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.
Holiday In Berlin Full-Blown
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ian underwood (alto saxophone, piano)
Bunk gardner (tenor saxophone, clarinet)
Motorhead sherwood (baritone saxophone, tambourine)
Roy estrada (bass, vocals)
Don preston (electric piano)
Arthur tripp (drums, percussion)
Jimmy carl black (drums)
(roy sings melody)
All:
Boooooh
Frank Zappa's Holiday in Berlin is a satirical take on the culture clash between Americans and Germans. The song starts out with Roy Estrada singing the melody while the rest of the band boos in the background. The lyrics are filled with exaggerated stereotypes about Germans such as their love for opulence and attention to detail in their automobiles. Zappa's lyrics also poke fun at American tourists who are ignorant of the historical significance of Berlin.
The chorus "Holiday in Berlin, on the way to the airport bar" suggests the song is about a group of tourists who are more interested in drinking and partying than experiencing the rich culture of Berlin. The song's bridge features a spoken word section that criticizes the superficiality of American culture, citing the commercialization of Christmas and the objectification of women as examples. The song ends with a chaotic orchestral outro.
Holiday in Berlin is a testament to Zappa's razor-sharp wit and his unique ability to point out the absurdities of modern society through his music. The song's humor is still relevant today and remains a classic example of Zappa's unrelenting satire.
Line by Line Meaning
Boooooh
The song begins with the sound of booing, possibly indicating that the audience or the band members themselves were not pleased with the performance.
Vacation in a foreign land, Uncle Sam does the best he can.
The song talks about taking a vacation in a foreign land during the month of May. The mention of Uncle Sam implies that the singer is an American who appreciates his country's efforts to provide him with this opportunity.
You're in the army now, Oh-oo-oh you're in the army, now.
These lines could be interpreted in two different ways. One possibility is that the singer is mocking the idea of vacationing in a foreign land, comparing it to being in the army. The other possibility is that the singer is sarcastically acknowledging the fact that going on vacation during May entailed being drafted into the army.
If you're sad and kind of lonely, And you've got someplace to go, I'll not be mad or get upset
These lines seem to offer comfort to someone who is feeling sad and lonely, but they could also be interpreted as a way of saying that the artist doesn't want anyone else to interfere with his plans.
Did you ever, hear the story, That happened not long ago, 'bout the man with a tan, Elusive Joe
The artist is asking if anyone has heard a story about a man called Elusive Joe, who apparently had a tan. This could be a reference to a real-life person or an invention of Zappa's imagination.
Two, three, four, Can I have a little more? Five, six, seven, eight, Billy, Billy, don't be late.
These lines seem to be a random assortment of counting and rhyming words that may not have any significant meaning. However, they could also be interpreted as indicating a sense of urgency or impatience, perhaps to get back to the vacation.
Sixty-nine, well it was fine, It's kind of groovy, Joe says it's snappy,The rest of the world knows it's a doozy.
These lines could be interpreted as a reference to the sexual position known as '69', which the singer seems to think was enjoyable. However, the last line suggests that the rest of the world knows better and that the experience was not as great as it seemed to Joe.
Billy, Billy, you're all right, You're all right, you're all right.
The repetition of the phrase 'you're all right' seems to imply that the artist is trying to convince Billy that everything is fine and that he doesn't need to worry about anything.
Through the looking glass, Alice wore a brand new dress.
These lines could be interpreted as a reference to Lewis Carroll's famous novel 'Through the Looking Glass', in which the character of Alice wears a new dress. However, the artist may be using this reference to comment on the superficiality or inauthenticity of the experiences he has had during his vacation.
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust.
These lines seem to be a criticism of the phenomenon of Beatlemania, which the artist suggests was inauthentic or 'phony'. The fact that he says that it has 'bitten the dust' implies that it is no longer relevant or important.
Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.
These lines are pulled from a vintage Winston cigarette advertisement, which the singer seems to be reciting. This random inclusion may be a commentary on the way that advertising infiltrates every aspect of our lives.
Holiday in Berlin, It's the end of the chase.
The song concludes with the declaration that the vacation in Berlin has now come to a close. The line 'it's the end of the chase' suggests that the experience was perhaps not a relaxing or enjoyable one, but rather a stressful and exhausting one.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind