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.
You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I
Just as much as you wonder
'Bout me bein' in this place
Yeah!
That's just how much I marvel
You rise each day the same old way
And join your friends out on the street
Spray your hair
And think you're neat
I think your life is incomplete
But maybe that's not for me to say
They only pay me here to play
I wanna hear Caravan with a drum solo
You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I
Just as much as you wonder
'Bout me starin' back at you
Yeah!
That's just how much I question
The corny things you do
You paint your face and then you chase
To meet the gang where the action is
Stomp all night
And drink your fizz
Roll your car and say "Gee whiz!"
You tore a big hole in your convertible top
What will you tell your Mom and Pop?
Mam, I tore a big hole in the convertible
You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I
Just as much as you wonder
If I mean just what I say
Yeah!
That's just how much I question
The social games you play
You told your Mom you're stoked on Tom
And went for a cruise in Freddie's car
Tommy's asking
Where you are
You boogied all night in a cheesy bar
Plastic boots and plastic hat
And you think you know where it's at?
Yeah!
You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
(Not that it makes a heck of a lot of a difference to ya)
In Frank Zappa's song "You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here", the singer acknowledges that the listener may be curious about why he is present in a certain situation, but asserts that he himself is just as baffled. He then proceeds to comment on the dull, unfulfilling monotony of the listener's life and actions, noting that he thinks it is incomplete. However, he acknowledges that it is not his place to say so explicitly, as he is only paid to perform at the location. The singer then transitions to expressing a desire to hear a specific song with a drum solo, before returning to commenting on the listener's life, pointing out the pointlessness of their pursuits and social games.
The song is a satirical take on the aimlessness and lack of genuine fulfillment in the lives of those who subscribe to mainstream culture and trends. Zappa is poking fun at the way people will blindly follow cultural norms, social games, and fashion trends without ever considering the greater purpose or meaning of their actions. Moreover, the song suggests that such behavior is driven by a need to avoid feeling left behind or less cool than others around them, rather than coming from a place of genuine desire or passion.
Line by Line Meaning
You're probably wondering
I can sense your curiosity
Why I'm here
You're questioning my presence
And so am I
I'm questioning it too
So am I
I'm equally puzzled
Just as much as you wonder
I'm as curious as you
'Bout me bein' in this place
Questioning why I'm in this location
That's just how much I marvel
I'm amazed by
At the lameness on your face
The dull expression you're making
You rise each day the same old way
You start each day in a predictable manner
And join your friends out on the street
You meet your friends to hang out
Spray your hair
You style your hair
And think you're neat
Assume you look cool
I think your life is incomplete
I feel like you have more to discover
But maybe that's not for me to say
Perhaps it's not my place to comment
They only pay me here to play
My job is to perform for the venue
I wanna hear Caravan with a drum solo
I desire to hear a specific musical arrangement
Just as much as you wonder
Equal questioning
'Bout me starin' back at you
Regarding why I'm looking at you
That's just how much I question
I ponder
The corny things you do
Your cringe-worthy actions
You paint your face and then you chase
Putting makeup on before pursuing something
To meet the gang where the action is
To gather with others for exciting activities
Stomp all night
Dancing vigorously for extended periods
And drink your fizz
Consuming carbonated beverages
Roll your car and say 'Gee whiz!'
Crashing your vehicle and exclaiming an interjection
You tore a big hole in your convertible top
Damaging your car's roof significantly
What will you tell your Mom and Pop?
How do you explain this to your parents?
Mam, I tore a big hole in the convertible
An example of what one might say
Just as much as you wonder
Comparative curiosity
If I mean just what I say
Determining if I'm being truthful
That's just how much I question
As much as I'm curious
The social games you play
The manipulative actions you engage in
You told your Mom you're stoked on Tom
Informing your mother you're excited about Tom
And went for a cruise in Freddie's car
Riding around in Freddie's vehicle
Tommy's asking
Tom is inquiring
Where you are
Your location
You boogied all night in a cheesy bar
Dancing all night in a tacky establishment
Plastic boots and plastic hat
Sporting plastic footwear and headwear
And you think you know where it's at?
Believing you're knowledgeable about something
(Not that it makes a heck of a lot of a difference to ya)
Stating it won't generate much of a response from you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nytram42
One of the greatest composers, lyricists and guitarists of our time. I miss him.
BTS Dance Studio
He was brutally honest!
me & you
YEs indeed one of many many many many of them God so many many many of them
Noah Robert Graves
This is one of those songs that I frequently get stuck in my head and sing in the middle of the work day.
Dave Dogbreath
@Noah Robert Graves Me too! LOL
Noah Robert Graves
@Dave Dogbreath YEA
Dave Dogbreath
Do you find yourself answering anyone with the "YEA" too?
Lee Berry
I was given this album as a kid (about 9) by a friend of my Mum's who worked for NME - apparently no one in the office wanted it! - they really didn't realise (many things) what they were giving me - one of the huge formative records of my life - still have the vinyl - thank you 'Auntie' Claire x
chris b
I didn't "discover" Zappa until 1991 or so, and this album was my introduction. The phenomenal melodies and chord progressions are what sucked me in (as well as the knowingly corny humor), but ultimately the messages are what made me stay. The message in this song is so much more relevant to me than the stupid tired socio-political rants most "artists" are so fond of these days. In fact it's more relevant in today's cardboard society than ever. The fact is Zappa was not only a musical genius, he had the balls to say what so many others are scared to say. Appallingly, there are still people out there who are convinced he must have done drugs because he was so "weird". I'm not into hero worship, but Zappa is as close to a hero as I'll ever have.
FZ
@Sal Sally And that brown water which I never got what it was.