The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1966 to 1969. Th… Read Full Bio ↴The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1966 to 1969. Throughout, their output was primarily directed by composer and guitarist, Frank Zappa (1940–1993). Their albums combined a broad span of genres and utilised diverse instrumentation. Their lyrics were generally humorous, with frequent style-parodies of contemporary Pop music (with doo-wop love ballads endlessly lampooned), bountiful surreal imagery, cartoonish vocals and oblique, satirical protest songs. Their diversity and insincerity makes their classification difficult, but Zappa's increasingly ambitious and avant-garde compositions towards the end of the 1960s share many features of Free Jazz and 20th Century Classical music. The group's output, particularly Absolutely Free, also proved enormously influential on the then-nascent genre of progressive rock.

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)

Soft-sell Conclusion
The Mothers of Invention Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A lot of people don't bother about their
Friends in the vegetable kingdom. they
Think: oh, ah, what can I say? what can
A person like myself say to a vegetable?
But the answer is simple, my friends:
Just call, and tell them how you feel
About muffins...pumpkins...wax
Paper...caledonia, mahoganies, elbows

...green things in general...and
Soon, a new rapport...you and your
New little green and yellow buddies,
Grooving together...oh, no! maintaining
Your coolness together! worshipping
Together in the church of your
Choice...(only in america...)

Call any vegetable call it by name
Aw, you gotta call one today
When you get off the train

Call any vegetable
And the chances are good
Wow! that the vegetable will respond to you

Oh, no! can you see them responding? the
Pumpkin is breathing hard...h-h-h-h

H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h - h - hhhhhhhhhhhh!
(what a pumpkin!)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Soft-Sell Conclusion seem to be encouraging people to connect with and appreciate nature, specifically vegetables. The song begins with the observation that many people don't bother to think about or communicate with vegetables, but the answer to this is simple - just call them up and talk to them about anything that comes to mind. By doing this, a person can connect with and establish a new rapport with their green buddies. The song then takes a playful turn, encouraging listeners to call any vegetable by name and they will respond. This leads to a hilarious image of a pumpkin breathing hard in response to the caller. The song ends with the suggestion that people can worship together in the church of their choice, celebrating their newfound appreciation for vegetables.

Line by Line Meaning

A lot of people don't bother about their
Most people don't pay attention to their

Friends in the vegetable kingdom. they
Friends that are plants

Think: oh, ah, what can I say? what can
Wonder what they can discuss

A person like myself say to a vegetable?
What a human can say to a plant

But the answer is simple, my friends:
The solution is easy

Just call, and tell them how you feel
Communicate and express your emotions

About muffins...pumpkins...wax
Different topics to discuss

Paper...caledonia, mahoganies, elbows
More diverse topics

...green things in general...and
In general, vegetables

Soon, a new rapport...you and your
This will create a new bond between you and your

New little green and yellow buddies,
New friends that are plants