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.
Dinah‐Moe Humm
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn't say where she's coming from
But I just met a lady named dinah-moe
She stroll on over, say look here, bum
I got a forty dollar bill say you can't make me cum
She made a bet with her sister who's a little dumb
She could prove it any time all men was scum
But I knew right away she was really gonna cum (so I got down to it)
I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb and applied rotation on her sugar plum
I poked and stroked till my wrist got numb
But I still didn't hear no dinah-moe
[Chorus]
Dinah-moe humm
Dinah-moe humm
Dinah-moe humm
Where this dinah-moe coming from
Done spent three hours
An' I ain't got a crumb
From the dinah-moe,
Dinah-moe,
Dinah-moe
From the dinah-moe humm
I got a spot that gets me hot
But you ain't been to it
I got a spot that gets me hot
But you ain't been to it
I got a spot that gets me hot
But you ain't been to it
I got a spot that gets me hot
But you ain't been to it
Cause I can't get into it
Unless I get out of it
And I gotta get out of it
Before I get into it
Cause I never get into it
Unless I get out of it
An' I gotta be out of it
To get myself into it
Just get me wasted
And you're half-way there
Cause if my mind's tore up
Then my body don't care
I rubbed my chinny-chin-chin
An' said my-my-my
What sort of thing
Might this lady get high upon?
I checked out her sister
Who was holding the bet
And wondered what kind of trip
The young lady was on
The forty dollar bill didn't matter no more
When her sister got naked and laid on the floor
She said dinah-moe might win the bet
But she could use a little if I wasn't done yet I told her...
Just because the sun
Want a place in the sky
No reason to assume
I wouldn't give her a try
So I pulled on her hair
Got her legs in the air
And asked if she had any cooties on there
She was buns-up kneeling
Buns up!
I was wheeling an dealing
Wheeling and dealing an
She surrendered to the feeling
She sweetly surrendered
An' she started in to squealing
Dinah-moe watched from the edge of the bed
With her lips just a-twitching an' her face gone red
Some drool rolling down
From the edge of her chin
While she spied the condition
Her sister was in
She quivered and quaked
And clutched at herself
While her sister made a joke
About her mental health
Till dinah-moe finally
Did give in
But I told her
All she really needed
Was some discipline...
Kiss my aura...
Dora...
M-m-m...
It's real angora
Would y'all like some more-a?
Right here on the flora?
An' how 'bout you, fauna?
Why want to?
Mmm...sound like why might be choking on something did you say you want some more?
Well, here's some more...
Mmm, sure...listen
Do you think I could interest you
In a pair of zircon-encrusted tweezers? mmm...tweezers!
Here, lemme sterilize 'em...
Gimme your lighter...
I couldn't say where she's coming' from
But I just met a lady named dinah-moe
She stroll on over, say look here, bum
I got a forty dollar bill say you can't make me cum
I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb an' applied rotation on her sugar plum
I poked and stroked till my wrist got numb
An' you know I heard some
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Frank Zappa's song "Dinah Moe Humm" describe a sexual encounter with a woman named Dinah-moe. The song is sung from a male perspective and consists of his attempts to pleasure her in various ways. The song's lyrics are playful and erotic, with a focus on the singer's experience and desire to please.
The lyrics suggest that Dinah-moe is a confident, assertive woman who makes a bet that the singer cannot make her orgasm. The singer takes up the challenge and attempts to pleasure her in various ways, including rubbing her "sugar plum" and pulling her hair. The song features a chorus of "Dinah-moe humm," which repeats throughout the song and reinforces the sensual and playful nature of the lyrics.
Overall, the song is a playful exploration of male-female dynamics and sexual desire. The lyrics are characterized by a sense of humor and absurdity, with lines like "I checked out her sister / Who was holding the bet / And wondered what kind of trip / The young lady was on." The song is one of Frank Zappa's most popular and recognizable works and is often performed live by various artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Dinah-moe
Introducing the main character of the song, Dinah Moe
I couldn't say where she's coming from
No knowledge of Dinah Moe's origin
But I just met a lady named dinah-moe
The singer has just met Dinah Moe
She stroll on over, say look here, bum
Dinah Moe approaches the singer and calls him a bum
I got a forty dollar bill say you can't make me cum
Dinah Moe challenges the singer to make her orgasm with a bet of $40
She made a bet with her sister who's a little dumb
Dinah Moe has a bet with her sister who may lack intelligence
She could prove it any time all men was scum
Dinah Moe feels that all men are worthless and she can prove it anytime
I don't mind that she called me a bum
The singer is not offended by Dinah Moe's insult
But I knew right away she was really gonna cum (so I got down to it)
The singer is confident that he can make Dinah Moe orgasm and starts performing sexual acts
I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb and applied rotation on her sugar plum
The singer removes Dinah Moe's underwear and stimulates her genitals with his thumb while rotating his hand
I poked and stroked till my wrist got numb
The singer continues to stimulate until he feels numbness in his wrist
But I still didn't hear no dinah-moe
Even after all the stimulation, Dinah Moe does not orgasm
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats the name Dinah Moe Humm
Where this dinah-moe coming from
The singer still wonders about Dinah Moe's origin
Done spent three hours
The singer has spent three hours trying to make Dinah Moe orgasm
An' I ain't got a crumb
The singer has not made any progress
From the dinah-moe, Dinah-moe, Dinah-moe from the dinah-moe humm
Repeating the name Dinah Moe humm
I got a spot that gets me hot But you ain't been to it
The singer has a sensitive spot that he enjoys, but Dinah Moe has not found it
Cause I can't get into it Unless I get out of it
The singer needs to be relaxed before he can fully enjoy himself
Just get me wasted And you're half-way there Cause if my mind's tore up Then my body don't care
The singer needs to be intoxicated to relax and get in the mood
I rubbed my chinny-chin-chin An' said my-my-my What sort of thing Might this lady get high upon?
The singer wonders what kind of drugs Dinah Moe is on
I checked out her sister Who was holding the bet And wondered what kind of trip The young lady was on
The singer also wonders about Dinah Moe's sister and her involvement in the bet
The forty dollar bill didn't matter no more When her sister got naked and laid on the floor
The money no longer matters when Dinah Moe's sister gets naked and offers herself to the singer
She said dinah-moe might win the bet But she could use a little if I wasn't done yet I told her...
Dinah Moe's sister suggests that Dinah Moe might still win the bet, but the singer declines
Just because the sun Want a place in the sky No reason to assume I wouldn't give her a try
The singer agrees to have sex with Dinah Moe's sister despite her not being as attractive as Dinah Moe
So I pulled on her hair Got her legs in the air And asked if she had any cooties on there
The singer engages in sexual acts with Dinah Moe's sister and asks if she has any sexually transmitted infections
She was buns-up kneeling Buns up! I was wheeling an dealing Wheeling and dealing an She surrendered to the feeling She sweetly surrendered An' she started in to squealing
The singer and Dinah Moe's sister engage in sexual acts and she enjoys it
Dinah-moe watched from the edge of the bed With her lips just a-twitching an' her face gone red Some drool rolling down From the edge of her chin While she spied the condition Her sister was in
Dinah Moe watches her sister and the singer engage in sexual acts, while getting excited and drooling
She quivered and quaked And clutched at herself While her sister made a joke About her mental health
Dinah Moe's reaction to her sister engaging in sexual acts with the singer is to get nervous and clutch herself while her sister makes a joke about her mental state
Till dinah-moe finally Did give in But I told her All she really needed Was some discipline...
Dinah Moe finally gives in to the singer's advances, but he tells her that what she really needs is some discipline
Kiss my aura... Dora... M-m-m... It's real angora Would y'all like some more-a?
A nonsensical phrase by the singer
Right here on the flora? An' how 'bout you, fauna? Why want to? Mmm...sound like why might be choking on something did you say you want some more? Well, here's some more...
More nonsense from the singer
Mmm, sure...listen Do you think I could interest you In a pair of zircon-encrusted tweezers? mmm...tweezers! Here, lemme sterilize 'em... Gimme your lighter...
Even more nonsense from the singer
I couldn't say where she's coming' from But I just met a lady named dinah-moe She stroll on over, say look here, bum I got a forty dollar bill say you can't make me cum
The song repeats the same lines used to introduce Dinah Moe earlier in the song, essentially ending where it began
I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb an' applied rotation on her sugar plum I poked and stroked till my wrist got numb An' you know I heard some
The singer repeats the same sexual acts used on Dinah Moe earlier in the song, without any real resolution to the story
[Chorus]
The chorus, once again, repeats the name Dinah Moe Humm
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind