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.
Purple Haze
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All in my brain
Well lately things they just doesn't seem the same
Oh I actin' funny
And I doesn't know why
Excuse me
While I kiss this guy
All around
Don't know if I goin' up or down
Am I happy or in misery
Whatever is this doll
Put a spell on me
Hit me
Smash me
Listen here!
Purple haze
All in my eyes
Don't know
If it's day or night
You got me goin'
And you blew my mind
Tomorrow
Or just the end of time
Frank Zappa's Purple Haze is a track of psychedelic rock, with the lyrics being an interesting reference to the classic Jimi Hendrix song of the same name. Zappa's version of this song has several interesting lyrical interpretations, and the song is a representation of the experimental and nonsensical nature of the psychedelic era. The lyrics of Zappa's version of Purple Haze have a touch of humor, making references to kissing a guy, smashing, and hitting.
The song begins with the phrase "Purple haze, all in my brain," which can be interpreted as an allusion to drug abuse. Purple haze, which is a type of marijuana, is known for causing a high that may lead to hallucinations, among other things. The phrase "Well lately things they just don't seem the same" can be a reference to the idea of reality being altered while under the influence of drugs. The line "Oh I actin' funny, and I doesn't know why" may suggest that the singer is not entirely in control of their actions or thoughts after getting high.
The chorus of the song, "Purple haze all around, Don't know if I'm coming up or down," may signify the feeling of uncertainty and disorientation. The singer seems to be anxious, unsure of their emotions, and the world around them. "Whatever it is that girl put a spell on me," is another interesting line as it could indicate that the singer is trying to escape drug addiction, but the high is still clinging to them, causing them to lose their composure.
Line by Line Meaning
Purple haze
Feeling a sense of confusion and uncertainty, like being in a hazy or dream-like state
All in my brain
This feeling is coming from within, it's not caused by external factors
Well lately things they just doesn't seem the same
Something has changed and things don't feel familiar anymore
Oh I actin' funny
I'm behaving in unusual ways, which is out of character for me
And I doesn't know why
I can't explain why I'm feeling this way, it's a mystery to me
Excuse me
I need to interrupt this conversation to do something else
While I kiss this guy
I'm going to make a humorous remark because the misheard lyrics are 'kiss this guy' instead of 'kiss the sky'
Purple haze
Repeating the earlier line, to emphasize the feeling of confusion and uncertainty
All around
This feeling is pervasive and affecting everything around me
Don't know if I goin' up or down
I don't know if what I'm experiencing is positive or negative, it could be either
Am I happy or in misery
The uncertainty of the situation is causing me to question my emotional state
Whatever is this doll
I don't understand what's happening to me, it's like I'm being controlled by an external force
Put a spell on me
Metaphorically, there's some kind of magic at work here, which is causing me to feel this way
Hit me
I'm asking for someone to affect me in some way, to make me feel something different
Smash me
I'm looking for a more intense experience, rather than something subtle
Listen here!
I'm calling for people's attention to make my request more emphatic
Purple haze
Repeating the earlier line again, for emphasis and to convey the persistence of the feeling
All in my eyes
This feeling is affecting my perception of the world and my ability to see and understand it
Don't know
I'm still lost and confused, and the situation isn't getting any clearer
If it's day or night
The haze is making it hard to distinguish between different times of day or different situations
You got me goin'
I'm being overwhelmed by an outside force, it's not something that I can control
And you blew my mind
The experience is beyond my usual level of comprehension, it's something that's completely unexpected and overwhelming
Tomorrow
Even though I'm unsure about what's happening to me, I'm willing to take a chance and see what the future holds
Or just the end of time
Metaphorically, the future is completely unknown to me and there's no guarantee that things will turn out well
Contributed by Camden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tuxguys
2:28
"Isaac Hayes, Gabby Hayes, Willy Mays, Helen Hayes..."
This is a zenith of Surrealism.
Addendum:
The liberties taken with these two iconic, simultaneous (1968), game-changing rock masterpieces, especially reciting (which will be heard by some as "rapping") the lyrics is...
Inspired.
Addendum:
If the Poster's notes are correct, this impeccable performance was not a "performance:"
It was a SOUND CHECK.
Amazing.
Paul Mahon
Greatest sound check ever.
Jim Pig Productions
Absolutely hilarious! Zappa’s music brings joy on many levels
Breno Brandão
Simplesmente GENIAL!!
powergroover19
I can't get over those bass and brass hits. Adds so much more emphasis to the upbeats!!
Charles Winokoor
I was not a fan of Frank's for most of the last 10 years of his career. But he really nailed it with his rendition of these two "classic" songs.
tuxguys
2:28
"Isaac Hayes, Gabby Hayes, Willy Mays, Helen Hayes..."
This is a zenith of Surrealism.
Addendum:
The liberties taken with these two iconic, simultaneous (1968), game-changing rock masterpieces, especially reciting (which will be heard by some as "rapping") the lyrics is...
Inspired.
Addendum:
If the Poster's notes are correct, this impeccable performance was not a "performance:"
It was a SOUND CHECK.
Amazing.
J. R.
I was kinda hoping for Rutherford B. Hayes but oh well.
BigJules
@J. R. Tubby Hayes too?
Victor Tavis
Elvin Hayes?
howgood88
Billy Mays.