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.
Debra Kadabra
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Captain beefheart (harp, vocals)
George duke (keyboards, vocals)
Napoleon murphy brock (saxophone, vocals)
Bruce fowler (trombone)
Tom fowler (bass)
Denny walley (slide guitar, vocals)
Terry bozzio (drums)
Debra kadabra, say she's a witch,
Shit-ass charlotte, ain't that a bitch?
Debra kadabra, haw that's rich.
June, a rancho granny,
Shook her wrinkled fanny
Shoes are too tight and pointed
Ankles sorta puffin' out
Cause me to shout:
Oh debra algebra ebneezra kadabra
Witch goddess, witch goddess of lankershim boulevard.
Cover my entire bodice, with avon cologna.
And drive me to some relative's house, in east l.a. (foogadah! ? )
(just till my skin clears up)
Turn it to channel thirteen,
And maybe watch the rubber tongue, when it comes out
From the puffed, and flanulent mexican rubbergoods mask.
Next time they show the brnokka
Make me buy the flosser.
Make me grow brainiac fingers.
But with more hair!
(but with more hair)
Make me kiss your turquoise jewelry.
Emboss me.
Rub the hot front part of my head,
With rented unguents
Give me bas relief!
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it.
If she casts a spell my way,
I promise to go under it.
If she casts a spell my way,
I promise to go under it.
Oh, hear this!
Learn the pachuco hop, and let me twirl you!
Learn the pachuco hop, and let me twirl you!
Oh debra fauntleroy magnesium kadabra! take me with you!
Don't you want any a these?
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's "Debra Kadabra" are a playful and nonsensical exploration of the absurd. The song appears to be about a woman named Debra Kadabra who is purportedly a witch. The singer mocks another woman named Charlotte, whom he refers to as a "shit-ass," and then praises Debra, noting that she is "rich." There are references to other characters, such as June a Rancho Granny, whose wrinkled fanny is shaken. The singer then exclaims about his feet hurting due to tight shoes, which leads him to shout in a playful manner.
The chorus of the song consists of a repeated refrain of "Oh Debra Algebra Ebneezra Kadabra, Witch goddess, witch goddess of Lankershim Boulevard." This phrase appears to be a nonsensical chant that celebrates Debra's supposed magical powers. The lyrics continue with more absurd imagery, such as watching a rubber tongue come out of a Mexican rubber goods mask on Channel 13, and a desire to have "brainiac fingers" with more hair. The final section of the song involves an invitation to "Learn the pachuco hop" and a plea to "take me with you."
Overall, the lyrics to "Debra Kadabra" are a fun and whimsical exploration of the absurd. The song seems to be a celebration of the magic and mystery of life, with Debra's supposed witchcraft serving as a symbol of this playful enchantment.
Line by Line Meaning
Debra kadabra, say she's a witch,
Introducing Debra Kadabra and rumors that she's a witch.
Shit-ass charlotte, ain't that a bitch?
Mentioning another woman named Charlotte in a negative light.
Debra kadabra, haw that's rich.
Commenting on the irony of Debra Kadabra's supposed witchcraft.
June, a rancho granny, shook her wrinkled fanny
Describing a woman named June who is dancing.
Shoes are too tight and pointed Ankle's sorta puffin' out Cause me to shout:
Noticing that someone's shoes don't fit well and are causing discomfort.
Oh debra algebra ebneezra kadabra Witch goddess, witch goddess of lankershim boulevard. Cover my entire bodice, with avon cologna.
Praising Debra Kadabra as a witch and asking her to bless him with Avon cologne.
And drive me to some relative's house, in east l.a. (foogadah! ?) (just till my skin clears up)
Asking Debra Kadabra to take him to a relative's house in East L.A. until his skin clears up.
Turn it to channel thirteen, And maybe watch the rubber tongue, when it comes out From the puffed, and flanulent mexican rubbergoods mask.
Suggesting that they watch a certain TV channel and focus on a specific rubber tongue masked performer.
Next time they show the brnokka, Make me buy the flosser.
Asking to buy a flosser when seeing a product called brnokka on TV.
Make me grow brainiac fingers. But with more hair! (but with more hair)
Asking to have more hair on his fingers if they grow to be brainiacs.
Make me kiss your turquoise jewelry. Emboss me. Rub the hot front part of my head, With rented unguents
Asking Debra Kadabra to kiss her turquoise jewelry and to rub unguents on his head.
Give me bas relief!
Requesting bas relief, which is a type of decorative raised surface art.
Cast your dancing spell my way I promise to go under it. If she casts a spell my way, I promise to go under it. If she casts a spell my way, I promise to go under it.
Asking Debra Kadabra to cast a dancing spell on him and promising to accept it.
Oh, hear this!
Calling attention to the upcoming request or statement.
Learn the pachuco hop, and let me twirl you!
Asking to dance the pachuco hop together.
Oh debra fauntleroy magnesium kadabra! take me with you!
Requesting to go with Debra Kadabra, using a variation of her name.
Don't you want any a these?
Asking Debra Kadabra if she wants any of what he's offering.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Vincent Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind