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.
A Bunch Of Stuff
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's The Mothers' movie
And we're going to have a wonderful time
Watching 'em jump around and have merry fun
And all sorts of bizarre teenage delights
From continent to continent
Strange and wonderful things
That these Mothers Of Invention do
In this first sequence you will see
A bunch of hairy people
Doing a bunch of stuff and beyond that
I couldn't really tell you
Exactly what's going on
But it won't make any difference at all
Because who ever heard of
The Mothers Of Invention?
The opening lines of the song "A Bunch of Stuff" by Frank Zappa serve as an introduction to The Mothers of Invention's new movie. The song sets the stage for a fun and entertaining experience for the listeners as they are invited to join in and enjoy watching the band members "jump around and have merry fun" while experiencing various teenage delights. Zappa's playful tone and use of the phrase "boys and girls" immediately draw the audience in, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement for what is to come.
As the lyrics progress, Zappa paints a vivid picture of the diverse and eclectic nature of The Mothers of Invention's performances, highlighting the strange and wonderful things that they do for both fun and profit. The reference to activities spanning across continents serves to underscore the international appeal and reach of the band's music and performances. The mention of hairy people and a bunch of stuff hints at the unconventional and unpredictable nature of The Mothers of Invention's artistic expression, inviting listeners to embrace the unexpected and embrace the chaos that ensues.
The ambiguity in the lyrics, particularly in the lines "beyond that I couldn't really tell you / Exactly what's going on," adds an element of mystery and intrigue to the song. This lack of clear explanation or narrative direction plays into Zappa's subversion of traditional storytelling techniques, challenging the listener to engage with the music on a deeper level and draw their own interpretations from the experience. By questioning the significance or meaning behind the band's actions, Zappa invites listeners to suspend their expectations and embrace the unconventional and experimental nature of The Mothers of Invention's work.
In the final lines of the song, Zappa undermines any sense of certainty or familiarity by questioning the very existence of The Mothers of Invention. The rhetorical question "who ever heard of / The Mothers of Invention?" serves as a playful nod to the band's cult status and reputation for pushing boundaries and defying categorization. By positioning The Mothers of Invention as enigmatic and elusive figures, Zappa invites listeners to reconsider their preconceived notions of artistry and creativity, urging them to approach music and performance with an open mind and a willingness to embrace the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, boys and girls
Welcome to this creative endeavor, audience
It's The Mothers' movie
This is a production by The Mothers Of Invention
And we're going to have a wonderful time
We aim to entertain you greatly
Watching 'em jump around and have merry fun
Observing them enjoy themselves energetically
And all sorts of bizarre teenage delights
Experiencing various unusual pleasures
From continent to continent
Spanning across different parts of the world
Strange and wonderful things
Unique and intriguing occurrences
That these Mothers Of Invention do
Performed by The Mothers Of Invention
For fun and profit
Both for enjoyment and financial gain
In this first sequence you will see
The initial segment will showcase
A bunch of hairy people
A group of individuals with a significant amount of hair
Doing a bunch of stuff and beyond that
Engaged in various activities and more
I couldn't really tell you
I am unable to accurately explain
Exactly what's going on
Precisely what is happening
But it won't make any difference at all
However, it won't affect the overall experience
Because who ever heard of
Considering that not many are familiar with
The Mothers Of Invention?
The band known as The Mothers Of Invention
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@glennmccudden8574
Absolutely correct. Cash cow yes.
I'm zappa lover of his music.
Since 14 years old .
Then frank dead it went to shit.
I respect DWEEZIL HE KEEPS
THE MUSIC ALIVE. MOON TOO.
BUT GAIL WAS THE NEXT OF KIN.
RUIN FUCKEN EVERY THING.
AHMET TOO.
FRANK HAD HIS OWN FANS
THAT RESPECT HIM
AS A TRUE ORIGINAL.
LIKE ME OR US.
HE MADE MUSIC SO MUCH
FOR HIS FANS ALL
TYPE OF MUSIC.
HE DID LOVED HIS FANS LIKE A
BIG FAMILY. HE ALWAYS DID THAT.
BUT THEY SOLD HIM OUT
TO UNIVERSAL. COMPANY.
SO ALL THE HARD WORK
HE DID. ALL LOST.
AND NOT ONE THING YOU CAN
DO ABOUT IT. THE ORIGINAL
COLLECTION I HAVE IS A
STATEMENT OF WHAT HE WAS.
I'M PROUD TO HAVE THOSE ALBUMS. Greatly missed
Absolutely brilliant musical
GENIUS. NEVER TO BE REPLACED.
IN MUSIC HISTORY. THATS HOW
MUCH I LOVE THE MAN
AND HIS MUSIC. SO THERE
CHEERS.
@NN-ul4oy
@margowsky
Yes, I know. You can find prove under this video, I said the same thing to others.
There is more to wish than just selling Frank's work, fans, musicians, scientists can tell, but not with Gail. Frank probably guessed it.
Gail is Gail. Should have listened to the boss. F*cked up till money gone, house gone, vault gone, fans upset.
And Ahmet is Ahmet... same thing, inthroned by Gail, f*cked up the rest, fans upset even more.
Too bad, would have been so easy to let good people in and give/sell us concert recordings and music sheets, and making a Zappa museum.
Now Universal will make auctions for millionaires/billionaires, sell the same ol' records again, stream for a while Zappa music, harass Zappa youtubers, and throw away all the valuable rest they don't find to make enough money off.
The family, the family... I like Dweezil and Moon. Period.
Ahmet and sort Diva f*cked up their siblings relationship thanks to Gail and their own stupidity. And as fan, I find Ahmet and Diva damaging for the responsiblity to make Frank's work available for future generations. That's why Howard Stern was laughing at them. Rightly so!
@glennmccudden8574
IT WAS GAIL AND AHMET.
BECAUSE NEXT OF KIN.
TOOK OVER THE HOLD THING
TRAVERS THE VAULT MASTER
HAD THE POWER TOO.
BUT IN RESPECT WAY.
HE Was IN CHARGED
TO MAKE SURE THAT MUSIC
WAS PRODUCED FOR US.
TO LISTEN TOO.
HE'S NOT AT FAULT.
DOING A GREAT JOB.
THE HOUSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
KEPT. ITS GOT LOT OF HISTORY
NOW GA GA OWNS THE HOUSE
NOW . HIS STUDIO RECORDING.
OFFICE BAND PLAYING THERE.
GONE. SOME TIMES I THINK
DWEEZIL SHOULD HAVE KEPT
HIS HOUSE.
BUT GREED MONEY PRESSURE
5.5 MILL THEY GOT FOR IT.
TO LATE NOW . A CRYING
SHAME. CHEERS.
@billhale2713
Um ..... WHAT?😳 UMG is the antithesis of FZ. Jeezis.😖 Frank did not die of cancer. He got tired of bullshit like UMG and is simply hiding.🙄 (My story may lack facts, yes. But it’s better than the one I’m hearing right now.)
Herein is irony : UMG now likely owns “Beat The Boots”.🤦🏻♂️
At least bootleggers — for a price — make more music accessible.
UMG are the most authoritarian block-the-user’s-Instagram-post-for-copyright pirates extant to the business world, far beyond even Warner.
“Access” is what they exist to end. As social media soars in practical use, censorship and video blocks stifle promotion of intelligent art and ideas. You see where I’m heading.
At least Frank made sure his illegal concerts were attainable.
UMG are the music version of “Central Services” (‘Brazil’, Terry Gilliam).
Now I need a Harry Tuttle hack just to promote a song.
#27B_6
@Wspsportsfan
Frank Zappa is the greatest artist of all time!!!!
@ismaeldiaz7978
You’re goddam right!
@MarieLaveau56
In all of human history
@milesknightestrada3286
Name one better. I'll wait.
@mountzod
100%, the all time greatest 💯❤FZ
@georgeb.wolffsohn30
I'm gonna have to suggest Beethoven and Mozart for that award.
@justherb666
Excellent move...well played by everyone. I look forward to a fruitful partnership.
@Tommyr
Long live Frank Zappa! I miss that man so much.
@ZappafansAchilles
I've been waiting
Frank Zappa, the greatest musician of the 20th century
I will continue to love the music forever
@thelevelbeyondhuman
Frank spent his entire life building his own independent label and placing complete control of his legacy in his family, just so something like this wouldn’t happen.