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.
No Not Now
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steve Vai (guitar)
Ray White (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards)
Bobby Martin (keyboards, saxophone, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion)
Chad Wackerman (drums)
Roy Estrada (vocals)
Bob Harris (vocals)
Arthur Barrow (bass)
No not now
No not now
No not now
No not now
Maybe later
Maybe later
She say I'm free
She say I'm free
She say I'm free
She say I'm free
But I like her sister
But I like her sister
She can't decide
Whom she wanna ride
She can't decide
Whom she wanna ride
Tonight - tonight - tonight
She changed her mind
She changed her mind
She changed her mind
She changed her mind
And I don't blame her
And I don't blame her
No not now
(No no not now)
No not now
(No no not now)
No not now
(No no not now)
No not now
(No no not now)
Maybe later
Maybe later
(Shut up! You need a vacation, boy!)
The big ol' hat
(The big ol' hat)
The cowboy pants
(Those cowboy pants)
Transcontinental
(It's a transcontinental)
Hobby horse
(A hobby hobby horse)
String beans to Utah
(That's right)
String beans to Utah
Tonight
Ah, the wife
(Ah, the wife)
Oh, the waitress
(And the waitress too)
Oh, the drive
(Yes, yes the drive)
All night long
(All night long)
String beans to Utah
(Yum yum)
String beans to Utah
Deliver string beans
To Utah tonight
(Giddyup)
I better go fast
Or they won't be all right
(All right)
Deliver string beans
To Utah tonight
(Yum yum)
Donny 'n Marie
Can both take a bite
(Bite it Marie)
Hawaiian - Hawaiian - Hawaiian
Lunch
(Hawaiian lunch!)
Boog, boog 'em Dano...Murder One!
No not now
(No no not now)
No not now
(No no no no not now)
No not now
(No no not now)
No not now
(No no no no not now)
Maybe later
Maybe later
She changed her mind
(She changed her mind)
She changed her mind
(You know she changed her mind)
She changed her mind
(She changed her mind)
She changed her mind
(You know she changed her mind)
And I don't blame her
And I don't blame her
She's sorta wild
(She wild, she wild)
She's sorta wild
(Really wild, really wild)
She's sorta wild
(She wild, she wild)
A crazy child
(Crazy child, crazy child)
Tonight - tonight - tonight
There she goes
(There she goes)
Up and down
(Up and down)
Ride that bull
(She's ridin' the bull)
All around
(All around)
The best in town
(She's the best in town)
Oh she goes
(She go up, she go down)
Up and down
(I said up and down)
Oh the bull
(The whole bull)
The whole bull
(The whole bull)
The whole bull
(The whole damn thing)
The best in town
(Where she go? Ebzen Sauce...)
The lyrics of Frank Zappa's song No Not Now can be interpreted as a humorous commentary on the pitfalls of indecisiveness and infidelity in relationships. The opening lines of the song - No not now, maybe later - suggest that there is a decision to be made, but the singer isn't ready to make it just yet. The repeated phrase "She say I'm free" suggests that the singer is in a relationship, but perhaps not a committed one. He likes someone else, specifically his partner's sister, but she can't or won't make up her mind about whom she wants to be with, hence the line "She can't decide whom she wanna ride."
As the song progresses, the focus shifts from the indecision of the partner to the singer's own desires and experiences. He admits that he doesn't blame his partner for changing her mind, and then goes on to describe a range of random and seemingly disconnected images, such as "The big ol' hat," "cowboy pants," "transcontinental," "hobby horse," and "string beans to Utah." These images could be interpreted as a stream of consciousness or free association, representing the singer's scattered thoughts as he contemplates his options.
The final verses return to the theme of his partner's wildness, with the singer describing her as "sorta wild" and a "crazy child." The last lines of the song suggest that she is riding something, perhaps a bull, which could be a metaphor for her untamable spirit or a literal reference to a rodeo or amusement park ride. Overall, the lyrics of No Not Now suggest a playful but sardonic take on the complexities of human desire and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
No not now
I do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Reiterating that I do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Still reiterating that I do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I do not want to engage in this activity currently
Maybe later
Perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
Maybe later
Reiterating that perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
She say I'm free
She states that I am not currently in a committed relationship
She say I'm free
Reiterating that she states that I am not currently in a committed relationship
She say I'm free
Continuing to reiterate that she states that I am not currently in a committed relationship
She say I'm free
Continuing to reiterate that she states that I am not currently in a committed relationship
But I like her sister
However, I am attracted to her sister
But I like her sister
Reiterating that I am attracted to her sister
She can't decide
She is indecisive
Whom she wanna ride
She cannot decide whom she wants to engage with in romantic activities
She can't decide
Reiterating that she is indecisive
Whom she wanna ride
Reiterating that she cannot decide whom she wants to engage with in romantic activities
Tonight - tonight - tonight
This will happen tonight
She changed her mind
She has altered her previous decision
She changed her mind
Reiterating that she has altered her previous decision
She changed her mind
Continuing to reiterate that she has altered her previous decision
She changed her mind
Continuing to reiterate that she has altered her previous decision
And I don't blame her
I am not holding this against her
And I don't blame her
Reiterating that I am not holding this against her
No not now
I still don't want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Reiterating that I still don't want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still don't want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still don't want to engage in this activity currently
Maybe later
Perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
Maybe later
Reiterating that perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
The big ol' hat
A large hat
Those cowboy pants
Pants resembling those worn by cowboys
It's a transcontinental
This is a trip that spans across continents
Hobby horse
A children's toy resembling a horse
String beans to Utah
Transporting green beans to Utah
String beans to Utah
Reiterating that we are transporting green beans to Utah
Tonight
This will happen tonight
Ah, the wife
Referring to one's spouse
And the waitress too
Referring to the waitress at a restaurant
Yes, yes the drive
Referring to the vehicle ride taken
All night long
For the duration of the entire night
String beans to Utah
Transporting green beans to Utah
Deliver string beans
Transporting green beans to a destination
To Utah tonight
Delivering green beans to Utah tonight
I better go fast
I need to travel quickly
Or they won't be all right
The green beans may spoil if I do not travel quickly
Deliver string beans
Transporting green beans to a destination
To Utah tonight
Delivering green beans to Utah tonight
Donny 'n Marie
Referring to Donny and Marie Osmond, a popular singing duo
Can both take a bite
They both can consume the green beans
Hawaiian lunch!
A lunch comprising of Hawaiian cuisine
Boog, boog 'em Dano...Murder One!
An exclamation without clear meaning
No not now
Still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Reiterating that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
Maybe later
Perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
Maybe later
Reiterating that perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
She changed her mind
She has altered her previous decision
You know she changed her mind
Reiterating that she has altered her previous decision
She changed her mind
Continuing to reiterate that she has altered her previous decision
You know she changed her mind
Continuing to reiterate that she has altered her previous decision
And I don't blame her
I am not holding this against her
And I don't blame her
Reiterating that I am not holding this against her
She wild, she wild
She has a wild personality
Really wild, really wild
Reiterating that she has a very wild personality
She wild, she wild
Continuing to emphasize that she has a wild personality
Crazy child, crazy child
She is an unpredictable individual
Tonight - tonight - tonight
This will happen tonight
There she goes
She is leaving
Up and down
She is moving rhythmically
She's ridin' the bull
She is riding a mechanical bull
All around
She is moving in every direction
She's the best in town
She is the most talented at riding the mechanical bull in town
She go up, she go down
She is moving up and down rhythmically
I said up and down
Reiterating that she is moving up and down rhythmically
The whole bull
Referring to riding the mechanical bull in its entirety
The whole damn thing
Reiterating that she rode the entire mechanical bull
The best in town
Reiterating that she is the most talented at riding the mechanical bull in town
Where she go? Ebzen Sauce...
An unusual and unclear statement
No not now
Still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Reiterating that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
No not now
Continuing to reiterate that I still do not want to engage in this activity currently
Maybe later
Perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
Maybe later
Reiterating that perhaps I will engage in this activity at a later time
Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.