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.
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She wore a Milton Bradley Crayon
But she was something I could lay on
Can't remember what became of me…
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
She put a Doobie Brothers tape on
(La la la la la-ahh la)
(A Roger Daltrey cape on)
There was a bed I dumped her shape on
Can't remember what became of me…
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
Somewhat later on
I woke up and she was gone
There was dew out on the lawn
In the sunrise
Later she came back
With a rumpled paper sack
Which she told me would contain
A surprise
She stuck her hand right in it to the bottom
Said she knew I'd be surprised she got 'em
Take a Charleston pimp to spot 'em
Then she gave a pair of shoes to me…
Plastic leather, 14 triple D
I said: "I wonder what's the shoes for?"
She told me: "Don't you worry no more!"
And got right down there on the tile floor
Now Darling STOMP ALL OVER ME!…
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
Is this something new
Having people stomp on you?
Is it what I need to do
For your pleasure?
(Yo' pleasure… it's… uh… uh… all I need)
"What is this, a quiz?
Don't you worry what it is
It is merely just a moment
I can treasure… "
(What is… ?) (You know…)
By ten o'clock her arms and legs were rendered
She couldn't talk 'cause her mouth had been extendered
Looked to me as though she had been blendered
But was this abject misery?
No! No!
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy!
Well…
But was this abject misery?
No! No!
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy!
But was this abject misery?
No! No!
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy!
It might seem strange to Herb and Dee –
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy!
The lyrics of Frank Zappa's Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy tell a surreal story of an encounter with a woman who is both mysterious and alluring. In the first verse, Zappa describes the woman's appearance in vivid detail, noting that her hair seems to be made of rayon and that she is wearing a Milton Bradley Crayon. Despite her odd attire, Zappa finds himself drawn to her and spends a night with her.
The second verse begins with a reference to a Doobie Brothers tape and a Roger Daltrey cape, which suggest that the encounter may have taken place in the 1970s. The woman disappears for a while and returns with a paper sack full of surprises. Among them are a pair of plastic leather shoes in a size 14 triple D. When Zappa expresses confusion about the shoes, the woman instructs him to stomp on her with them. Zappa is initially hesitant, but eventually complies with her request.
The final verse describes the aftermath of the encounter, with the woman rendered speechless and nearly paralyzed. Despite this, she seems to be enjoying herself, and Zappa concludes the song with the refrain "Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy" repeated over and over again. The song is a quintessential example of Zappa's surreal, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and remains a fan favorite to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
I coulda swore her hair was made of rayon
I believed her hair was synthetic.
She wore a Milton Bradley Crayon
She dressed bizarrely.
But she was something I could lay on
She was sexually available to him.
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
The name of the song, seems to describe the sexual experience.
She put a Doobie Brothers tape on, (La la la la la-ahh la)
She played music by the Doobie Brothers.
I had a Roger Daltrey cape on, (A Roger Daltrey cape on)
He wore a cape like that of Roger Daltrey from the Who.
There was a bed I dumped her shape on
They engaged in sexual activity on the bed.
Somewhat later on, I woke up and she was gone. There was dew out on the lawn in the sunrise
He awoke to find her gone and the new day had already begun.
Later she came back, With a rumpled paper sack, Which she told me would contain, A surprise
She returned with a bag that contained a surprise.
She stuck her hand right in it to the bottom, Said she knew I'd be surprised she got 'em, Take a Charleston pimp to spot 'em
She revealed a pair of shoes with a large size and plastic leather material.
Then she gave a pair of shoes to me… Plastic leather, 14 triple D
She gave him the shoes that had surprised him.
I said: "I wonder what's the shoes for?" She told me: "Don't you worry no more!" And got right down there on the tile floor
He questioned the purpose of the shoes she had given him, but she began to engage in sexual activity with him on the floor.
Now Darling STOMP ALL OVER ME!… Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy
She requested him to stomp on her while engaging in sexual activity.
Is this something new, Having people stomp on you? Is it what I need to do For your pleasure? (Yo' pleasure… it's… uh… uh… all I need)
He questions if stomping is a new sexual activity, and she confirms that it is what she prefers.
"What is this, a quiz? Don't you worry what it is It is merely just a moment I can treasure… " (What is… ?) (You know…)
She dismisses his questioning and insists that this moment is special for her to remember.
By ten o'clock her arms and legs were rendered, She couldn't talk 'cause her mouth had been extendered, Looked to me as though she had been blendered
After sexual activity, she appeared to be extremely exhausted and unable to move or speak properly.
But was this abject misery? No! No! Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy! Well…
Although she appeared exhausted, she enjoyed the experience.
It might seem strange to Herb and Dee – Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy!
The sexual activities seem uncommon and strange to outsiders.
Contributed by Luke K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jackawatkins87
shawnfella Its one of the first solo's that really sucked me into Zappa
Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
Muffin Man
Uncle Remus
But then...... Inca Roads (OSFA or YCDTOSA2), More Trouble Every Day (Roxy), Willie the Pimp, My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama (almost any version)....and more and more and more lol
@tyler_ko_durden
The problem with Zappa is that every one of his songs has the best guitar solo of all time...
@zichbold
The problem with Zappa is that 80% of his songs present the best Zappa song ever.
@stevekosak8624
This comment should have a million likes 👽
@Atrayu03
amen
@alwhyte6533
I couldn't agree more. He's certainly my favourite guitarist. I recently watched a 100 Greatest Albums countdown, and there was not one Zappa album, and it made me feel sad. Personally, I think his music should be taught at high school.
@Fnidner
yeah it's fucked up
@asierlarranagadominguez4787
I'm about to present my thesis in a few hours and somehow I've always found peace and confidence in Zappa's music, specially this very solo inspires me.
@knucklehornofficial5558
One of the best lines in the history of music is "She put a Doobie Brothers tape on. I had a Roger Daltrey cape on." Makes me laugh every time.
@Acein2055
Best guitar solo of all Carolina versions.
@napomania
and Muffin Man and all Bongo's Fury album