1. T… Read Full Bio ↴Multiple bands have used, or are using, the name ‘The Mothers’:
1. The Mothers, active (1970–1971) >> Wikipedia English
2. A late 80s punk rock band from Melbourne, Australia
3. A Polish band from Kedzierzyn- Kozle
1. In 1970, Frank Zappa formed a new version of "The Mothers" (from then on, he dropped the “of Invention”, as it was originally intended). It included British drummer Aynsley Dunbar, jazz keyboardist George Duke, Ian Underwood, Jeff Simmons (bass, rhythm guitar), and three members of The Turtles: bass player Jim Pons, and singers Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, who, due to persistent legal and contractual problems, adopted the stage name “The Phlorescent Leech and Eddie”, or “Flo & Eddie”.
This version of "The Mothers" debuted on Zappa’s next solo album "Chunga’s Revenge" which was followed by the double-album soundtrack to the movie "200 Motels", featuring "The Mothers", The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ringo Starr, Theodore Bikel, and Keith Moon. Co-directed by Zappa and Tony Palmer, it was filmed in a week at Pinewood Studios outside London. After "200 Motels", the band went on tour, which resulted in two live albums — "Fillmore East – June 1971" and "Just Another Band From L. A."; the latter included the 20-minute track “Billy the Mountain”, Zappa’s satire on rock opera set in Southern California. This track was representative of the band’s theatrical performances in which songs were used to build up sketches based on 200 Motels scenes as well as new situations often portraying the band members’ sexual encounters on the road. In December 1971, there were two serious setbacks. While performing at Casino de Montreux in Switzerland, The Mothers’ equipment was destroyed when a flare set off by an audience member started a fire that burned down the casino. Immortalized in Deep Purple’s song “Smoke on the Water”, the event and immediate aftermath can be heard on the bootleg album "Swiss Cheese/Fire", released legally as part of Zappa’s "Beat the Boots II" compilation. After a week’s break, The Mothers played at the Rainbow Theatre, London, with rented gear. During the encore, an audience member pushed Zappa off the stage and into the concrete-floored orchestra pit. The band thought Zappa had been killed — he had suffered serious fractures, head trauma and injuries to his back, leg, and neck, as well as a crushed larynx, which ultimately caused his voice to drop a third after healing. This accident resulted in him using a wheelchair for an extended period, forcing him off the road for over half a year. Upon his return to the stage in September 1972, he was still wearing a leg brace, had a noticeable limp and could not stand for very long while on stage. Zappa noted that one leg healed “shorter than the other” (a reference later found in the lyrics of songs “Zomby Woof” and “Dancin’ Fool”), resulting in chronic back pain. Meanwhile, "The Mothers" were left in limbo and eventually formed the core of Flo and Eddie’s band as they set out on their own.
2. The Mothers were a late 80s punk rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They released one single in 1987 on Waterfront Records with an original A-Side titled “Drives Me Wild” and a cover of Link Wray’s “Get Outta My Life” on the B-Side. They are most known for launching the solo career of Fiona Horne— solo recording artist, and prominent figure in the Wiccan/Pegan modern witch movement. The Mothers were mostly a girl group, though there were multiple line-up changes, all of which included at least one male member. With a sound that fits well alongside female fronted punk bands like the Bay area’s Avengers, or later female vocal acts like Seattle’s Fastbacks or Sweden’s Sahara Hotnights. They may be enjoyed by Joan Jett fans, though they have a more raw, low-fi sound. The “Drives Me Wild” single was critically well received, and put into heavy rotation on many state-side college radio stations of the day, including WNYU, New York. But without tour support, the band never broke in the U.S. market and eventually split up. In the 90s, Fiona Horne had some commercial success fronting the Australian industrial-dance-rock band Def FX, before pursuing her solo career. She also appeared as the November 1998 centerfold of Australian Playboy.
3. From Kedzierzyn- Kozle. Catchy chorus, riffs that go back in time and meet the Brit band Elastica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, indie pop rock melodies and a huge crash for rock and pop music coming from Britain, led these guys into making music and into the sound they have today. Vojtek (drums), Jacob (bass), Arthur (guitar) and audience beloved Bart (vocals) are one of Poland’s most interesting emerging bands, and one to keep an eye on. Listen to their track and you’ll know why. Special note: The band’s name should be taken as homage to their mothers.
Fifty-Fifty
The Mothers Lyrics
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An' my breath is chartreuse
I know I ain't cute
An' my voice is ka-poot
But that's awright people
I'm just crazy enough to sing to you
Any old way
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty
I just might have some thing to say
Ain't gonna sing you no love song
How my heart is all sore
Will not beg your indulgence
Cause you heard it before
But that's awright people
I'm just crazy enough to sing to you
Any old way
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty
I just might have some thing to say
I have taken your time
I have sung you my song
Ain't no great revelation
But it wasn't too long
But that's awright people
I'm just crazy enough to sing to you
Any old way
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty
I just might have some thing to say
The lyrics to The Mothers' song Fifty-Fifty are a commentary on self-awareness and not taking oneself too seriously. The first two lines discuss physical imperfections, such as loose dandruff and bad breath. The singer acknowledges that they are not conventionally attractive and their voice is not great, but they do not care. The next several lines suggest that despite their flaws, they are still confident enough to share their music with others. The odds of the audience enjoying the performance are fifty-fifty, but there is still a chance they will have something worth hearing.
Throughout the song, the theme of not caring about outside opinions is reinforced. The singer is not going to sing a love song or beg for attention. They know their music might not be groundbreaking or earth-shattering, but they are still going to share it with the audience. The final lines of the song acknowledge that the singer has taken the audience's time, but it was not too long. They are still crazy enough to sing any old way, and the odds of success are still fifty-fifty.
Overall, the lyrics of Fifty-Fifty encourage the audience to embrace their imperfections and be confident enough to share their talents with others. Even if the odds of success are not great, the act of putting oneself out there is worth it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, my dandruff is loose
I have a flaky scalp and it's causing dandruff to shed from my hair.
An' my breath is chartreuse
My breath smells bad and it's tinted greenish-yellow like the color chartreuse.
I know I ain't cute
I am aware that I am not attractive.
An' my voice is ka-poot
My voice is damaged and doesn't sound good.
But that's awright people
I'm just crazy enough to sing to you
Any old way
It doesn't matter because I'm confident and eccentric enough to perform for you any way I want.
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty
I just might have some thing to say
I believe there is a 50-50 chance that my performance will have something meaningful to offer.
Ain't gonna sing you no love song
How my heart is all sore
Will not beg your indulgence
Cause you heard it before
I refuse to play a generic love song where I whine about my broken heart and plead for attention because it's unoriginal and boring.
I have taken your time
I have sung you my song
Ain't no great revelation
But it wasn't too long
I recognize that I have used up your time and energy, and while my song wasn't revolutionary, at least it wasn't excessively long.
But that's awright people
I'm just crazy enough to sing to you
Any old way
I am content entertaining people in my own weird way, no matter how unconventional it may seem to others.
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty
I just might have some thing to say
I still believe there's an equal chance that my performance could contain something of value to those who are open-minded and willing to listen.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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