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.
Any Downers
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Ike Willis (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Ray White (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Bob Harris (boy soprano, trumpet)
Steve Vai (guitar)
Tommy Mars (keyboards)
Arthur Barrow (bass)
Ed Mann (percussion)
Motorhead Sherwood (tenor saxophone, vocals)
Denny Walley (slide guitar, vocals)
David Logeman (drums)
Craig Steward (harmonica)
Jimmy Carl Black (vocals)
Ahmet Zappa (vocals)
Moon Zappa (vocals)
And all around
At the side of the grave
Stood Charlie's friends
Who could not save
This stupid girl
From the way she behaved
But among the mourners
And the frowners
A cry were heard...(aaaargh!)
ANY DOWNERS?
ANY DOWNERS?
ANY DOWNERS?
ANY DOWNERS?
No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more
No I ain't got any more
Your downers are gone
They was all you could get
To ease your mind
And your deep regret
Over Charlie's mouth
So enormous 'n wet
Now all you got
Is your TV set
You turn it on
And watch and dream
A dream of love
On the tiny screeen
And what do you see
As you lay in bed?
It's a bald kinda girl
With a pointed head
Oh no...
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's song Any Downers? are a reflection on the effects of drug addiction, and the emotional turmoil it can cause. The song tells the story of a girl who is mourning a friend named Charlie, who has passed away. She is plagued by guilt and regret over her behavior towards Charlie before his death, and is unable to cope with her emotions without the aid of drugs. Despite the presence of her friends at Charlie's funeral, the girl is unable to find solace or comfort.
The repeated refrain of "Any Downers?" is a reference to the girl's search for drugs to numb her pain, and highlights the difficulties in the journey to recovery from addiction. The second verse of the song shifts focus to the long-term effects of drug use, as the girl has depleted her supply of drugs and is left to cope with the aftermath of her addiction. She turns to her television as a means of escape, watching romantic scenarios that provide temporary relief from her troubles. However, the imagery of a "bald kinda girl with a pointed head" suggests that even these illusions ultimately fall short of providing real comfort.
Overall, Any Downers? is a poignant commentary on the destructive power of addiction, and the struggles faced by those trying to overcome it. The lyrics are a reminder that while drugs may provide temporary relief, the emotional pain and turmoil will eventually come to the surface, and true healing requires facing these issues head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
And all around
The singer is describing the setting of the story, whereby the mourners of Charlie's funeral appear all surrounding the grave
At the side of the grave
The specific location of the mourners is the side of the grave
Stood Charlie's friends
The people present at the funeral were friends of Charlie
Who could not save
The friends in attendance could not prevent the fate of the 'stupid girl' mentioned in the subsequent verse
This stupid girl
The artist is referencing a girl that the friends had known, whose foolish behavior led to her demise
From the way she behaved
The girl's poor life choices and behavior led to her death, which the friends could not prevent
But among the mourners
Despite the somber occasion, among the crowd gathered there were individuals who carried on with their usual vibe
And the frowners
Some people looked displeased, sulky or frowned upon those who were having a different type of attitude
A cry were heard...(aaaargh!)
A sudden cry was heard, likely a reaction to the funeral, possibly mourning or sarcastic
ANY DOWNERS?
The artist is suddenly questioning others of the possible presence of downers, especially in their own supply
No I ain't got any more
The singer is stating that they do not have any downers left to take or to share with others
Your downers are gone
The artist addresses someone else, informing them that all the downers they had procured have been used up
They was all you could get
The person in question had only been able to obtain a certain limited quality or quantity of downers
To ease your mind
The downers served as a means of escaping anxiety, sadness or trauma and helps soothe one's mental state
And your deep regret
Refers to someone's sorrow, possibly due to not having prevented the girl's death
Over Charlie's mouth
Refers to Charlie's physical appearance or state, possibly due to death, injury or intoxication
So enormous 'n wet
The refers to an unflattering physical trait of Charlie's, being his mouth size, and the presumed drooling that associates with it
Now all you got
The individual being addressed is limited to only the following option(s)
Is your TV set
The sole source of entertainment available is watching a TV, possibly indicating neglect of 'real life' situations
You turn it on
The artist is advising or informing the addressed individual to turn on their TV
And watch and dream
Watching TV as a form of escape from reality where one can only dream of being in a preferred scenario or circumstance
A dream of love
The person in question is dreaming of being in a loving or fulfilling romantic relationship
On the tiny screen
The image on the TV is small or compressed
And what do you see
The person in question sees something or someone that catches their attention
As you lay in bed?
The scene is set in bed, where the person in question is presumably relaxed or ready to retire for the night
It's a bald kinda girl
The person displayed on the TV is lacking hair, possibly due to being a cancer patient
With a pointed head
The shape of the woman's head is unusual, protruding and/or pointed in some way
Oh no...
The individual is expressing disappointment or upset at the sight of the woman on the TV
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Vincent Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind