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.
Lemme Take You To The Beach
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Frank zappa (guitar, vocals)
Eddie jobson (keyboards, yodeling)
Max bennet (bass)
Paul humphrey (drums)
Don brewer (bongos)
Lemme take you to the beach
Lemme take you to the beach
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lahhh
Bring the weenies
I'll bring the soft drinks
And the cookies
Everybody's in love!
Lemme take you to a show
Wo-wo-wo -wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo
Lemme take you to a show
Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo~wo-wohhh
Eat a candy!
You are dandy!
Can I kiss you?
Maybe I'll just hold your hand-eeee!
Lemme take you to the beach again
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Lemme take you to the beach again
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lahhh
At the freak out
Later we'll peak out
You're on restriction
So you'll probably speak out!
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's song "Lemme Take You To The Beach" are playful and evocative of a fun and carefree day at the beach. The singer, Davy Moire, invites the listener to come along with him to the beach, promising to bring weenies, soft drinks, and cookies. He also suggests going to a show and eating candy together. The lyrics suggest a romantic interest, with the singer asking if he can kiss the listener or hold their hand.
However, there is also a darker undertone to the lyrics. The line "At the freak out, later we'll peak out" could refer to psychedelic drugs and the potential for a bad trip or overdose. The line "You're on restriction, so you'll probably speak out" could suggest a rebellious and possibly dangerous attitude.
Overall, the lyrics to "Lemme Take You To The Beach" are a mix of fun and danger, with a seductive invitation to join in a carefree day at the beach but with hints of risky behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Lemme take you to the beach
Let me take you to the sea shore
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Humming sound
Bring the weenies
Bring hot dogs
I'll bring the soft drinks
I will bring the non-alcoholic beverages
And the cookies
Also bring some cookies
Everybody's in love!
Everyone here is romantically involved
Lemme take you to a show
Let me take you to a concert
Wo-wo-wo -wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo
A sound used to show excitement
Eat a candy!
Eat a candy piece
You are dandy!
You are excellent/great
Can I kiss you?
May I kiss you?
Maybe I'll just hold your hand-eeee!
Perhaps I will only hold your hand.
Lemme take you to the beach again
Let me take you back to the sea shore
At the freak out
During the crowd frenzy
Later we'll peak out
Later we'll observe covertly from a distance
You're on restriction
You are under some sort of limitation/punishment
So you'll probably speak out!
Therefore, you might unwittingly reveal some things.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Zimmerli
Frank Zappa has been dead for more than 23 years, and yet he remains the most interesting and entertaining composer/musician/performer of his generation (at least to my ears). It's a shame that he's not still with us. I never grow tired of listening to Mr. Zappa's vast and eclectic body of work.
Zillacello
Like I always say: "I'm sad we no longer have him, but I'm glad that we had him."
Such a deep and impressive catalogue.
Putrid Abomination
@Lucas Pistone Nice 🤘
Lucas Pistone
@Putrid Abomination I've been on a slow Zappa burn for 25 years, and i'm just discovering Studio Tan😁. My firsts were WakaJawaka and Sheik Yerbouti. So much to discover, I've been buying Mothers vinyl lately.
me & you
Thank go i still have Ian Anderson- Frank i miss you , you & Lennon and Garcia also Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly & Jerry Lee Lewis and 100 others COME BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And please god make Ray Davis young again like 22 years old so he can start writing songs again !!!
Jon Sills
Love This Song !
illis vellamäe
Awesomely fun piece. Studio Tan only had 4 tracks, but this and especially the fantastic RDNZL are real keepers.
TarantuLando CalCuLingus
you forgot two songs my dude
ixenakis
The diversity of zappa's music is amazing.
Bozo1360
This whole LP kicks ass!