Zappa disbanded the original Mothers of Invention line-up in 1970 to create music under his own name, but shortly reformed an entirely new band sometimes known as "The Mothers". This new incarnation had a strong vaudeville style and were much bawdier than before, with new vocalists Flo & Eddie, previously of the Turtles, taking the lead. After Zappa was pushed offstage in the Rainbow Theatre in 1971, he broke up this second band and concentrated on a jazzier style with a short-lived big band called the Grand Wazoo, but returned with a third lineup of the Mothers in 1973. This reformed group retained musical similarities to the previous group and the chamber music of the late '60s Mothers, but with a tighter, funkier sound; George Duke's soulful vocals being perhaps the most memorable addition. Whilst members of the new Mothers frequently appeared on albums credited solely to Zappa, three albums, Overnite Sensation, Roxy & Elsewhere and One Size Fits All display the name Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
The Mothers of Invention (1966-1969)
Frank Zappa - Musical director, guitar & vocals
Ray Collins - Lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin & tweezers 1966-early 1967, September 1967-August 1968
Jim Black - Drums
Roy Estrada - Bass & guitarron; boy soprano
Elliot Ingber - Alternate lead & rhythm guitar early 1966-September 1966
Jim Fielder - guitar, piano late 1966-February 1967
Don Preston - keyboards November 1966-August 1969
Bunk Gardner - woodwinds November 1966-August 1969
Billy Mundi - Drums November 1966-Decmber 1967
Euclid James Motorhead Sherwood - soprano, tambourine baritone saxophone & Roadie 1966, September 1967-August 1969
Ian Underwood -Woodwinds,Saxophone July 1967-August 1969
Arthur Dyer Tripp III - drums, timpani, vibes, marimba, xylophone, wood blocks, bells, small chimes December 1967-August 1969
Lowell George - Rhythm Guitar November 1968-May 1969
Buzz Gardner November 1968- August 1969
Core discography (note that the band's canon is nebulous, due to the often poorly demarcated overlap with Frank Zappa's solo discography; this list additionally omits albums released after the breakup of the band)
1966 - Freak Out!
1967 - Absolutely Free
1968 - We're Only in It for the Money
1968 - Cruising with Ruben & the Jets
1969 - Uncle Meat
1970 - Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1970 - Weasels Ripped My Flesh
1971 - Fillmore East - June 1971
1971 - 200 Motels
1972 - Just Another Band from L.A.
1972 - The Grand Wazoo
1973 - Over-Nite Sensation
1974 - Roxy & Elsewhere
1975 - One Size Fits All
1975 - Bongo Fury (with Captain Beefheart)
King Kong VI
The Mothers of Invention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here's one with your father's moustache,
your old cookie jar, rubbers,
sneakers, galoshes, belt buckles,
and book covers with the name of your high school neatly
imprinted in crimson and gold on the front with a picture
of the goal post and last year's queen.
The opening lines of the song Prelude to King Kong indicate a tone of excitement and anticipation. This unconventional composition by The Mothers of Invention begins with a playful chant that sets the stage for the following verses. The lyrics take on a satirical tone, and in this verse, they are poking fun at the idea of nostalgia, and how we like to hold on to things from our past. Frank Zappa, the composer, examines the seemingly insignificant objects that we accumulate over time, such as rubbers, sneakers, and belt buckles, and juxtaposes them with sentimental items such as our high school book covers with the school colors and queen of the previous year's photo. The nostalgic items and the school's representation establish an impression of one's youth, but it can easily become a mere collection of objects that signify nothing, and neither do they evoke any particular emotion.
The lyrics of this song can be perceived as an attempt by Zappa to deconstruct the cultural institutions of America. He uses satirical elements such as nostalgic items described in the verse, to create a satirical effect. Zappa's intention is to take apart the meaningless aspects of American culture and create something new, something that challenges the expectations of an audience. The lyrics describe a society that is focused on consumerism and how it has created a culture of nostalgia, which is unproductive and inauthentic. The song Prelude to King Kong aims to deconstruct this system by showing the audience the absurdity of their collective thinking, making them think critically about their choices and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Ayyy! Yee-hah!
Excited proclamation introducing the following lines.
Here's one with your father's moustache,
Presenting an object that may stir up feelings of nostalgia or family ties, in the form of a moustache that belonged to the listener's father.
your old cookie jar, rubbers,
Listing off a series of objects that are likely to be found in a typical household, including a cookie jar and rubber items, potentially evoking memories or emotions associated with these everyday items.
sneakers, galoshes, belt buckles,
Naming various articles of clothing or accessories, possibly associated with particular times or places in the listener's life.
and book covers with the name of your high school neatly imprinted in crimson and gold on the front with a picture of the goal post and last year's queen.
Suggesting a specific object that could have strong sentimental meaning by describing a book cover from the listener's high school, complete with vivid imagery that would help to conjure memories of that time period.
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Ron Weekes
Had this great album back in high school. Classic then, classic now.
Luis Fernando
Classic!!!!