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.
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Frank Zappa Lyrics
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Thanks for coming to our concert
The lyrics "Goodnight, kids, Thanks for coming to our concert" from Frank Zappa's song Weasels Ripped My Flesh can be interpreted as an ironic commentary on the absurdity of musicians who play for crowds who are happy to be entertained by lyrics that have no real meaning. The use of the phrase "goodnight, kids" is a common way to end a children's story or a television show, but when used in this context, it becomes an ironic comment on the nature of music and the entertainment industry. The words "thanks for coming to our concert" can also be seen as a way of trivializing the importance of the music, reducing it to a mere commodity to be consumed.
Furthermore, the lyrics can be seen as a statement on the power dynamics at play in the music industry. The use of the phrase "goodnight, kids" positions the performer as a paternal figure, while the audience becomes childlike in their role as passive consumers of entertainment. The words "thanks for coming to our concert" suggest that the audience has served their purpose by showing up and paying for a ticket, and that the performer has little interest in engaging them on any deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodnight, kids
The show is drawing to a close and the performer is bidding farewell to the audience, referring to them as 'kids'
Thanks for coming to our concert
The performer expresses gratitude to the audience for attending the concert
Contributed by Juliana I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rab nori
The first bit of vinyl I bought from Hedge Hog Records Lancaster UK. What a blast throughout the years , a incredible journey with Frank. ❤
Maniasrock Joeelindio
Frank Zappa was always like a surprise box, his music is impossible to imitate, he will be a genius forever and ever, thank you friend for your comment
SirLord Master Saver Kang Dr. Paul Ash MCcRuby PhD
TrackList
1. Didja Get Any Onya? 00:00
2. Directly From My Heart To You 03:40
3. Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Sexually Aroused Has Mask 08:55
4. Toads Of The Short Forest 12:29
5. Get A Little 17:17
Frank Zappatik
good job
Maniasrock Joeelindio
Thanks Friend, all for Frank Zappa thanks
rusty beltway
Everybody knows track #2, Directly From My Heart To You, is written by Little Richard, right?
Ok, ok. Just making sure.
Whiskey City Diggers
He's credited on the label.
rusty beltway
@Whiskey City Diggers As R. Penniman. How many know Richard Penniman is Li'l Richard? That's what I was gettin' at.
I knew Franks version first, but that tune is usually on greatest hits packages. Little Richard greatest hits.
Spletski
dope, is this like the vinyl rip?
Maniasrock Joeelindio
It is very rare original vinyl