warren cucurullo (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Denny walley (slide guitar, vocals)
Tommy mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter wolf (keyboards)
Bob harris (keyboards, trumpet, vocals)
Ed mann (percussion)
Arthur barrow (bass, vocals)
Vinnie colaiuta (drums)
Fz:
"one of, one of the things that I like best about playing in new york is this particular place, because it has - it has a stage that is conducive to, how you say in the trade, audience part
Tion. now if there's one thing that I really like, it's, uh, audience participation. now listen... I gotta figure out something that I can, uh - do you think we should have another dance contest
Ght? oh, hey - the injured person dance contest. ah, well, let's see...awright, I'll tell you what we're going to do. here's a, here's a guy who really wants to be in the dance contest aw-reety,
Ighty, hey. okay..."
Butch:
"you are great, man - you are great. you are the best, baby. do 'dinah-moe humm.'"
Fz:
"all right, now wait a minute - what's your name? hey, hey - what's your name? "
Butch:
"butch."
Fz:
"awright, the dynamic butch. here's, here's a girl that wants to dance with butch. what's your name? "
Lena:
"lena."
Fz:
"what? "
Lena:
"lena."
Fz:
"lena, meet butch. okay, lena and butch, couple number one. heh heh. okay, let's see - that guy there, with his...that - that one there with the teeshirt on - no, no, the other one - this o
No, no - no no no, wait a minute, wait... well, you're - actually, you're very nice, though. would you like to come up here? ...okay, but d'you think you can behave yourself? you, you're sure yo
Behave yourself? ...okay, what's your name? "
Guy:
"tom, man. (mumble, mumble) you, baby, I (mumble, mumble)(gurgle) you (mumble, mmf, etc.)."
Guy:
"arrgh, mmmf, glurg, etc."
Fz:
"awright, now wait a minute. awright, awright, now wait..."
Guy:
"(mumble, mmf.) ugliness! ugliness!"
Other guy:
"frank, you're my buddy! arrgh, mmf."
Fz:
"awright, wait a minute, wait a minute. I have an important message to deliver to all the cute people all over the world. if you're out there and you're cute, maybe you're beautiful, I just
To tell you somethin' - there's more of us ugly mother-fuckers than you are, hey-why, so watch out. now..."
Guy (butch? ):
"will you bring my girlfriend on stage, maybe? "
Fz:
"sure. all right, now you - he wants to get his girlfriend - go get your girlfriend."
Girl:
"hey zap!"
Fz:
"good to see you again."
Girl:
"squeak!"
Fz:
"I know."
Guy:
"I ain't no fucking queer."
Fz:
"all right, now look, here's what we're going to do. awright. now. this - they'll be mashed, I'll save them, I'll save them for later."
Guy:
"I'm not a fucking queer."
Fz:
"this man is trying desperately to let everybody know that he's not a queer. he's not queer, he's not queer. awright, and now... you are going to dance, like you've never danced before...&q
The song "Dance Contest" is a satirical commentary on audience participation, dance clubs, and the societal pressure to conform to social norms. Frank Zappa introduces the song by expressing his excitement about the stage in New York, which is conducive to audience participation. He suggests having another dance contest, but then comes up with the idea of having an "injured person dance contest." He then invites Butch and Lena to be the first couple to participate.
The song takes a comedic turn when Tom, another audience member, is invited to join the dance contest. Tom's incoherent and nonsensical rambling leads to the audience laughing at him, and Frank Zappa capitalizes on the moment to deliver a message to all the "cute people" in the world. He tells them that there are more "ugly mother-fuckers" than cute people in the world, and they should be careful.
The song then takes another turn when Butch requests to bring his girlfriend on stage, and it is revealed that he is not a "fucking queer." This ending refers to the societal pressure to conform to gender norms and prejudices. Overall, the lyrics of the song are a commentary on societal conventions and the pressure to conform.
Line by Line Meaning
one of, one of the things that I like best about playing in new york is this particular place, because it has - it has a stage that is conducive to, how you say in the trade, audience participation.
The stage in New York is great for audience participation which is something I truly enjoy.
now if there's one thing that I really like, it's, uh, audience participation. now listen... I gotta figure out something that I can, uh - do you think we should have another dance contest?
I love audience participation, and I am trying to come up with ideas for another dance contest.
hey - the injured person dance contest. ah, well, let's see...awright, I'll tell you what we're going to do. here's a, here's a guy who really wants to be in the dance contest aw-reety, Ighty, hey. okay...
Maybe we should have an injured person dance contest, but for now, let's start with this guy who is eager to participate.
you are great, man - you are great. you are the best, baby. do 'dinah-moe humm.'
You are awesome! Can you play Dinah-Moe Humm?
all right, now wait a minute - what's your name? hey, hey - what's your name?
Hold on, what is your name? Tell me your name.
awright, the dynamic butch. here's, here's a girl that wants to dance with butch. what's your name?
Okay, Butch, you are going to be dancing with this girl named Lena.
lena.
Lena is the name of the girl who will be dancing with Butch.
that guy there, with his...that - that one there with the teeshirt on - no, no, the other one - this o No, no - no no no, wait a minute, wait... well, you're - actually, you're very nice, though. would you like to come up here? ...okay, but d'you think you can behave yourself? you, you're sure you'll behave yourself? ...okay, what's your name?
I am trying to choose another participant, but I am having trouble picking someone. Okay, you seem nice, but can you behave? What is your name?
tom, man. (mumble, mumble) you, baby, I (mumble, mumble)(gurgle) you (mumble, mmf, etc.).
My name is Tom, and I love you, baby. (Inaudible mumbling)
arrgh, mmmf, glurg, etc.
Inaudible noises.
awright, now wait a minute. awright, awright, now wait...
Hold on, wait a minute.
awright, wait a minute, wait a minute. I have an important message to deliver to all the cute people all over the world. if you're out there and you're cute, maybe you're beautiful, I just To tell you somethin' - there's more of us ugly mother-fuckers than you are, hey-why, so watch out. now...
I have a message for all the cute people out there - there are more of us ugly people than you, so watch out!
will you bring my girlfriend on stage, maybe?
Can you please bring my girlfriend up on stage?
good to see you again.
Nice to see you again.
squeak!
Inaudible noise.
I ain't no fucking queer.
I am not gay.
this man is trying desperately to let everybody know that he's not a queer. he's not queer, he's not queer. awright, and now... you are going to dance, like you've never danced before...
I understand this man is trying to clarify that he is not gay. Okay now, let's dance like there's no tomorrow!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Vincent Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind