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.
Find Her Finer
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
If you should see a girl on the street
Now maybe you might think she is sweet
But if you wanna tickle her treat
(Rat-tat-tat-tat ta-da!)
Don't never let her know you are smart
The universe is no place to start
You gotta play it straight from the heart
She gwine renunciate you
(That's why you gotta)
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Now maybe you might think this is crude
And maybe you might think I am rude
And maybe this approach I have spewed
Is not the one for you
(Rat-tat-tat-tat ta-da!)
But believe me later on you'll find
As you impress her with your mind
That you would just be left behind
For a wiser fool
(So you might as well)
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
"Find Her Finer" is a song by Frank Zappa from his 1976 album Zoot Allures. The song is a satirical commentary on the male-female dynamic, particularly the idea of using tricks and manipulation to get what you want from women. Zappa's lyrics are intentionally crude and provocative, and they challenge traditional gender roles and power dynamics.
The opening lines of the song, "Find her finer, sneak up behind her, wrapped like a mummy 'til you finally unwind her," suggest that the best way to approach a woman is to be sneaky and manipulative. The song then goes on to suggest that men should act dumb and clueless in order to get women to lower their guard and reveal their true desires. However, the final verse of the song suggests that this approach is ultimately self-defeating, as women will eventually see through the facade and reject men who are not genuinely interested in them.
Zappa's lyrics are accompanied by a funky, up-tempo groove that underscores the playful, irreverent tone of the song. The rhythm section lays down a tight, syncopated beat, while Zappa's guitar work adds a jazzy, improvisational flavor to the song. The result is a catchy, fun-loving song that invites listeners to dance and sing along, even as it challenges traditional gender roles and expectations.
Overall, "Find Her Finer" is a clever and satirical take on male-female relationships, using humor and wit to subvert traditional gender dynamics and challenge listeners to think critically about their own assumptions and biases.
Line by Line Meaning
Find her finer, sneak up behind her
Search for a woman who is more attractive than the average, and approach her from behind
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Take slow, deliberate steps in winning her affections
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Find out who or what shaped her preferences in men
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Pretend to be naive in order to lower her defenses and make her fall for you
If you should see a girl on the street
If you notice a woman and want to get her attention
Now maybe you might think she is sweet
You might find her attractive and charming
But if you wanna tickle her treat
If you want to impress her and win her over
Now really, what should you do? (Rat-tat-tat-tat ta-da!)
What approach should you take? (Sound effect)
Don't never let her know you are smart
Don't let her know that you are more intelligent than she is
The universe is no place to start
The larger scope of life should not be the topic of your initial conversations with her
You gotta play it straight from the heart
Be genuine and sincere with your emotions
She gwine renunciate you (That's why you gotta)
She will reject you if you are not authentic (hence, why it is important to be genuine)
Now maybe you might think this is crude
You might find this approach to be unethical or distasteful
And maybe you might think I am rude
You might view this song as impolite
And maybe this approach I have spewed
This might sound unpleasant to you
Is not the one for you (Rat-tat-tat-tat ta-da!)
If you are uncomfortable with this method, what other approach do you have? (Sound effect)
But believe me later on you'll find
Trust me, in the end, you will realize
As you impress her with your mind
As you captivate her with your intelligence and wit
That you would just be left behind
You will ultimately be ignored or outsmarted
For a wiser fool
By someone who is more clever or cunning than you
(So you might as well) Find her finer, sneak up behind her
(Therefore, it is better to) Look for someone more attractive than the average, and approach her from behind
Wrapped like a mummy 'till you finally unwind her
Take your time in winning her affections
Find her blinder, see who designed her
Explore what has made her willing to be attracted to someone
Act like a dummy 'till you finally grind her
Over time, gradually drop the act of being foolish so that her defenses wear down and she falls for you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DaWiredChristian
Zappa should've gotten a Grammy in comedy!
Voigaaas
👍
Tobias Cree
really dyno song
Primitive In The Extreme
🎧▶🎶🎸
Ethan Hernandez
🎉