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.
I promise not to cum in your mouth
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Ray white (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Eddie jobson (keyboards, violin, vocals)
Patrick o'hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ruth underwood (percussion, synthesizer)
Don pardo (vocals)
David samuels (vibes)
Mike brecker (tenor saxophone, flute)
Lou marini (alto saxophone, flute)
Ronnie cuber (baritone saxophone, clarinet)
Tom malone (trombone, trumpet, piccolo)
John bergamo (percussion over-dub)
Ed mann (percussion over-dub)
Louanne neil (osmotic harp over-dub)
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
She used to knock me out
Until her face broke out
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
She was my steady date
Until she put on weight
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na
Boogedy boogedy
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na
Na-na
Boogedy boogedy
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
There's a big dilemma
'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
She used to knock me out
Until her face broke out
She used to knock me out
Until her face broke out
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's song "I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth" are humorous and satirical, as is typical of much of Zappa's music. The song is about a woman named Emma, who Zappa refers to as "Big Leg Emma". Zappa sings about a "big dilemma" surrounding Emma, as there seems to be some confusion or conflict around her. He sings that she used to "knock him out" until her face broke out, and that she was his steady date until she put on weight. The repetition of the phrase "na-na-na-na" and the nonsensical use of the phrase "boogedy boogedy" further adds to the playful, almost childlike tone of the song.
Despite the seeming lightheartedness of the song, there are also darker undertones present. The way Zappa sings about Emma's weight gain comes across as fat-shaming, and the fact that she is referred to as "Big Leg Emma" suggests that her body is being objectified. Additionally, the repetition of the phrase "there's a big dilemma" implies confusion or disagreement about how to treat or handle Emma. Given Zappa's reputation for pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms, it is possible that these darker undertones were intentional and meant to highlight societal issues around body shaming and objectification.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a big dilemma 'bout my big leg emma, uh-huh, oh yeah
I'm facing a big problem with my girlfriend Emma and her larger leg size.
She used to knock me out until her face broke out
I used to find Emma attractive until she developed a facial blemish.
She was my steady date until she put on weight
Emma was my regular companion until she gained weight.
Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na Boogedy boogedy
This section is nonsensical and has no particular meaning.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind