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.
Handsome Cabin Boy
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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[Apostolic Studios, NYC
December, 1967-February, 1968
FZ guitar, bass
Art Tripp marimba, vibes
Don Preston keyboards
In Frank Zappa's Wedding Dress Song, the lyrics are a cynical commentary on the societal expectations of women to get married and wear a wedding dress. Zappa is essentially mocking the entire institution of marriage, suggesting that it's all just for show and doesn't really mean anything. The opening lines, "Go ahead and get married, dressin' up in white/ Once you get married, everything'll be all right," set the tone for the rest of the song. Zappa is suggesting that getting married won't actually solve any problems or bring true happiness; it's just something that society expects of women.
As the song continues, Zappa's lyrics become increasingly absurd - "A pox upon the bridal house and a plague upon the groom" - and he even throws in references to Biblical stories like the one about Lot and his wife turning into a pillar of salt. All of this adds up to a scathing critique of societal norms and expectations, particularly for women. Zappa seems to be saying that getting married and conforming to these expectations won't actually bring happiness, and instead can be harmful.
Line by Line Meaning
Father, father, I need to confess
Dear Father, I need to reveal something to you.
You're not gonna like it, I'm under duress
I have bad news to tell you, and you won't be happy about it. But I'm being forced to say it.
I was down in the lab, late last night
I was in the laboratory last night, even after hours.
And I saw the most horrible sight
I witnessed something very disturbing and unpleasant.
My wedding dress, it was all stained with red
My beautiful bridal gown was completely soaked in red, which can only be blood.
My wedding dress, it was all stained with red
Once again, I repeat that my wedding dress was drenched in blood, which is not a good sign regarding my upcoming nuptials.
I asked my friends, they all laughed through their tears
I sought advice from my pals, but instead of offering genuine support or sympathy, they just laughed while crying at the horrible revelation.
And whispered as I to told them to the fear
They didn't want to be heard, so they spoke softly when responding to my plea for comfort.
'Don't worry, dear, it's been a bloody good year'
To calm me down, they said, 'It's okay; this has been a great year for us, despite the blood-stained wedding dress.'
Then I recognized, oh, flesh on the floor
Suddenly, it dawned on me that there was flesh from a human body lying on the ground.
And then my mind went dead, oh, because I saw
At this point, I was so frightened and disgusted that my brain stopped working because of what I had seen.
The wedding gown that I shall wear
The bridal dress I plan to wear on my big day.
This accursed shroud, the curse that we both bear
This garment is like a cursed blanket that we both have to endure the bad fate because we will be united in holy matrimony.
So, father, pity the monster, and forgive the girl
Therefore, Father, have compassion on the creature who committed this gruesome crime, and show mercy to the young woman who confesses to it.
For you know that it wasn't in my world
I hope you understand that this violence was never part of my life or desires.
It wasn't in my world.
Once again, I reiterate that this sort of thing doesn't happen often in my world.
Contributed by Audrey G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.