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.
The White Boy Troubles
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Steve vai (guitar)
Ray white (guitar, vocals)
Tommy mars (keyboards)
Chuck wild (piano)
Arthur barrow (bass)
Scott thunes (bass)
Jay anderson (string bass)
Chad wackerman (drums)
Ike willis (vocals)
Terry bozzio (vocals)
Dale bozzio (vocals)
Napoleon murphy brock (vocals)
Bob harris (vocals)
Johnny "guitar" watson (vocals)
Ensemble: (singing)
De white boy troubles!
(white boy troubles!)
De white boy troubles!
(boy got troubles!)
Oh what a boidennn!
(oh, heavy boidennn!)
His car's fucked up!
De boy got a provlem!
She ripped up de 'polstry
(wit de red dress on)
Outa dat o-zo-mobile!
(tell me what I say)
Hafta go ta tia-juana now!
(I don't have it)
He should go to brown moses,
Way down in egyppp-lainnn!
(egyppp-lainnn)
Thing-fish: (checking off a clipboard, like a social worker)
Looks likes why'done putty good heahh, harry-as-a-boy! I sees ya' growin' up like a weed, axmodently reproducin' yoseff 'n evvythang. done found some low-rent housin' in a one-dimensional cardbode
Vity box on some italian's funt lawn...bunch o' crab-grass underneath de offspring fo quick 'n easy sanitatium...shit! y'all provvly be savin' up fo yo first lava lamp putty soon!
Harry-as-a-boy:
We're incredibly happy! even though I'm gay for business purposes, my relationship with artificial rhonda has blossomed into something really beautiful, although I must confess to being baffled
W she got knocked up.
Thing-fish:
Well, if de trufe be told, it were de father o' de boy at de gas statium...when why'sent de ol' lady in fo' de inner-tube patchin', 'round de foth o' july.
Harry-as-a-boy:
Quentin? how could he be so unfaithful? I'm sure God has ways of punishing naughty little guys like that!
Thing-fish:
Mights well stop complainin', boy! de damage been done! leastways y'all can pretend to be some kinda daddy! yo' rubber bitch ain't gwine change no diapers! why'said y'all was incredibly happy! enj
While why'got it, boy! de shit gwine hit de fan in a minute!
Harry-as-a-boy:
What? something bad is going to happen?
Thing-fish:
You figgit out...judgin' fum de intellectional expressium on yo' beloved's ignint face, de bitch gwine be contemplatin' a career of her own! see dat?
Look like she got her one good eye on a briefcase 'n a tweed spo't coat down de mall somewheres!
Durin' de intromissium, few de sisters seen her 'tendin' a consciousness raisin' meetin' over at de hiltum! thass right! bitch passed up de mash potatoes 'n took off wit' de high school cafeteri
Ch.
Francesco opens the door, and stands on the porch, still watching through the binoculars.
Thing-fish: (contd.)
Makin' matters woise, de italian dat be ownin' yo' nativity bungalow been wondrin' 'bouts de hanky an' de panky 'tween you 'n dem two concrete flamingos ovuh by de steps! you been messin' wit de
E bird o' new jersey, muthafucker! dat kin git you five to life in dis vicinity! if you wants a little frennly advice, boy, I'd be growin' my ass up a little quicker, 'n whizz on outa heahh!
Leave de ugly baby in de crab-grass, snatch up yo' wretched excuse fo a woman, 'n climb on up de heap! get yo'seff a job drivin' a truck fulla string-beans to utah! make sumfin' out why'seff, so's
N afode a ticket to de mammy nun show! den we can piss all ovuh de adulterated wimp you gwine become, an' get de shit rollin' agin'!
The song "The White Boy Troubles" by Frank Zappa is a satirical piece that explores the problems and struggles of a white boy. The opening chorus emphasizes the issues the white boy is facing: his car is messed up, and he has a problem with his girlfriend. The song then transitions into a conversation between Thing-Fish (a social worker) and Harry-as-a-boy (the white boy). Thing-Fish mocks Harry-as-a-boy's simplistic and naive views of relationships and gender dynamics. He reveals that Harry's partner, Artificial Rhonda, is pregnant, most likely by another man. Thing-Fish ridicules Harry for being content with a rubber partner and belts out that the 'shit is going to hit the fan in a minute.'
The song is a scathing critique of conservative American values and the obsession with traditional gender roles. The character of Thing-Fish embodies an African American archetype (a pimp intertwined with a grotesque politician), which is Zappa's way of pointing out the hypocrisy of the era's societal norms. The fact that Harry-as-a-boy is gay for 'business purposes' further emphasizes Zappa's criticism of traditional heteronormative standards.
Line by Line Meaning
De white boy troubles!
The current problems are specifically related to the white boy and his situation.
De white boy troubles!
The current problems are specifically related to the white boy and his situation.
Oh what a boidennn!
The situation is very difficult, hard to handle and heavy.
His car's fucked up!
The white boy's car is broken and not functional.
De boy got a provlem!
The boy, in general, has problems to face.
She ripped up de 'polstry
The upholstery of the car is damaged and torn because of something that was done, perhaps by a woman wearing a red dress.
Outa dat o-zo-mobile!
The car, which was presumably expensive, is not usable anymore and needs repair.
Hafta go ta tia-juana now!
The white boy has to go to Tijuana now, perhaps to find cheaper means of repair.
He should go to brown moses,
This sentence could suggest that a person called Brown Moses is a mechanic. The phrase is sung in a way that is hard to interpret.
Way down in egyppp-lainnn!
Brown Moses is far away, in Egypt or another faraway place.
Looks likes why'done putty good heahh, harry-as-a-boy!
Someone named Harry (a boy) seems to be presented by someone called Thing-fish. Harry is in a good condition and perhaps has grown up well according to Thing-fish's observations.
I sees ya' growin' up like a weed, axmodently reproducin' yoseff 'n evvythang.
Thing-fish sees Harry growing quickly and reproducing himself which might suggest he is thriving.
done found some low-rent housin' in a one-dimensional cardbode Vity box on some italian's funt lawn
Harry lives in a cheap, very basic house made of cardboard in the yard of an Italian person's house.
bunch o' crab-grass underneath de offspring fo quick 'n easy sanitatium
There is a lot of crab-grass around Harry's house which makes it easy to clean and sanitize.
shit! y'all provvly be savin' up fo yo first lava lamp putty soon!
Thing-fish suggests that Harry is saving towards buying a lava lamp. This could mean Harry is naive and not spending money wisely.
We're incredibly happy! even though I'm gay for business purposes, my relationship with artificial rhonda has blossomed into something really beautiful, although I must confess to being baffled W she got knocked up.
Harry explains his relationship with a sex doll named Rhonda. They have a good relationship, despite Harry being gay and not understanding how Rhonda could have gotten pregnant.
Well, if de trufe be told, it were de father o' de boy at de gas statium...when why'sent de ol' lady in fo' de inner-tube patchin', 'round de foth o' july.
Thing-fish reveals that Rhonda's real baby is not Harry's but rather a result of the mother Rhonda being with another man.
Quentin? how could he be so unfaithful? I'm sure God has ways of punishing naughty little guys like that!
Harry expresses his disappointment and disbelief that Rhonda got pregnant by another man, Quentin.
Mights well stop complainin', boy! de damage been done! leastways y'all can pretend to be some kinda daddy! yo' rubber bitch ain't gwine change no diapers! why'said y'all was incredibly happy! enj
Thing-fish suggests that the damage has already been done and Harry might as well accept the situation. He mentions that Harry's sex doll, Rhonda, cannot change diapers for her baby so Harry has to pretend to be the father.
While why'got it, boy! de shit gwine hit de fan in a minute!
While Harry deals with the problem of Rhonda's baby, there is another problem that is about to happen.
What? something bad is going to happen?
Harry is uncertain about the impending problem and asks what is going to happen.
You figgit out...judgin' fum de intellectional expressium on yo' beloved's ignint face, de bitch gwine be contemplatin' a career of her own! see dat?
Based on the dumb look on Rhonda's face, Thing-fish suggests that she might be considering a new career.
Look like she got her one good eye on a briefcase 'n a tweed spo't coat down de mall somewheres!
Rhonda might be interested in getting a job at the mall which is suggested by her attention being caught by a briefcase and a sports coat.
Durin' de intromissium, few de sisters seen her 'tendin' a consciousness raisin' meetin' over at de hiltum! thass right! bitch passed up de mash potatoes 'n took off wit' de high school cafeteriCh.
During a break, some women observed Rhonda attending a meeting out of interest for expanding her horizons. She passed up the potatoes and ran off with the school cafeteria dishware.
Makin' matters woise, de italian dat be ownin' yo' nativity bungalow been wondrin' 'bouts de hanky an' de panky 'tween you 'n dem two concrete flamingos ovuh by de steps!
Thing-fish brings to light that the Italian who owns Harry's house is suspicious of Harry's behavior and relationships, especially with two concrete flamingos.
you been messin' wit de bird o' new jersey, muthafucker! dat kin git you five to life in dis vicinity!
Thing-fish accuses Harry of being in trouble, possibly for a crime related to messing with the bird, meaning something specific to Harry and his situation.
if you wants a little frennly advice, boy, I'd be growin' my ass up a little quicker, 'n whizz on outa heahh!
Thing-fish advises Harry to become more mature and to leave soon.
Leave de ugly baby in de crab-grass, snatch up yo' wretched excuse fo a woman, 'n climb on up de heap! get yo'seff a job drivin' a truck fulla string-beans to utah! make sumfin' out why'seff, so's n afode a ticket to de mammy nun show! den we can piss all ovuh de adulterated wimp you gwine become, an' get de shit rollin' agin'!
Thing-fish suggests that Harry should leave the baby in the crab-grass and take Rhonda with him to make something of himself, possibly by getting a job driving a truck full of string beans. This is so he can make enough money to buy a ticket to the Mammy Nun Show. Finally, Thing-fish suggests they will humiliate Harry when he inevitably fails to become someone important.
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