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.
Suicide Chump
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ike willis (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Ray white (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Bob harris (boy soprano, trumpet)
Steve vai (guitar)
Tommy mars (keyboards)
Arthur barrow (bass)
Ed mann (percussion)
Motorhead sherwood (tenor saxophone, vocals)
Denny walley (slide guitar, vocals)
David logeman (drums)
Craig steward (harmonica)
Jimmy carl black (vocals)
Ahmet zappa (vocals)
Moon zappa (vocals)
You say there ain't no use in livin'
It's all a waste of time
'n you wanna throw your life away, well
People that's just fine
Go ahead on 'n get it over with then
Find you a bridge 'n take a jump
Just make sure you do it right the first time
'cause nothin's worse than a suicide
Chump
You say there ain't no light a-shinin'
Through the bushes up ahead
'n we're all gonna be so sorry
When we find out you are dead
Go head on and get it over with then
Find you a bridge 'n take a jump
Just make sure you do it right the first
Time
'cause nothin's worse than a suicide
Chump
Now maybe you're scared of jumpin'
'n poison makes you sick
'n you want a little attention
'n you need it pretty quick
Don't wanna mess your face up
Or we won't know if it's you
Aw there's just so much to worry about
Now what you gonna do?
Go head on 'n get it over with then
Go head on 'n get it over with then
Go head on 'n get it over with then
Go head on 'n get it over with then
You're on the bridge;
Scared to leap,
But a girl walks over
To take a peep...
She says: "don't do it!"
But wouldn't you know...
The girl got a head
Like a buffalo
With a little red hair
All over the top
An' her breath would make the
Traffic stop
She says "I love you...
But first, let's eat!"
And all you can say as you run down the
Street
Is...
The song "Suicide Chump" by Frank Zappa, off of his album "You Are What You Is," is a satirical take on the idea of suicide. The lyrics are directed at someone who is contemplating ending their life and encourages them to go ahead and do it if that's what they really want. Zappa sarcastically calls this person a "suicide chump" and implies that taking one's own life is a foolish and cowardly act. He taunts them by telling them to make sure they do it right the first time, as there is nothing worse than a person who fails at suicide and survives.
Zappa also makes fun of people who crave attention and suggests that some may contemplate suicide as a way to get people to pay attention to them. He implies that these people are not really suicidal but just want attention and that they should find another way to get it. The song ends with a humorous twist, where a girl with a buffalo-shaped head comes to distract the suicidal person and take him out to eat instead.
Overall, "Suicide Chump" is a commentary on the serious topic of suicide, but in true Zappa fashion, it is presented in a humorous and satirical way.
Line by Line Meaning
You say there ain't no use in livin'
You are expressing a belief that life has no purpose.
It's all a waste of time
You think everything that happens in life is a waste of time.
'n you wanna throw your life away, well
You express a desire to commit suicide.
People that's just fine
You believe that it is okay for people to commit suicide.
Go ahead on 'n get it over with then
You are encouraging yourself to go ahead and commit suicide.
Find you a bridge 'n take a jump
You are considering committing suicide by jumping off a bridge.
Just make sure you do it right the first time
You are advising yourself to plan your suicide carefully so that it is successful.
'cause nothin's worse than a suicide
Chump
You believe that failing at suicide is worse than not attempting it at all.
You say there ain't no light a-shinin'
You believe that there is no hope or positivity in life.
Through the bushes up ahead
You are referring to the uncertain future and the obstacles that it holds.
'n we're all gonna be so sorry
You believe that people will regret not helping you if you commit suicide.
When we find out you are dead
You are referring to the event of your death by suicide.
Now maybe you're scared of jumpin'
You acknowledge the possibility of feeling scared about committing suicide.
'n poison makes you sick
You suggest that other methods of suicide might not be appealing.
'n you want a little attention
You express a desire for people to pay attention to you.
'n you need it pretty quick
You feel that you need attention urgently.
Don't wanna mess your face up
Or we won't know if it's you
You express a desire to avoid ruining your appearance so that others can identify you after death.
Aw there's just so much to worry about
Now what you gonna do?
You feel overwhelmed by the possibility of committing suicide and all the factors to consider.
You're on the bridge;
Scared to leap,
But a girl walks over
To take a peep...
You are imagining a scenario where you are about to commit suicide, but someone interrupts you.
She says: "don't do it!"
But wouldn't you know...
The girl got a head
Like a buffalo
With a little red hair
All over the top
An' her breath would make the
Traffic stop
She says "I love you...
But first, let's eat!"
You create an absurd scenario where an unattractive woman stops you from committing suicide, but instead of expressing gratitude you focus on her appearance and the inconvenience of having to eat with her.
And all you can say as you run down the
Street
Is...
You leave the scenario open-ended, implying that you may or may not find another opportunity to attempt suicide.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind