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.
Dancing Fool
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's why I got this song
One of my legs is shorter than the other
N' both my feet's too long
'Course now right along with 'em
I got no natural rhythm
But I go dancin' every night
Hopin' one day I might get it right
Dancin' fool
I hear that beat; I jump outa my seat,
But I can't compete, 'cause I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
I walk on in 'n' see 'em there
Gonna give them all a thrill
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide, I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
The beat goes on
And I'm so wrong
The beat goes on
And I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
The beat goes on 'n' I'm so wrong
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Youwsa, youwsa, youwsa
I got it all together now
With my very own disco clothes, hey!
My shirt's half open, t'show you my chains
N' the spoon for up my nose
I am really somethin'
That's what you'd prob'ly say
So smoke your little smoke
Drink your little drink
While I dance the night away, I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool,
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
Fool-uh!
Hey darlin', can I buy ya a drink?
Lookin' for mister goodbar? here he is
Wait a minute, I've got it, you're an italian!
Hah?
Yer Jewish?
Love your nails, you must be a libra
Your place or mine?
"Dancin' Fool" is a song written by Frank Zappa, and featured on his album "Sheik Yerbouti". The song is a satire on the disco craze that was popular in America in the late 70s. In the song, the singer describes himself as a terrible dancer, but someone who loves to dance nonetheless. He mocks the disco culture, including the people who dress up to go out to the clubs, and the "disco clothes" he wears himself.
The first verse sets the stage for the song, and provides a humorous introduction to the singer. He explains that he doesn't know much about dancing, which is why he's written this song. He hilariously adds that one of his legs is shorter than the other, and that both of his feet are too long. He acknowledges that he has no natural rhythm, but he still goes dancing every night, hoping that one day he will get it right. He affectionately refers to himself as a "dancin' fool".
In the second verse, he describes going to a disco club and observing the other patrons. He notes that they are all dressed up and ready to party, but when he shows up, they all step aside. He jokes that he commits his own social suicide by daring to dance in public. The chorus repeats, emphasizing his love for dancing despite his lack of ability.
The third verse takes a turn towards the absurd, as the singer describes himself as having "got it all together now, with my very own disco clothes". He boasts about his shirt being half-open to show off his chains, and references a spoon for cocaine use. He ends the verse by encouraging others to smoke and drink while he dances the night away.
Overall, "Dancin' Fool" is a hilarious satire of the disco culture that was popular in America in the late 70s. It pokes fun at the people who took it all too seriously, and celebrates the joy of dancing, even if you're not very good at it.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know much about dancin'
I am not skilled in dancing
That's why I got this song
I wrote this song about my lack of dancing skills
One of my legs is shorter than the other
I have a physical anomaly that affects my dancing ability
N' both my feet's too long
My physical anomaly also affects my feet
'Course now right along with 'em
In addition, I also lack natural rhythm
I got no natural rhythm
I am not innately gifted with a sense of rhythm
But I go dancin' every night
Despite my lack of skills, I try to dance every night
Hopin' one day I might get it right
I hope that with enough practice, I can improve my dancing
I'm a dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
I may not be good, but I love dancing
I hear that beat; I jump outa my seat,
When I hear music, I can't help but dance
But I can't compete, 'cause I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Even though I like dancing, I acknowledge my lack of skills
The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
People at the disco put a lot of effort into their appearance
I walk on in 'n' see 'em there
Gonna give them all a thrill
I enter the scene with a desire to impress
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
People move out of my way when they see me dance
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide, I'm a
The onlookers are dismayed by my poor dancing skills
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
I am aware that my skills are lacking
The beat goes on
And I'm so wrong
The music continues and I can't keep up
I may be totally wrong, but I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Even though I am not good at dancing, I enjoy it anyway
Youwsa, youwsa, youwsa
An exclamation of excitement or approval
I got it all together now
With my very own disco clothes, hey!
I have the right outfit and look to match the disco scene
My shirt's half open, t'show you my chains
N' the spoon for up my nose
I show off my style and accessories, including drug use
I am really somethin'
That's what you'd prob'ly say
I try to appear confident and cool
So smoke your little smoke
Drink your little drink
I encourage others to partake in drug and alcohol use
While I dance the night away, I'm a
Dancin' fool, I'm a
Dancin' fool
I am still not good at dancing, but I enjoy the scene
Fool-uh!
Self-deprecating tag at the end of the song
Hey darlin', can I buy ya a drink?
Lookin' for mister goodbar? here he is
A pick-up line and flirty statement to a potential love interest
Wait a minute, I've got it, you're an italian!
Hah?
Yer Jewish?
Love your nails, you must be a libra
Your place or mine?
More pick-up lines and flirtation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thankmargordon2329
One, two, three, four
I don't know much about dancin'
That's why I got this song
One of my legs is shorter than the other
And both my feet's too long
'Course now right along with 'em
I got no natural rhythm
But I go dancin' every night
Hopin' one day I might get it right
I'm a dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
I hear that beat, I jump outa my seat
But I can't compete, 'cause I'm a
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
I walk on in and see 'em there
I walk on in and see 'em there
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
(Wrong)
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
(Wrong)
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
I may be totally wrong
Dancin' fool
I may be totally wrong
Dancin' fool
I got it all together now
With my very own disco clothes, hey
My shirt's half open, just to show you my chain
And the spoon for up my nose
I am really somethin'
That's what you'd probably say
So smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink
While I dance the night away
I'm a dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
He's a dancin' fool
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a fool, yeah
Say darlin', can I buy ya a drink?
Are you waitin' for Mister Goodbar?
Well, here he is
Wait a minute, I've got it
You're an Italian
You're Jewish?
Love your nails
You must be a Libra
Source: Musixmatch
@WDH59510
You're welcome ...
One, two, three, four
I don't know much about dancin'
That's why I got this song
One of my legs is shorter than the other
And both my feet's too long
'Course now right along with 'em
I got no natural rhythm
But I go dancin' every night
Hopin' one day I might get it right
I'm a dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
I hear that beat, I jump outa my seat
But I can't compete, 'cause I'm a
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
The disco folks all dressed up
Like they's fit to kill
I walk on in and see 'em there
I walk on in and see 'em there
When they see me comin'
They all steps aside
They has a fit while I commit
My social suicide, I'm a
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
(Wrong)
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
(Wrong)
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
The beat goes on and I'm so wrong
I may be totally wrong
Dancin' fool
I may be totally wrong
Dancin' fool
I got it all together now
With my very own disco clothes, hey
My shirt's half open, just to show you my chain
And the spoon for up my nose
I am really somethin'
That's what you'd probably say
So smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink
While I dance the night away
I'm a dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
Dancin' fool (dancin' fool)
Dancin' fool
He's a dancin' fool
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a
I may be totally wrong but I'm a fool, yeah
Say darlin', can I buy ya a drink?
Are you waitin' for Mister Goodbar?
Well, here he is
Wait a minute, I've got it
You're an Italian
You're Jewish?
Love your nails
You must be a Libra
@QuimBeelivingstone
I will forever be thankful for my dad telling me all about frank when I was a kid. Best dad ever!
@psilocybemusashi
hahaha nice. most younger generation doesn't want to learn anything from the previous generation. i thought the media had you all convinced we are neanderthals. but of course it doesn't make any sense because if that were true what does it mean they are?
@JonathanNelsonOfficial
Raising my five kids on Frank as we speak!
@bravesfan714
Same. My dad and I aren't super close or anything, but I will always be grateful he introduced me to the best of all time. Zappa's music is timeless, and my son will hear it too.
@bennyhillschineseblokechar3689
I am regularly trying to explain the magnificent delights of Z∆pp∆ to friends and acquaintances, with very limited success , the fools!!
@coopersrabbit
Me too
@heidismith2824
I sought this tune after about 40 years, I remember it from being in my teens, my gosh, it's absolutely genius. Didn't appreciate Frank Zappa at the time ❤
@PrimitiveInTheExtreme
What a wonderful song, the space synthesisers are magic!
@bodhisattva71
Greatest song to get stuck in your head!
@SpiritGirlSF
Was a dancin' fool when this song came out, am still a dancin' fool. ❤❤💃💃💃💃💃💃💃❤❤