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.
Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Ray White (guitar, vocals)
Steve Vai (guitar)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Bobby Martin (keyboards, saxophone, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion)
Scott Thunes (bass)
Chad Wackerman (drums)
Uhhh, Mike Scheller says his life is a mess Fritz Rau says asparagus Should only be consumed By people with a larger mouth (?) fa fa fa fa Shall we take ourselves seriously? Shall we talk about it all night long? Shall we think we are so evolved? Will we be depressed If were wrong? Shall we take ourselves seriously? Shall we take ourselves elsewhere? Shall we drink while we squat there In the middle of this stupid song? Shall we never go out there? Shall we take us where we don't belong When we notice that the spargel is gone? Shall we weep in the box office dawn Oh go away I'm no good for you Are the tickets all counted? Are the costs all accounted for? Shall we bring up the spargel For discussion at least once more? Shall we take ourselves seriously? Shall we think we are so mature? Shall we be very wrong At the end of this song? If we will ever (?)
The lyrics of Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously by Frank Zappa are a reflection of the absurdity and pointlessness of trying to take ourselves seriously as human beings. The first lines of the song highlight this theme as two different individuals express opinions that are utterly irrelevant – Mike Scheller's messy life and Fritz Rau's opinion on the consumption of asparagus. The repetition of "fa fa fa fa" adds to the sense of meaningless banter.
The chorus poses questions about how seriously we should take ourselves, whether we should talk endlessly about ourselves, and whether we are deluded about our evolution as a species. The lyrics suggest that being wrong about these things can lead to depression. The song then descends into further absurdity, questioning whether we should squat and drink while singing a "stupid song," or never venture out at all. The reference to the "spargel" (German for asparagus) is a continuation of the previous absurdities, suggesting that even this innocuous vegetable can become a topic of pointless debate.
Overall, "Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?" is a satirical commentary on how humans can become so absorbed in their own importance, that they lose sight of the bigger picture, and our ultimate insignificance in the grand scheme of things. It is a humorous reminder that sometimes it's better to just acknowledge the absurdity of life and have a laugh.
Line by Line Meaning
Uhhh, Mike Scheller says his life is a mess
A man named Mike Scheller claims his life is in disorder.
Fritz Rau says asparagus Should only be consumed By people with a larger mouth (?)
Fritz Rau has an opinion that only people with bigger mouths should eat asparagus, although the relevance of this to the song is unclear.
fa fa fa fa Shall we take ourselves seriously?
The phrase 'fa fa fa fa' is repeated before questioning whether they should take themselves too seriously.
Shall we talk about it all night long?
Should they spend the entire night discussing the topic?
Shall we think we are so evolved?
Should they believe they are incredibly advanced or sophisticated?
Will we be depressed If were wrong?
If they are incorrect, will this disappointment negatively affect them?
Shall we take ourselves seriously?
Again questioning whether they should take themselves too seriously.
Shall we take ourselves elsewhere?
Should they remove themselves from the situation or place they are in?
Shall we drink while we squat there In the middle of this stupid song?
Should they consume alcohol while they remain in the midst of this silly song?
Shall we never go out there?
Is it preferable that they do not venture outside their current location?
Shall we take us where we don't belong When we notice that the spargel is gone?
Should they relocate themselves to a place where they are not fitting, and when they realise there is no more asparagus?
Shall we weep in the box office dawn
Should they cry in the morning light of the ticket booth?
Oh go away I'm no good for you
An ambiguous statement, possibly indicating a desire for someone to leave because they feel inadequate.
Are the tickets all counted? Are the costs all accounted for?
Are all the ticket sales tallied correctly and all expenses calculated?
Shall we bring up the spargel For discussion at least once more?
Should they bring up the topic of asparagus again for further discussion?
Shall we take ourselves seriously?
Reiterating the earlier question asking if they should take themselves too seriously.
Shall we think we are so mature?
Asking if they believe they are exceedingly grown-up or sophisticated.
Shall we be very wrong At the end of this song?
If they are incorrect in their beliefs and conclusions, will they be disappointed at the song's conclusion?
If we will ever (?)
The sentence is unfinished, leaving the meaning ambiguous.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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