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.
Penguin In Bondage
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brian, I could use a little bit more monitor.
Hello hello, can't you turn up any more than that?
Hello hello, hey!
Alright!
Pardon me folks.
The name of this song is penguin in bondage,
A basic theme which is...well,
You understand what a basic theme is.
And then the variations include ah, manoeuvres that might be
Executed with the aid of ah, extra-terrestrial gratification
And devices which might or might not be supplied in a local
Department store or perhaps a drugstore but at very least in
One of those fancy new shops that they advertise in the
Back-pages of the free press.
This song suggests to the suggestible listener that the
Ordinary procedure ah,
That I am circumlocuting at this present time in order to get
This text on television,
Is that ah, if you wanna do something other than what you
Thought you were gonna do when you first took your clothes off
And you just happened to have some devices around...
Then it's, it's not only okay to get into the
Paraphernalia of it all but...hey!
What did he say? ready?
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh...
Rennenhenninnahenninnenninahennn
Way over on the wet side
Of the bed (knirps for moisture)
Just like the mighty penguin
Flappin' her eight ounce wings
Lord, you know it's all over
If she comes atcha on the strut & wrap 'em
All around yer head
Flappin her eight ounce wings, flappinumm
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Shake up the pale-dry
Ginger ale
Tremblin' like a penguin
When the battery fail
Lord, you must be havin' her jumpin' through
A hoopa real fire
With some kleenex wrapped around a
Coat-hang wire
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh...
Rennenhenninnahenninneninahenn
Howlin' over to some
Antarcticulated moon
In the frostbite night
With her flaps gone white
Shriekin' as she spot the hoop across the room
Lord, you know it must be a penguin bound down
When you hear that terrible screamin' and
There ain't no other
Birds around
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh...
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh...
Rennenhenninnahenninneninahennn
Aw, you must be careful
Not to leave her straps
Too loose
'Cause she just might box yer dog
She just might box yer doggie
An' leave you a dried-up dog biscuit...
The song “Penguin in Bondage” is a satirical commentary by Frank Zappa on the variations of sexual practices and fetishes, which suggests to the suggestible listener that ordinary procedures can be surpassed with extraterrestrial devices and gratification. The song starts with Zappa addressing the audience and calling for more monitoring before introducing the song. He explains that the song deals with possible variations on a basic theme that includes maneuvers and devices that may or may not be obtained in a local departmental store or drugstore or one of those fancy shops advertised in the back-pages of free press.
The descriptive lyrics of the song portray a penguin in bondage as a metaphor for a submissive partner, who is dependent on someone else's command. Zappa talks about a penguin, flapping its wings and struggling to walk in bondage. The lyrics also contain sexually suggestive scenes of a woman wearing straps, a coat-hang wire with Kleenex, and the use of battery failure and pale-dry ginger ale to tease the partner. The song ends with Zappa's cautionary words to be careful with the straps, as she might retaliate and leave one a dried-up dog biscuit.
Line by Line Meaning
Brian, I could use a little bit more monitor.
Requesting better audio quality - asking for better sound monitoring.
Hello hello, can't you turn up any more than that?
Asking for even more volume level.
Hello hello, hey!
Making sure that the audio is clearly heard.
Alright!
Acknowledging that the audio level is acceptable.
Pardon me folks.
Apologizing for interrupting the audience for the name of the song.
The name of this song is penguin in bondage, An' it's a song that ah, deals with the possible variations on A basic theme which is...well, You understand what a basic theme is.
Introducing the name of the song and stating the theme of the song - which is about variations on a basic theme.
And then the variations include ah, manoeuvres that might be Executed with the aid of ah, extra-terrestrial gratification And devices which might or might not be supplied in a local Department store or perhaps a drugstore but at very least in One of those fancy new shops that they advertise in the Back-pages of the free press.
Describing the variations in the theme and the external devices that might help to execute them.
This song suggests to the suggestible listener that the Ordinary procedure ah, That I am circumlocuting at this present time in order to get This text on television, Is that ah, if you wanna do something other than what you Thought you were gonna do when you first took your clothes off And you just happened to have some devices around... Then it's, it's not only okay to get into the Paraphernalia of it all but...hey!
Suggesting to the listener that they can safely experiment with different procedures or use different devices with an open mind towards paraphernalia.
What did he say? ready?
Awaiting the readiness to start the performance.
She's just like a penguin in bondage, boy
Comparing the female subject of the song to a penguin in bondage.
Rennenhenninnahenninnenninahennn Way over on the wet side Of the bed (knirps for moisture)
Singing meaningless syllables to indicate the female penguin's position on the wet side of the bed, with suggestive sexual tones.
Just like the mighty penguin Flappin' her eight ounce wings Lord, you know it's all over If she comes atcha on the strut & wrap 'em All around yer head Flappin her eight ounce wings, flappinumm
Describing the female penguin's movements and power using imagery, and indicating danger if she comes at the listener.
Shake up the pale-dry Ginger ale Tremblin' like a penguin When the battery fail
Asking to shake ginger ale, and referencing the trembling of a penguin, whose battery fails.
Lord, you must be havin' her jumpin' through A hoopa real fire With some kleenex wrapped around a Coat-hang wire
Using exaggerated language to describe the potential danger if the devices are not used with caution.
Howlin' over to some Antarcticulated moon In the frostbite night With her flaps gone white Shriekin' as she spot the hoop across the room
Painting a picture of the female penguin howling under the moon, with white flaps, and shrieking in excitement as she spots the device across the room.
Lord, you know it must be a penguin bound down When you hear that terrible screamin' and There ain't no other Birds around
Indicating that there is no other bird like the female penguin in bondage, whose screams can be heard only when bound.
Aw, you must be careful Not to leave her straps Too loose 'Cause she just might box yer dog She just might box yer doggie An' leave you a dried-up dog biscuit...
Warning the listener to be careful when handling the female penguin, as she might unexpectedly hurt the listener's pet dog, and leave him a dried up dog biscuit as a result.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Thank you. (Brian, I could use a little bit more monitor). Hello hello (can't you turn it up any more than that?) Hello hello . . . Hey! Alright! Pardon me, folks. The name of this song is "Penguin in Bondage," an' it's a song that, uh, deals with the possible variations on a basic theme which is . . . well, you understand what the basic theme is. And then the variations include, uh, manoeuvres that might be executed with the aid of, uh, extra-terrestrial gratification and devices which might or might not be supplied in a local department store or perhaps a drugstore but at very least in one of those fancy new shops that they advertise in the back-pages of the free press. This song suggests to the suggestible listener that the ordinary procedure, uh, that I'm circumlocuting at this present time in order to get this text on television, is that, uh, if you wanna do something other than what you thought you were gonna do when you first took your clothes off and you just happened to have some DEVICES around . . . then it's, it's not only okay to get into the PARAPHERNALIA of it all but . . . hey! What did he say? Ready?
She's just like a Penguin in Bondage, boy
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh . . .
Rennenhenninnahenninnenninahennn
Way over on the wet side
Of the bed (Knirps for moisture)
Just like the mighty Penguin
Flappin' her eight ounce wings
(The Penguin Flap)
Lord, you know it's all over
If she come atcha on the strut & wrap 'em all around yer head
Flappin' her eight ounce wings, flappinumm
She's just like a Penguin in Bondage, boy
Shake up the pale-dry
Ginger ale
Tremblin' like a Penguin
When the battery fail
Lord, you must be havin' her jumpin' through a hoopa real fire
With some Kleenex wrapped around a coat-hang wire
She's just like a Penguin in Bondage, boy
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh . . .
Rennenhenninnahenninneninahenn
Howlin' over to some
Antarcticulated moon
In the frostbite nite
With her flaps gone white
Shriekin' as she spot the hoop across the room
(Everytime she sees the hoop)
You know it must be a Penguin bound down
If you hear that terrible screamin' and there ain't no other
Birds around
She's just like a Penguin in Bondage, boy
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh . . .
She's just like a Penguin in Bondage, boy
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh . . .
Rennenhenninnahenninneninahennnn
Aw, you must be careful
Not to leave her straps
TOO LOOSE
'Cause she just might box yer dog
She just might box yer doggie
An' leave you a dried-up dog biscuit . . .
ramonasplumber
It truly one of my favorite Zappa albums. The part that I get goosebumps from is the song transition from "I cant believe your such a fool to Trouble coming everyday! Chester Tompson shreds it. This is ZAPPA.
Pauls Country
Haha, your right, I love that.....
donald drysdale
this album was one of my earliest influences--at age ten I realized there was no one else like this guy. I went to chester Thompson's drum clinic in the 90s, and he said he learned more about music with zap than anywhere else. zappa was rock, blues, jazz, classical, funk; you name it.
Jo Albade
True that. Not a limit in sight
ayaszveená
One of the favorite albums in my youth in the 70ies, still love it. Those were the days .....
Gabriel Levicky
the greatest!!! this was my first album i bought in yugoslavia and smuggled back to czechoslovakia - i have become an instant hero...
I.C.E.
nazdar brachu!
tixximmi1
It's a great album. Got to see Dweezil do the 35 anniversary at the Roxy. Franks music never gets old.
Krill Drucky
Was this in southern California?
tixximmi1
@Krill Drucky Yes. The guy in front of me won the Gibson.