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.
Daddy Daddy Daddy
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
She's such a dignified lady
She's so pretty and soft
You can't call her a groupie
It just pisses her off
(yeah)
She got lotsa new clothes
She ain't hurtin' for money
So that everyone knows
That she knows what she wants
Knows what she likes
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Look out, she's got her eyes on you
She left her place after midnight
(la la la la la)
And she drove to the club
(la la la la-ee-ah!)
You know that her and her partner
(la la la la la)
Came here lookin' for love
(la la la la-ee-ah!)
They want a guy from a group
(la la la la la)
Got a thing in a charts
(la la la la-ee-ah!)
If his dick is a monster
If his dick is a monster
If his dick is a monster
They will give him their hearts
'cause they know what they want
(do it, d'ya wanna-wanna?)
And they know what they like
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Look out... they got their eyes on you
Fam-bam-yak-a-ta-tahhh!
They know what they want
Know what they like
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Awright, you got 'em screamin' all night
(la la la la la)
Screamin' all night
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
(do it, do it, d'ya wanna-wanna do it, do it?)
It's a bentley!
(ooh!)
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
(do it, do it, d'ya wanna-wanna do it, do it?)
It's a cooper!
(ooh!)
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
(do it, do it, d'ya wanna-wanna do it, do it?)
It's a chevy!
(ooh!)
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
(do it, do it, d'ya wanna-wanna do it, do it?)
Or a lincoln!
(ooh!)
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
(do it, do it, d'ya wanna-wanna do it, do it?)
['cause they're dancin'!]
(ooh!)
Ooo-ooo
The song "Daddy Daddy Daddy" is a satire on the groupie culture that existed during the 1970s, where women would flock to rock concerts in hopes of getting to be with the musicians. The singer describes a woman who is wealthy, fashionable and has her sights set on finding a man with a large penis from a popular band. The lyrics "She ain't hurtin' for money, / So that everyone knows / That she knows what she wants / Knows what she likes" demonstrate the sense of entitlement that was prevalent among groupies, who expected rock stars to provide for them financially and emotionally. Zappa's sarcastic tone is emphasised by the repetition of the phrase "Daddy, daddy, daddy", which is both a reference to the maternal affection of groupies towards the musicians they pursue, and a mocking reference to the desire for financial support.
The chorus of the song, "They know what they want / Know what they like / Daddy, daddy, daddy / Look out, they got their eyes on you," emphasises the predatory nature of groupies, who actively seek out men with fame and fortune. The lyrics "If his dick is a monster / They will give him their hearts" further emphasise this aspect, as they suggest that groupies are willing to overlook other qualities in favour of physical attributes. The song also plays on the male rock star's power over the female fans: "Awright, you got 'em screamin' all night" suggests that the musicians are in control of the situation, and that the groupies are merely passive participants in their games.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooo-ooo, do you like my new car?
This line is repeated throughout the song and represents a shallow, materialistic question that ultimately doesn't matter.
She's such a dignified lady
Describing the woman as 'dignified' is ironic, as the song describes her behavior as anything but. The line picks fun at the idea of the woman being perceived as classy or respectable.
You can't call her a groupie
The woman is so obsessed with musicians and the music industry that calling her a 'groupie' would be an understatement. The line serves as a commentary on how intense some fans can become.
She got diamonds and jewelry
This line showcases the woman's wealth and status - a potential reason why she has become so enamored with musicians in the first place. The line serves as a criticism of the superficiality of the music industry.
That she knows what she wants
This line could be interpreted as admiring the woman's assertiveness and clarity. However, given the context of the song and the way the next line is sung (with a sexual connotation), it is more likely that Zappa is poking fun at the woman's single-mindedness when it comes to pursuing rock stars.
Look out, she's got her eyes on you
This line is a warning to men - the woman is a predator and they should watch out. It's also sung in a humorous way that further emphasizes the absurdity of the situation.
She left her place after midnight
This line sets the stage for the rest of the song - the woman is sneaking out of her house in the middle of the night to go find a musician to sleep with.
Came here lookin' for love
This line is another example of Zappa's sarcasm - the woman isn't looking for love at all, just sex with famous men.
They want a guy from a group
The woman is after someone famous, not just any man. This line/melody is repeated throughout the song and emphasizes the woman's obsession.
If his dick is a monster
This line is a commentary on the myth that famous men have larger penises than average. The woman doesn't really care about this, but she feels like she has to if she wants to fit in with other groupies. The line pokes fun at the idea that fame automatically makes someone more attractive.
They will give him their hearts
The woman and her partner will commit themselves fully to any musician they deem worthy. The line is also a reference to the way fans idolize musicians and can't help but give them everything they have.
Awright, you got 'em screamin' all night
The woman and her partner finally find a musician they want to sleep with, and this line is Zappa's way of saying that the women were successful in their hunt. It's also another comment on the fan-musician relationship - fans will scream and yell for hours on end just to be near their idols, no matter how little they actually interact with them.
It's a bentley!/It's a cooper!/It's a chevy!/Or a lincoln!/['cause they're dancin'!]
These lines are again repeated throughout the song and represent the woman's obsession with material things. She wants to show off her wealth and her new car(s) to anyone who will listen. The final phrase, ['cause they're dancin'!], could be interpreted as a sarcastic comment on the frivolity of dancing or as a celebration of how the women were able to successfully play the game and get what they wanted.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Geoff Morrison
This man will never realise how much joy he has brought to my life. Just endless hours of going, "Awe man, I fuckin' love this song!" This track has the same immediacy as, "No, not now". This one'll be on repeat on the ole boom box for some weeks to come. Thanks again Papa Frank :)
Nucleus Medical Media
Awesomeness.
mike morrison
I love this song more than last time.
K August
Why wasn't this a top-ten hit? Oh, wait: he was telling the truth. Great melodies and just a criminally-underrated song.
Dan Razzell
All I can think is how much FUN it would have been to record this! It's nothing but stylish tasty little hooks fitted seamlessly together.
Bendage
seriously. the whole song is exactly that lol. how the fuck was this looked over?
Circuit7Active
Possibly my favorite song on this album...many great memories from 72
John Guilfoil
My dad yelled at me for singing " do it do it ya wanna wanna do it do it". (Those were the days)
johnbidochka
Likely the last in Zappa's catalogue to be remixed, you can really hear how great of a drummer Aynsley Dunbar is, such a great sound, and now totally clear and listenable. Did not care for the sound of the original vinyl.
Zoot Marimba
God do I love this song!