Zappa's earliest influences were 1950s pop and rock (such as doo-wop and rhythm and blues), and 20th-century classical composers including Igor Stravinsky and Edgard Varèse. His output was divided between adventurous instrumental compositions and succinct, catchy rock songs with ribald, satirical, or comically absurd lyrics. On stage he demanded virtuosity and spontaneity from his musicians, and employed many performers who would later go on to achieve fame in their own rights. He directed and released a number of films featuring himself, his musicians and entourage, including 200 Motels and Baby Snakes.
His career started in 1955. His earliest recordings date from the mid-1960s, and include collaborations with his school friend Captain Beefheart. In 1965 he joined a bar-band called The Soul Giants, quickly dominating its musical direction and rechristening it The Mothers. Their first release (as The Mothers of Invention; the name alteration requested by their record company) was the 1966 double album Freak Out!. The line-up of the Mothers gradually expanded to accommodate Zappa's increasingly ambitious and avant-garde music, but by 1969 he decided to work outside the band structure, focusing on his solo career, and effectively disbanding the Mothers in 1971.
The beginnings of his solo career in the late sixties and early seventies was characterised by a strong free jazz influence, with albums containing little, if any, lyrical content, such as Hot Rats, Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo. Towards the mid-seventies his albums became more rock-orientated, with a combination of Jazz Fusion instrumentation and Rock song structures. This more accessible sound bore reasonable mainstream appeal, especially with the release of the well-advertised albums Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe (') (which both went Gold), but Zappa's unpredictably eclectic output never led to solid mainstream recognition. He received uniformly lukewarm reviews from popular music publications such as Rolling Stone throughout his career. In his late seventies' output, the gulf between his humorous songs and more lengthy, complex instrumental music widened, and albums, such as Zappa in New York, Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III, and Sleep Dirt displayed, by track, both sides firmly segregated.
Zappa saw a second run of success in the early eighties with the release of many albums with predominantly comedic rock songs, but later continued to experiment with virtually every style of music through the eighties, and was productive as ever until his death. His output in this later-career period included two albums of strikingly original classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra, an electronic take on 18th-century chamber music (written by the obscure Italian composer 'Francesco Zappa', no relation), an album of Synclavier compositions (misleadingly titled Jazz From Hell which garnered a Grammy award), a double-CD release of electric guitar instrumental music (the laconically titled Guitar) and a plenitude of official live releases, revisiting fan-favourites as well as showcasing Zappa's talent for reinventing the music of others; his version of Stairway to Heaven becoming a word-of-mouth favourite.
Zappa produced almost all of his own albums, spending many hours in the studio recording and manipulating tracks, and was always at the forefront of emerging technologies; from tape editing, collage, multitrack and overdubbing in the sixties to digital recording, electronic instruments and sampling in the eighties. Conversely, Zappa was also a obsessive self-archivist, recording virtually every one of his live performances, and often using live recordings of new material without needing to enter the studio. The archive of tapes at his family home in Los Angeles continues to be a source of posthumous releases for the Zappa Family Trust. He was also noted as a spotter of talent and his shifting line-up of musicians included Lowell George, Jean-Luc Ponty, Terry Bozzio, Chad Wackerman, George Duke, Mike Keneally, Adrian Belew and Steve Vai, as well as giving Alice Cooper his first break in music and working again with his old collaborator Captain Beefheart when his career was in decline.
In the late 1980s he became active in politics, campaigning against the PMRC's music censorship scheme and acting as culture and trade representative for Czechoslovakia in 1989; and considered running as an independent candidate for president of the US.
His death in Los Angeles, California, on 4th December 1993 came three years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
07 The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steve vai (guitar)
Ray white (guitar, vocals)
Tommy mars (keyboards)
Chuck wild (piano)
Arthur barrow (bass)
Scott thunes (bass)
Jay anderson (string bass)
Chad wackerman (drums)
Ike willis (vocals)
Terry bozzio (vocals)
Dale bozzio (vocals)
Napoleon murphy brock (vocals)
Bob harris (vocals)
Johnny "guitar" watson (vocals)
Thing-fish:
Welcome to the quentin robert de nameland video chapel of economic worship!
Ensemble: (singing)
Some take the bible
For what it's worth
When it says that the meek
Shall inherit the earth
Well, I heard that some sheik
Has bought new jersey last week,
'n you suckers ain't gettin' doodly!
Is all de mammys really wrong,
If we's wandrin' aroun'
Wit' de nakkin on?
Big ol' lips like a duck,
While we's singin' dis song,
(evil prince, people, he cain't do nothin'!)
Thing-fish:
You say yo' life a 'bum deal',
'n yo' 'up against de wall'?
Well, people, you ain't got no kinda
'deal' at all!
Now de shit dey be doin'
Down in washingtum,
Ensemble:
Dey just takes care
Thing-fish:
Dey takin' care
Ensemble:
Of number one
Thing-fish:
O' 'number one',
Ensemble:
An' 'number one' ain't you!
Thing-fish:
Oh no! it ain't you or you!
Ensemble:
You ain't even 'number two'!
Thing-fish:
(push de button, pull dat chain,
Out come dat lil' brown
Choo-choo train!)
Ensemble:
Those jesus-freaks,
Well, they're friendly, but,
The shit they believe
Has got their minds all shut,
An' they don't even care
When 'the church' takes a 'cut'!
(ain't it bleak when you've got so much nothin'? )
Thing-fish:
So whaddya do?
Ensemble:
Eat that pork!
Eat that ham!
Laugh till ya choke
On billy graham!
Brown moses, aaron, 'n abraham:
They're all a waste of time,
'n it's your ass that's on the line!
Thing-fish:
Wohhhhhh, heah me talkin' to ya, now,
It's your ass that's on the line!
Ensemble:
Do what you wanna,
Thing-fish:
Ohh! do what ya wanna!
Ensemble:
Do what you will,
Thing-fish:
Do what you will!
Ensemble:
Just don't mess up
Thing-fish:
Don't mess it!
Ensemble:
Your neighbor's thrill,
Thing-fish:
Dat's right!
Ensemble:
'n when you pay the bill,
Thing-fish:
Aww, when why'pay de bill...
Ensemble:
Kindly leave a little tip,
Thing-fish:
One-adam-twelve...
Ensemble:
And help the next poor sucker
Thing-fish:
See de sucker...
Ensemble:
On his one way trip!
(some take the bible!)
Thing-fish:
Aw, gimme a half a duzzning fo' de hotel ruim!
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's song "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" are a satirical commentary on the concept of meekness and the idea of inherited wealth. The opening lines are a parody of the biblical phrase "the meek shall inherit the earth," with the ensemble singing that "some take the bible for what it's worth, when it says that the meek shall inherit the earth." They then go on to say that a sheik has bought New Jersey and that "you suckers ain't gettin' doodly."
The song then delves into a critique of the wealthy and powerful, with Thing-Fish declaring that "you ain't got no kinda 'deal' at all" and that the people in Washington are "just takin' care of number one." The ensemble then sings about how Jesus-freaks are friendly but have closed minds and how following the teachings of figures like Brown Moses, Aaron, and Abraham is a waste of time. Instead, they urge listeners to do what they want and not mess up their neighbor's thrill.
Throughout the song, there are satirical elements and biting commentary on society's views of wealth, meekness, and religion.
Line by Line Meaning
Some take the bible
For what it's worth
When it says that the meek
Shall inherit the earth
Well, I heard that some sheik
Has bought new jersey last week,
'n you suckers ain't gettin' doodly!
Some people believe in the bible, and take to heart the idea that the meek will inherit the earth. However, recent news disproves this idea - a wealthy person has bought an entire state, leaving no hope for the meek.
Is all de mammys really wrong,
If we's wandrin' aroun'
Wit' de nakkin on?
Big ol' lips like a duck,
While we's singin' dis song,
(evil prince, people, he cain't do nothin'!)
Even though people may judge us based on our appearance, and the way we dress, we should still be free to wander around as ourselves - with our natural hair and features. An evil prince may try to stop us, but he is powerless against us.
You say yo' life a 'bum deal',
'n yo' 'up against de wall'?
Well, people, you ain't got no kinda
'deal' at all!
If you think your life is bad and everything is against you, you actually have no deal at all - your situation is not worth any pity or attention.
Dey just takes care
O' 'number one',
An' 'number one' ain't you!
The people in Washington only take care of themselves - not you.
Those jesus-freaks,
Well, they're friendly, but,
The shit they believe
Has got their minds all shut,
An' they don't even care
When 'the church' takes a 'cut'!
(ain't it bleak when you've got so much nothin'?)
Christians can be very nice and welcoming, but their beliefs have caused them to close their minds and ignore the church's questionable actions. This is especially bleak when you have nothing to begin with.
Wohhhhhh, heah me talkin' to ya, now,
It's your ass that's on the line!
Listen up, because your future and well-being is in your own hands.
Do what you wanna,
Ohh! do what ya wanna!
Do what you will,
Do what you will!
Just don't mess up
Don't mess it!
Your neighbor's thrill,
Dat's right!
'n when you pay the bill,
Aww, when why'pay de bill...
Kindly leave a little tip,
One-adam-twelve...
And help the next poor sucker
See de sucker...
On his one way trip!
Do whatever makes you happy, but be careful not to mess it up for others. Remember to be generous and kind, as it will help others in their own journey.
Aw, gimme a half a duzzning fo' de hotel ruim!
Please give me six keys for the hotel room.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind