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)
Mom & Dad
The Mothers of Invention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone said they made some noise
The cops have shot some girls & boys
You'll sit home & drink all night
Mama! Mama!
Someone said they made some noise
The cops have shot some girls & boys
You'll sit home & drink all night
They looked too weird . . . it served them right
Ever take a minute just to show a real emotion
In between the moisture cream & velvet facial lotion?
Ever tell your kids you're glad that they can think?
Ever say you loved 'em? Ever let 'em watch you drink?
Ever wonder why your daughter looked so sad?
It's such a drag to have to love a plastic Mom & Dad
Mama! Mama!
Your child was killed in the park today
Shot by the cops as she quietly lay
By the side of the creeps she knew . . .
They killed her too.
The song "Mom & Dad" by The Mothers of Invention is a critique of the conformist suburban lifestyle and the hypocrisy of parents who try to maintain a facade of perfection in front of their children. The opening lines of the song refer to the police shooting of protesters during a Vietnam War protest. The singer suggests that the parents are dismissive of the protesters because they looked "weird". This implies that the parents are more concerned about maintaining appearances than supporting their children's political beliefs or activism.
The second half of the song delves deeper into the idea of emotional repression and the damaging effects it can have on children. The singer asks if the parents have ever shown their kids genuine emotion, or if they are only interested in presenting a perfect image of themselves. The lines "Ever wonder why your daughter looked so sad?/It's such a drag to have to love a plastic Mom & Dad" suggest that the daughter is unhappy because she realizes that her parents are emotionally stunted.
Finally, the song takes a dark turn with the news that the parents' child has been killed by the police. The fact that the child was killed alongside people the parents disapprove of implies that the child was involved in some sort of social protest. The singer suggests that the parents' repressed emotions and refusal to support their child's beliefs contributed to the tragic outcome.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama! Mama!
The singer is addressing their mother.
Someone said they made some noise
The singer is referring to protests or riots that have taken place.
The cops have shot some girls & boys
The police have used excessive force and killed young people.
You'll sit home & drink all night
The mother will not react to the news of police brutality but will instead self-medicate with alcohol.
They looked too weird . . . it served them right
The singer is sarcastically commenting on the mother's likely reaction to the victims' appearance or behavior.
Ever take a minute just to show a real emotion
The singer questions whether their mother is capable of expressing genuine feelings.
In between the moisture cream & velvet facial lotion?
The mother is vain and obsessed with her appearance.
Ever tell your kids you're glad that they can think?
The mother does not value independent thought or intelligence in her children.
Ever say you loved 'em? Ever let 'em watch you drink?
The mother fails to provide emotional support or set a positive example for her children.
Ever wonder why your daughter looked so sad?
The singer suggests that the mother is oblivious to her children's emotions and does not make an effort to understand them.
It's such a drag to have to love a plastic Mom & Dad
The singer resents their superficial, materialistic parents who do not provide them with a genuine emotional connection.
Your child was killed in the park today
The singer reports the tragic news of a young person's death.
Shot by the cops as she quietly lay
The victim was unarmed and posed no threat at the time of their killing.
By the side of the creeps she knew . . .
The victim may have been targeted by police due to association with people considered deviant or criminal.
They killed her too.
The singer expresses the deep injustice and tragedy of the victim's death and its likely impact on their family and community.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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