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.
It Just Might Be A One-Shot Deal
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A--with his satchel in his hand,
Then he reach in the front
And dump a mile of sand
Across the rug, along the hall
Up to the umbrella stand
That you've been watchin' all the time
Watchin' all the time
And if a forest grows up
From the dirt on the floor,
That the frog with the satchel
Had just dumped beside the door
You're just startin' to get worried,
You ain't going out no more
And it's confusin' to your mind--
Just consider this:
You can be scared when it gets too real
You can be scared when it gets too real
But you should be diggin' it
While it's happening
(Yes! You should be diggin' it while it's happening!)
'Cause it just might be a one-shot deal
You can be lost
And you can wanna be found
But keep an eye on that frog
Whenever he jump around
Just keep a--watchin' him
You oughta be watchin' him
Just keep a--watchin' him
You wanna be askin' him
(And see if he's brought along a little bag for you, rant!)
The lyrics of Frank Zappa's song "It Just Might Be A One-Shot Deal" are quite cryptic and difficult to interpret. The song describes a strange and surreal scenario where a frog appears with a satchel in his hand and dumps sand all over the rug and the hall, leading to the growth of a forest. The lyrics suggest that this scenario might be confusing and overwhelming, but it is also a unique and one-time experience that should be savored.
The song's first verse describes the frog's actions in detail, but the meaning behind it is left unclear. The second verse brings up the issue of being lost and wanting to be found, but it ultimately circles back to the frog and the need to keep watching him. The chorus advises the listener to enjoy the experience, even if it is scary or confusing, because it may only happen once.
There are many potential interpretations of this enigmatic song, but one possible explanation is that it reflects Zappa's belief in the importance of living in the moment and embracing the unexpected. The frog and the forest may symbolize the unpredictable and bizarre events that can occur in life, which can be frightening but also exhilarating.
Line by Line Meaning
If the froggy come up
If unexpected events occur
A--with his satchel in his hand,
Carrying baggage or added responsibility
Then he reach in the front
Jumping into action
And dump a mile of sand
Making a mess
Across the rug, along the hall
Creating chaos
Up to the umbrella stand
Going above and beyond
That you've been watchin' all the time
Oblivious of what's happening
And if a forest grows up
If things become more complicated
From the dirt on the floor,
From small beginnings
That the frog with the satchel
For which unexpected events are responsible
Had just dumped beside the door
Created by an unplanned event
You're just startin' to get worried,
Feeling anxious
You ain't going out no more
Afraid to face the situation
And it's confusin' to your mind--
Causing mental turmoil
Just consider this:
Think about this
You can be scared when it gets too real
It's okay to feel scared when things get intense
You should be diggin' it
You should embrace it
While it's happening
As it unfolds
(Yes! You should be diggin' it while it's happening!)
(Emphasizing the importance of embracing the moment)
'Cause it just might be a one-shot deal
Because it could be a unique opportunity
You can be lost
Feeling disoriented
And you can wanna be found
Wanting to find direction
But keep an eye on that frog
Pay attention to unexpected events
Whenever he jump around
Whenever things get chaotic
Just keep a--watchin' him
Stay aware of the situation
You oughta be watchin' him
It's important to stay vigilant
Just keep a--watchin' him
Emphasizing the importance of staying aware
You wanna be askin' him
Questioning what's happening
(And see if he's brought along a little bag for you, rant!)
(A tongue-in-cheek remark, implying that the unexpected situation might bring something good)
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Vincent Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind