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.
Can't Afford No Shoes
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you heard the news?
(News? What news?)
Can't afford no shoes
(Ow! Get a deal on tape)
Have you heard the news?
(News? Can't afford a paper)
Can't afford no shoes
Went to buy some cheap detergent
Some emergent nation got my load
Got my load
Got my toad
That I stowed
Well, well,
Hey lawdy mama,
Can't afford no shoes
Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use
Hey anybody,
Can you spare a dime
If you're really hurtin', a nickel would be fine
Hey everybody
Nothin' we can buy
Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try
Recession
Depression
Wah-oh-wah-ooh wah-wah
Wah-oh-wah-ooh wah-wah
Well, well,
Hey lawdy mama,
Can't afford no shoes
Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use
Hey anybody,
Can you spare a dime
If you're really hurtin', a nickel would be fine
Hey everybody
Nothin' we can buy
Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try
Recession
Depression
The opening lines "Have you heard the news? Can't afford no shoes" in Frank Zappa's song, Can't Afford No Shoes, highlights the recurring issue of poverty and financial difficulty. Throughout the song, Zappa discusses the unfortunate reality of not having the means to buy basic necessities such as shoes and detergent, and even jokingly suggests turning to religion for help, singing "Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try." Zappa emphasizes the impact of this financial struggle, even including lines such as "Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use" to show that those in poverty often need to resort to alternative measures just to get by. The repetition of the chorus further emphasizes the desperate and overwhelming nature of poverty, with the lyrics becoming more frantic towards the end as the wah-ooh-ing vocals increase in volume.
Furthermore, the song's blues-inspired melody and rhythm conveys a tone of sadness and frustration, adding a layer of depth to the meaning behind the lyrics. Zappa's vocals and guitar riffs alternate between the melancholic and frenzied tones, echoing the message of the song. Overall, the song speaks to the struggles that many people face in their everyday lives, and serves as a reminder of the issues surrounding poverty.
Line by Line Meaning
Heh-heh-heh
The singer is laughing to start the song
Have you heard the news?
The singer is asking someone if they heard any news
(News? What news?)
The person being asked responds in a questioning manner
Can't afford no shoes
The person singing doesn't have enough money to buy shoes
(Ow! Get a deal on tape)
The artist suggests getting a good bargain on a cassette tape
Have you heard the news?
The singer asks the same question again
(News? Can't afford a paper)
The person being asked says they can't afford a newspaper
Can't afford no shoes
The person still can't afford shoes
(Hi-yo-hi)
The artist makes a noise to fill the gap
Went to buy some cheap detergent
The artist went to buy inexpensive laundry soap
Some emergent nation got my load
A developing country received the singer's shipment
Got my load
The nation received the artist's shipment
Got my toad
The singer's pet toad is missing
That I stowed
The singer put the toad in their shipment
Well, well,
The singer is starting a new section
Hey lawdy mama,
The artist is calling out to someone, possibly a motherly figure
Can't afford no shoes
The artist still can't afford shoes
Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use
The singer suggests using scraps of cloth instead of shoes
Hey anybody,
The singer is addressing anyone who can hear
Can you spare a dime
The artist is asking for money
If you're really hurtin', a nickel would be fine
The artist will accept any denomination of money
Hey everybody
The artist is addressing a wider audience
Nothin' we can buy
No one can afford to buy anything
Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try
Trying to chant a spiritual phrase won't help their situation
Recession
The economy is in a recession
Depression
The singer or character feels depressed due to their financial situation
Wah-oh-wah-ooh wah-wah
The singer vocalizes in a nonsensical manner
Wah-oh-wah-ooh wah-wah
The artist continues vocalizing
Well, well,
The artist transitions to another part of the song
Hey lawdy mama,
The singer calls out to the same person as before
Can't afford no shoes
The singer is still unable to buy shoes
Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use
Useful scraps of cloth may be the best option
Hey anybody,
The artist again addresses anyone who can hear
Can you spare a dime
The artist needs spare change
If you're really hurtin', a nickel would be fine
The singer will accept any denomination of money, even as small as a nickel
Hey everybody
The artist addresses anyone and everyone
Nothin' we can buy
No one has the financial means to purchase anything
Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try
Chanting won't make a difference in this economic climate
Recession
The economy is in a recession
Depression
The artist or character feels depressed due to their financial situation
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind