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.
Advance Romance
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ike willis (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Ray white (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Bobby martin (keyboards, vocals)
Alan zavod (keyboards)
Scott thunes (bass)
Chad wackerman (drums)
My suit is all dirty boy, my shoes is all wore
I'm tired and lonely, my heart is all sore
Advance romance, I can't stand it no more
No more...
She told me she loved me, I believed what she said
She took me for a sucker boy, all corn-fed
The next thing I knew she had a bolt on the door
Advance romance, I can't use it no more
No more...
She took ike's watch like they always do
(it was a timex too).
Ahoo ahoo...
And a shame on you, yeah
No more money boy, I-I-I-I shoulda knew
Nennen hennin henninah...
Won't somebody go sit on ah...
Nennen hennin henninah...
Yes! he sure looks magic!
Hi-ho silver!
Tinsel chair!
The big jaws...
The way she do me boy
She might do you too!
Awfully big jaws, now!
The way she do me boy
She might do you too!
Shake up the...
I'll tumble for ya!
Oh no!
The way she do me boy
She might do you too!
You remember utah...
You know what happened...
Jaws!
Advance romance
People I am through
I'm through...
Potato-head bobby was a friend of mine
He opened three of his eyes in the food stamp line
He opened four of his eyes in the food stamp line
He opened five of his eyes in the food stamp line
He opened six of his eyes in the food stamp line
He said she might be the devil
Well, I don't know...
But she sure was fine...
Advance romance
He wanna try it one time
Just one time...
Later that night he drop on by
He told her all he wanna do is come up and say 'hi'
(hi-hi-hi...)
Half an hour later she had frenched his fry
Everybody:
Yodeloo yodeloo yodeloo oh
Frenched his fry
(isn't that amazing? )
Advance romance
Bobby say goodbye-ye-ye-yiee-I-ee-I-ee-I-ee-I
In Frank Zappa's song "Advance Romance", Zappa sings about a failing romance with a woman who has taken all of his money and left him broken-hearted. He sings, "No more credit from the liquor store. My suit is all dirty boy, my shoes is all wore. I'm tired and lonely, my heart is all sore. Advance romance, I can't stand it no more."
Zappa then explains how the woman has taken advantage of him, saying, "She told me she loved me, I believed what she said. She took me for a sucker boy, all corn-fed. The next thing I knew she had a bolt on the door. Advance romance, I can't use it no more." The song goes on to describe the woman's betrayal of another man's watch and the singer's friend Potato-Head Bobby's own attempts at a relationship with her.
Overall, "Advance Romance" is a commentary on the trials and tribulations of love and heartbreak, as well as a satire of American society and culture. The lyrics are witty and filled with double entendres, showcasing Zappa's skill as a lyricist.
Line by Line Meaning
No more credit from the liquor store
I am out of money and can no longer buy alcohol on credit
My suit is all dirty boy, my shoes is all wore
I am dressed in dirty and old clothes with no means to afford new ones
I'm tired and lonely, my heart is all sore
I am experiencing fatigue and loneliness, so much so that it's affecting my heart emotionally
Advance romance, I can't stand it no more
I’m done with this type of romance and can't tolerate it any longer
She told me she loved me, I believed what she said
I trusted her when she professed her love for me
She took me for a sucker boy, all corn-fed
She played me for a fool, knowing I’m inexperienced and naive
The next thing I knew she had a bolt on the door
She abruptly cut me off by locking me out of her life with a bolted door
Advance romance, I can't use it no more
I’m done with this type of romance and can't handle it any longer
She took ike's watch like they always do (it was a timex too). Ahoo ahoo... And a shame on you, yeah
She stole Ike's cheap watch, like they're known to do, which is shameful behavior
No more money boy, I-I-I-I shoulda knew Nennen hennin henninah...
I should have known better than to run out of money and end up broke
Won't somebody go sit on ah... Nennen hennin henninah... Yes! he sure looks magic! Hi-ho silver! Tinsel chair!
Random, nonsensical interjections with no apparent meaning.
The big jaws... The way she do me boy She might do you too! Awfully big jaws, now!
I'm warning you that she has an inferno of passion that might overwhelm even you, and reveal very big jaws
Shake up the... I'll tumble for ya! Oh no! The way she do me boy She might do you too!
I am shaken up because of the intense passion she aroused in me, and worried that you might experience the same whirlwind intensity
You remember utah... You know what happened... Jaws!
Utah and Jaws are seemingly unrelated and remind me of contrasting things, and the memories associated with them are all jumbled up in my mind.
Advance romance People I am through I'm through...
I want nothing to do with this type of intense romance ever again
Potato-head bobby was a friend of mine He opened three of his eyes in the food stamp line He opened four of his eyes in the food stamp line He opened five of his eyes in the food stamp line He opened six of his eyes in the food stamp line
Bobby, my friend with bulging eyes, was standing in the line for food stamps, unable to believe his misfortune at sinking so low in life
He said she might be the devil Well, I don't know... But she sure was fine... Advance romance
Bobby warned me that the woman might be the embodiment of something evil, but I couldn't help but be attracted to her.
He wanna try it one time Just one time... Later that night he drop on by He told her all he wanna do is come up and say 'hi' (hi-hi-hi...) Half an hour later she had frenched his fry Everybody:
Bobby wanted to experience that intense romance just once. When he dropped in to say hello, the woman gave in to him, and they had passionate sex
Yodeloo yodeloo yodeloo oh Frenched his fry (isn't that amazing? ) Advance romance Bobby say goodbye-ye-ye-yiee-I-ee-I-ee-I-ee-I
Everyone marvels and yodels over how Bobby had his fry frenched, as he admits that he is done with that type of romance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Opijo
No more credit from the liquor store
Suit is all dirty, my shoes is all wore
Tired and lonely, my heart is all sore
Advance romance
I can't stand it no more, you know
Told me she loved me, I believed what she said
Took me for a sucker, boy, all corn-fed
Next thing I knew she had a bolt on the door
Advance romance
I can't use it no more, no, I can't use it
She took George's watch like they always do
(It was a Timex, too!)
(Him ashamed on you)
No more money, boy, I shoulda knew
(You know I told ya)
(I know you told me)
(You didn't listen to me)
(But I couldn't listen to you!)
Told you 'bout the anchovies…
(You know what I'm talkin' about!)
George Duke!
The way she do me, boy
She might do you, too
The way she do me, boy
She might do you, too
The way she do me, boy
She might do you, too
(Look what she did to Denny right now!)
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Advance romance
(Think about it!)
People we… are…
(Yeah, one more time, one time!)
Through! But, wait a minute!
Potato-head Bobby was a friend of mine
Opened three of his eyes in the food stamp line
Opened four of his eyes in the food stamp line
Opened five of his eyes in the food stamp line
Opened six of his eyes in the food stamp line
Oh, you know they told me she might be a devil
No, you like them
Good God! Did you hear what I said?
Evil women
Oh, yeah!
You know, you know, you know
But she sure was fine
You like them
Oh, yeah!
Evil women
Growin' up, goin' home!
Advance romance
(What you gonna do?)
He wanna try it one time
He said he don't mind, no
Later that night he drop on by
Told her all he wanna do was step up and say "Hi"
(HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI HI-HI)
Half an hour later she had frenched his fry
Advance romance
Bobby, say good-bye
Frankincensed
Bongo Fury, certainly one of Frank's better albums. How can you not just love that childhood duo of Capt and De Kneel, Arf! Arf!
Dave Green
One of my favorites by Zappa. Not only is it a great song to begin with, but they absolutely slay it like it was their bitch.
Kenneth Russell
Dave, I'm laughing so hard at this that I almost spilled my coffee. My girlfriend and our German Shepherd are looking at me like I'm nuts.
David Langlois
The opening line, "No more credit at the liquor store," is pure blues brilliance in a class with "Woke up this morning."
John White
@Jack Daniels Oops. I mean't to put that in there. I must've been too excited! Lol
Jack Daniels
@John White took me for a sucker!
John White
This is truly one of the heaviest, down and dirty mean blues ever recorded. "Told me she loved me, I believed what she said. Man I was corn fed". Great lyrics.
silvio napoli
That's right budd 😂🙌
ilikezappa
That guitar is just pure sleaze. Love it.
ursarex
Recently turned my 16 yr. old son onto Zappa & now Frank is sweeping thru his high school. I am so proud & happy that I have been able to expose a new generation to the genius of Frank. BTW alot of these kids are musicians in the various school bands. And this is still one of my favorite Zappa songs.