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.
Love of My Life
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love of my life, don't ever go
I love you only
Love, love of my life
Stars in the sky they never lie
Tell me you need me, don't say goodbye
I love you only
Stars in the sky, they never lie
Tell me you need me, don't say goodbye
I love you darling, I love you only
Don't ever leave me
Don't make me, don't make me
Don't make me lonely
Love of my life, I love you so
Love of my life, don't ever go
I love you only
Love, love of my life
Stars in the sky, they never lie
Tell me you need me, don't say goodbye
I love you darling, I love you only
Don't ever leave me
Don't make me, don't make me
Don't make me lonely
Love of my life, I love you so
Love of my life, don't ever go
I love you only
Love, love of my life
Love of my life, Love of my life
At first glance, "Love of My Life" by Frank Zappa appears to be a straightforward love song, but upon closer examination, there is a sense of desperation and fear of abandonment present. The song opens with the repeated declaration of love towards the subject, as if the singer is trying to convince them of their own feelings. The second stanza introduces the idea of the stars never lying, suggesting that the singer is looking for some kind of cosmic reassurance that their love will not be unrequited. The line "Don't say goodbye" implies that the singer is worried about the possibility of being left by their lover. This idea is reiterated towards the end of the song, where the repetitive plea of "Don't make me lonely" hints at a fear of being left alone.
The overall mood of the song is one of longing and insecurity, which is further emphasized by Zappa's heartfelt vocal performance. The song's simplicity and repetition also serve to highlight its emotional weight. It seems to be a love song, but upon a deeper listen, there is a sense of desperation that indicates the love may not be fully reciprocated.
Line by Line Meaning
Love of my life, I love you so
I really love you, my soulmate, with every fiber of my being
Love of my life, don't ever go
Please don't leave me because my love for you is true and eternal
I love you only
You are the only person I love and am committed to
Love, love of my life
My love for you is the most important and significant thing in my life
Stars in the sky they never lie
The universe will always show us the truth, and I can see that our love is real
Tell me you need me, don't say goodbye
Please express your love and commitment to me, and don't leave me alone and heartbroken
I love you darling, I love you only
My dear, there is no one else I love or give my heart to. You are my everything
Don't ever leave me
I can't bear to be without you, so please stay by my side always
Don't make me, don't make me
Please don't make me suffer the pain of being abandoned or rejected
Don't make me lonely
I fear being alone and losing the love that brings such joy and meaning to my life
Love of my life, Love of my life
You are the one true love of my life, and I will cherish and honor you forever
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN KELLY MCKNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind