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.
Brown Shoes Don`t Make It
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brown shoes don't make it
Quit school, why fake it
Brown shoes don't make it
Tv dinner by the pool
Watch your brother grow a beard
Got another year of school
Be a plumber
He's a bummer
He's a bummer every summer
Be a loyal plastic robot
For a world that doesn't care
Smile at every ugly
Shine on your shoes and cut your hair
Be a jerk - go to work
Be a jerk - go to work
Be a jerk - go to work
Be a jerk - go to work
Do your job, and do it right
Life's a ball
Tv tonight
Do you love it
Do you hate it
There it is
The way you made it
A world of secret hungers
Perverting the men who make your laws
Every desire is hidden away
In a drawer in a desk by a Naugahyde chair
On a rug where they walk and drool
Past the girls in the office
His wife's attending an orchid show
She squealed for a week to get him to go
But back in the bed his teen-age queen
Is rocking and rolling and acting obscene
Baby baby...
Baby baby...
And he loves it, he loves it
It curls up his toes
She wipes his fat neck
And it lights up his nose
But he cannot be fooled
Old city hall Fred
She's nasty, she's nasty
She digs it in bed
Do it again, ha
And do it some more
That does it, by golly
it's nasty for sure
Nasty nasty nasty
Nasty nasty nasty
Only thirteen, and she knows how to nasty
She's a dirty young mind, corrupted
Corroded
Well she's thirteen today
And I hear she gets loaded
If she were my daughter, I'd
What would you do, daddy?
If she were my daughter, I'd
What would you do, daddy?
If she were my daughter, I'd
What would you do, daddy?
Smother my daughter in chocolate syrup
And strap her on again, oh baby
Smother that girl in chocolate syrup
And strap her on again
She's a teen-age baby
She turns me on
I'd like to make her do a nasty
On the white house lawn
Gonna smother my daughter in chocolate syrup
And boogie 'til the cows come home
Time to go home
Madge is on the phone
Gotta meet the gurneys and a dozen grey attorneys
Tv dinner by the pool
I'm so glad I finished school
Life is such a ball
I run the world from city hall
The song "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" by Frank Zappa paints an insightful critique of society's value system by exposing the flawed cultural norms that lead to conformity and apathy. It starts by questioning the importance of societal markers like brown shoes and traditional education when there is no real purpose or meaning behind them. The juxtaposition of the mundane TV dinner by the pool and the bizarre, hidden desires of those in power underscores the idea that something insidious lurks beneath the surface of normalcy. The references to a plastic robot and being a loyal follower of a corrupt system exemplify the idea of trading individuality for comfort and security, further highlighting how the world is indifferent to one's existence. The final lines suggest that in the end, it is all a game, and those in power are the ones who hold the strings.
Overall, the song can be seen as a warning against conforming to societal norms that sacrifice individuality and morality for material gain and success. It exposes the hypocrisy of those in power, who advocate for conformity while they indulge in their darkest desires away from public scrutiny. Instead, it advocates for individuality, authenticity, and rebellion against the system's corrupt values.
Line by Line Meaning
Brown shoes don't make it
Wearing brown shoes doesn't make you successful or respected.
Quit school, why fake it
If you're going to quit school, just do it for real instead of pretending to still attend.
Tv dinner by the pool
A lazy and unambitious lifestyle that prioritizes leisure over personal development.
Watch your brother grow a beard
While you waste time, others are growing up and becoming more mature.
Got another year of school
Despite hating school, there's still a lot of it left to endure.
You're okay, he's too weird
You're conforming to societal norms and standards while your brother is seen as rebellious and non-conformist.
Be a plumber
Consider a practical and stable career, rather than something creative or risky.
He's a bummer
Your brother is a disappointment to expectations and standards.
He's a bummer every summer
Your brother is constantly a source of disappointment and frustration.
Be a loyal plastic robot
Society values conformity and obedience over creativity and individuality, so just go along with the status quo.
For a world that doesn't care
The world doesn't care about who you are as an individual, only what you can contribute to the machine of society.
Smile at every ugly
Always put on a happy face, even in unpleasant situations or around unpleasant people.
Shine on your shoes and cut your hair
Appearances are more important than substance or authenticity.
Be a jerk - go to work
Rudeness or unpleasantness is acceptable in the workplace, as long as you're getting the job done.
Do your job, and do it right
Focus solely on your work responsibilities and don't question or challenge the status quo.
Life's a ball
Life is enjoyable and fun.
Tv tonight
Watching TV is a common and enjoyable way to spend an evening.
Do you love it
Do you enjoy your life and current circumstances?
Do you hate it
Do you dread or dislike your life and current circumstances?
There it is
That's the way things are, whether you like it or not.
The way you made it
You are responsible for your own circumstances, as you have shaped your life through your choices and actions.
A world of secret hungers
People have hidden desires and cravings that they may not even be aware of themselves.
Perverting the men who make your laws
Those in power, such as politicians, may be influenced or corrupted by their own secret desires.
Every desire is hidden away
People don't openly express or act on their desires, but keep them hidden and repressed.
In a drawer in a desk by a Naugahyde chair
Desires are often kept secret and locked away, just like something kept hidden in a drawer.
On a rug where they walk and drool
People may fantasize or daydream about their desires, but keep them hidden from public view.
Past the girls in the office
Even in an everyday setting like an office, people may be hiding secret desires.
His wife's attending an orchid show
Although the man outwardly appears successful and respectable, his wife is pursuing a relatively trivial and superficial activity.
She squealed for a week to get him to go
The woman had to persistently and annoyingly coerce her husband into attending the orchid show with her.
But back in the bed his teen-age queen
Despite his respectability, the man has a secret and unconventional sexual preference.
Is rocking and rolling and acting obscene
The man engages in lewd and taboo sexual behaviors with a young girl.
And he loves it, he loves it
The man takes pleasure in his secret and unconventional sexual behavior.
It curls up his toes
The man experiences intense physical pleasure from his secret and unconventional sexual behavior.
She wipes his fat neck
The young girl attends to the man's physical appearance, which he enjoys as a form of sexual gratification.
And it lights up his nose
The man experiences intense and pleasurable feelings from his secret and unconventional sexual behavior.
But he cannot be fooled
The man is aware that his behavior is socially unacceptable and taboo, but still enjoys it regardless.
Old city hall Fred
An example of a respectable and upstanding member of society.
She's nasty, she's nasty
Despite appearances, the young girl is engaged in sexually provocative and taboo behavior that society would judge as immoral and repellent.
She digs it in bed
The young girl enjoys participating in sexually provocative and taboo behavior with the man.
That does it, by golly
This crosses the line and goes too far, even for the man who enjoys taboo behavior.
it's nasty for sure
The taboo behavior is disgusting to others in society.
Only thirteen, and she knows how to nasty
Despite her young age, the girl has already engaged in sexually explicit and taboo behavior.
She's a dirty young mind, corrupted
The girl has been influenced and tainted by societal and cultural influences that are sexually explicit and taboo.
Corroded
The girl's moral values have been destroyed or compromised by societal and cultural influences.
Well she's thirteen today
Despite her youth and innocence, the girl is engaging in behavior that would normally be considered deviant.
And I hear she gets loaded
The girl may also be engaging in drug or alcohol use, contributing to her sexual promiscuity.
If she were my daughter, I'd
The singer may be considering what they would do if they had a daughter who was engaging in sexually explicit and taboo behavior.
What would you do, daddy?
The artist is addressing a hypothetical father figure who may be considering how to handle a similar situation involving their own daughter.
Smother my daughter in chocolate syrup
The singer proposes a bizarre and unconventional way of punishing and controlling a daughter's sexually promiscuous behavior.
And strap her on again, oh baby
The singer's proposal is rooted in their own unconventional sexual desires and preferences.
She turns me on
The girl's sexually promiscuous behavior is arousing to the singer.
I'd like to make her do a nasty
The artist desires to engage in sexually taboo behavior with the young girl.
On the white house lawn
The artist desires to engage in sexually taboo behavior with the young girl in an extremely public and scandalous location.
Gonna smother my daughter in chocolate syrup
The singer repeats their proposal to control and punish their daughter's sexually promiscuous behavior.
And boogie 'til the cows come home
The singer is suggesting that they will continue to engage in sexually promiscuous behavior with their daughter, ignoring societal condemnation and moral values.
Madge is on the phone
The artist is distracted and needs to leave, as someone is trying to contact them.
Gotta meet the gurneys and a dozen grey attorneys
The artist has important business meetings to attend, likely involving legal issues.
I'm so glad I finished school
Despite their questionable moral values, the artist takes pride in having completed their education.
Life is such a ball
The singer has a generally positive and optimistic view of life.
I run the world from city hall
The artist is successful and influential in their professional life, likely holding a position of power or authority.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind