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.
Lonely Little Girl
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But your Mommy & your Daddy don't care
You're a lonely little girl
The things they say
Just hurt your heart
It's too late now
For them to start
The way you feel
The world for them
Is too unreal
So you're lonely, lonely, lonely,
Lonely little girl
You're lonely . . .
ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF
SYSTEMS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
Where did Annie go
When she went to town?
Who are all those creeps
That she brings around?
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE & THE GRAY
DESPAIR OF YOUR UGLY LIFE
ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF LIES . . .
Where did Annie go
When she went . . .
The lyrics of Frank Zappa's song Lonely Little Girl is a heartbreaking depiction of a young girl who is lonely despite having parents who provide for her material needs. It is a commentary on how the emotional needs of a child can be neglected, causing them to feel isolated and alone. The repetition of the line "You're a lonely little girl" shows the girl's deep-seated feelings of unhappiness and loneliness. However, her parents are oblivious to her emotional state and do not seem to care about her feelings.
The second part of the lyrics takes on a more socio-political tone, as Zappa comments on the plight of all children who are casualties of societal and systemic failings. The words "All your children are poor, unfortunate victims of systems beyond their control" highlights how many children are born into poverty, without any say in the matter. The line "A plague upon your ignorance and the gray despair of your ugly life" could refer to the government or those in power who make decisions that negatively impact the lives of children.
In the final verse, the song returns to the story of the lonely little girl, and the mention of Annie suggests that she is another young person who suffers neglect and emotional pain. The line "Who are all those creeps that she brings around?" may refer to the unsavory characters that Annie finds solace in because she feels unloved by her family. The song ends on a somber note with the words, "Where did Annie go when she went."
Line by Line Meaning
You're a lonely little girl
Addressing an individual who feels ignored and neglected by their parents and peers.
But your Mommy & your Daddy don't care
Despite being a little girl who wants love and attention, her parents do not care and tend to ignore her.
The things they say
The words spoken by her mother and father.
Just hurt your heart
Their words are painful and affect her emotionally.
It's too late now
It is too late to expect them to understand her feelings and come to terms with the reality.
For them to start
The chances of them starting to understand and empathize with her have now become even lesser.
To understand
To comprehend and empathize with her feelings and emotions.
The way you feel
The emotions and feelings experienced by the little girl.
The world for them
The parents' perception of the world.
Is too unreal
The little girl feels her parents are unaware and unrealistic about the world they live in.
So you're lonely, lonely, lonely, Lonely little girl You're lonely . . .
The loneliness experienced by the girl that affects her in many ways.
ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF SYSTEMS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
The societal and cultural factors that affect and victimize children.
Where did Annie go When she went to town? Who are all those creeps That she brings around?
A curious individual who wants to know more about the actions of Annie and the people she interacts with.
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE & THE GRAY DESPAIR OF YOUR UGLY LIFE ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF LIES . . .
A commentary on the ignorance and mistaken beliefs of society that victimize children and make their lives harder than necessary.
Where did Annie go When she went . . .
A continuation of the same inquisition about Annie's mysterious actions that need clarification.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind