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.
Valarie
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lowell george (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Roy estrada (bass, vocals)
Bunk gardner (woodwinds)
Ian underwood (keyboards, woodwinds)
Don preston (keyboards)
Motorhead sherwood (woodwinds, vocals)
Jimmy carl black (drums, percussion)
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
Although you don't want me no more
Oh, but it's alright, alright with me
'cause you know, you're gonna want me some day
Yes, you will want me, and I'll run away
Oh valarie, (valarie),
Valarie, (valarie),
Valarie
Don't you want me, don't you need me
Valarie,
Valarie,
Valarie,
Valarie
Although you don't want me no more
Oh, but it's alright, it's alright with me
'cause you know, you're gonna want me some day
Oh you will want me, and I'll run away
Oh valarie, (valarie),
Valarie, (valarie),
Valarie,
Valarie
Frank Zappa's "Valarie" is a song about a man who has been rejected by his love interest, Valarie. However, despite being rejected, he suggests that it is alright with him and predicts that Valarie is going to want him back at some point.
The repeated "la la la" throughout the song creates a sense of longing and melancholy as the man sings about his situation. The line "Although you don't want me no more, Oh, but it's alright, alright with me" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the man is putting a brave face on his rejection and is trying to convince himself that he will be okay.
The seemingly cheerful and upbeat melody juxtaposed with the melancholy lyrics creates an interesting contrast that adds to the emotional depth of the song. The song ends with the repeated name "Valarie", which highlights the importance of the woman in the man's life, despite her rejection of him.
Overall, "Valarie" is a complex and emotional song that takes the listener on a journey through the pain of rejection and the hope for a future reconciliation.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la la la la
The singer repeats a melody to fill up the musical background.
Although you don't want me no more
The singer addresses a person who doesn't care about him anymore.
Oh, but it's alright, alright with me
The singer tries to convince himself that the situation is okay and he is not bothered.
'cause you know, you're gonna want me some day
The singer believes that the other person will regret ignoring him and will want him back at some point.
Yes, you will want me, and I'll run away
The singer plans to leave the other person if they try to come back after being ignored.
Oh valarie, (valarie)
The singer calls out to Valarie, the person he is singing about.
Valarie, (valarie)
The singer repeats the name in a melodic manner.
Valarie
The singer continues to sing the name of the person.
Don't you want me, don't you need me
The singer asks Valarie if she wants or needs him.
Although you don't want me no more
The singer reiterates the fact that Valarie doesn't want him anymore.
Oh, but it's alright, it's alright with me
The singer continues to convince himself that he isn't bothered by the situation.
'cause you know, you're gonna want me some day
The singer repeats the idea that Valarie will regret ignoring him.
Oh you will want me, and I'll run away
The singer repeats his plan to leave Valarie if she tries to come back.
Oh valarie, (valarie)
The singer calls out to Valarie again in a melodic manner.
Valarie, (valarie)
The singer repeats the name again in the same way.
Valarie
The song ends with the singer singing Valarie's name.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON BARRETT, MATT WONG, SCOTT ALLEN KLOPFENSTEIN, DAN REGAN, CARLOS F. GARZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ChuckDeFuque
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
Although you don't want me no more
Oh, but it's alright, alright with me
You know, you're gonna need me some day
Oh you're gonna need me, and I'll run away
Oh Valerie, Valerie (Valerie)
Valerie (Valerie)
Don't you hear me (Valerie)
Don't you need me
(Valerie) Valarie
(Valerie) Valarie
Can't you hear me (Valerie)
Don't you need me (Valerie)
I know you don't want me no more
But it's alright, alright with me
Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie
Oh Valerie
Valerie
I'm on my knees begging you please
I know you don't want me, you don't want me and you don't love me no more
Valerie, oh Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, Valerie
@ruthdixon7807
shows how deep zappa's roots were in west coast R&B.
@TheProducer77051
I actually heard the Zappa version first as a child. Only discovered the original a few months ago. Love them both. Classic 1 6 4 5 doo wop. 😉
@byronp2311
Dear lord I love this song. Please, please listen to the entire album (which is absolutely NOTHING like this). Little House I Used To Live In is possibly Zappa's magnum opus, even if it is a frakenstein. This is an essential album.
@honchiejake
This is one of the few studio albums I don't own. I'll check it out. Music is the Best!
@saladpizzarestaurant9394
One of my favorite zappa albums. I liked that the first and last song are very different than rest of the album
@jm2953
i think this record and roxy may be my favorites😊
@Orcastruck
Legit have it on vinyl
@Orcastruck
@@jm2953 have both of them, can confirm that they are amazing, just wish "a token of my extreme" was on vinyl
@elizabethhann4028
Somehow, in spite of the Mothers' vaunted commitment to ugliness, sloppiness, and greasiness in all things, I actually find this rather beautiful - in a queasy way - especially the wah-wah guitar at the beginning, and the languorous slowness of it all. It makes me think of warm rain falling soft on L.A - if it ever does rain there - and of looking out at neon signs through rainslicked windows. I don't really know why.
@russg1801
Just saw a vid where Zappa bragged about all the hard work and 'discipline' he imposed on his band members. Apparently it took effort to sound this crappy.