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.
Return Of Your Mama
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saying I'm no good to you
They call me dirty from the alley
Till I don't know what to do
I get so tired of sneakin' around
Just to get to your back door
I crawled past the garbage and
Your mama jumped out, screamin'
I can't take it
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to burn your dad
I get real mean when it makes me mad
Later I tried to call you
Your mama told me you weren't there
She told me don't bother to call again
Unless I cut off all my hair
I get so tired of sneakin' around
Just to get to your back door
I crawled past the garbage and
Your mama jumped out, screamin'
"Don't come back no more"
Later I tried to call you
Your mama told me you weren't there
She told me don't bother to call again
Unless I cut off all my hair
I get so tired of sneakin' around
Just to get to your back door
I crawled past the garbage and
Your mama jumped out, screamin'
"Don't come back no more"
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to burn your dad
I get real mean when it makes me mad
The lyrics to Frank Zappa's song "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" depict a rebellious young man who is in love with a girl whose parents disapprove of him. His attempts to sneak around to see her often end in arguments with her mother who he compares to garbage. This feeling of anger and frustration towards the girl's mother culminates in the provocative and violent chorus where he declares that his guitar wants to "kill your mama" and "burn your dad".
The lyrics are meant to be taken in a tongue-in-cheek manner, as Zappa was known for his outspoken and irreverent attitude towards authority figures and societal norms. The song is also notable for its unique combination of blues and rock rhythms and a dynamic guitar solo. This combination showcases Zappa's virtuosic guitar skills and his unique approach to music composition.
Overall, "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" is an irreverent and rebellious ballad that typifies Zappa's unique style and musical innovation.
Line by Line Meaning
You know, your mama and your daddy
I am aware of the opinions of your parents about me.
Saying I'm no good to you
They think I am not a good match for you.
They call me dirty from the alley
They call me a low-class person.
Till I don't know what to do
Their words make me feel helpless.
I get so tired of sneakin' around
I am exhausted from trying to see you secretly.
Just to get to your back door
I have to go through difficult paths to reach to you.
I crawled past the garbage
I had to crawl through dirty places to meet you.
And your mama jumped out, screamin'
Your mom caught me and yelled at me.
"Don't come back no more"
She warned me not to come back again.
I can't take it
I am fed up with their treatment.
My guitar wants to kill your mama
I am feeling so angry that I wish my guitar could hurt your mom.
My guitar wants to kill your mama
I am feeling so angry that I wish my guitar could hurt your mom.
My guitar wants to burn your dad
I am so angry at your dad that I wish my guitar could set him on fire.
I get real mean when it makes me mad
My anger causes me to become vicious.
Later I tried to call you
I tried to contact you again.
Your mama told me you weren't there
Your mom informed me that you were not available.
She told me don't bother to call again
She asked me not to try to contact you in the future.
Unless I cut off all my hair
Unless I change myself drastically.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gwylowser
ive been a frank fan for 45 years and i never tire of listening to the most underated guitarist ever
Kieran Black
Zappa is a household name. It’s not the 70s anymore, my man.
Coz McDebris
@1000 mg. Yeah, he's not underrated. He's a musicians musician...I went to 5 of his shows in Chicago growing up in the 70's. Mostly at the Uptown Theater, but also at a college auditorium. Always a trip.
1000 mg.
you might have to look at who's doing the rating.
Stoned Meadow Of Doom
One of his all time best solo songs, no doubt. Guitar solo from another galaxy
jim mayors
This album was my introduction to FZ in 1980. Heard it, thought "wow, who are these guys" and never turned back. Zappa is addicting. It might sound ridiculous at first listen, but it is some of the most complex music in rock. Whenever I get bored with listening to music, I come back to Zappa and get recharged
SrZappita
Esta canción en 1980 desencadenó mi adicción a Zappa.
This song in 1980 triggered my addiction to Zappa.
Gary Hughes
i was listening to Zappa way back when my step brother turn me on when i was like 8 "where only it for the money"
Andrew Betrosian
Mine was zoot allures back in 79
Eric Hoberg
@Robert Tralls I like to follow Frank with some XTC.