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)
Uncle Bernie's Farm
The Mothers of Invention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a bomb to blow yo mommy up,
A bomb for yo daddy too! (ouch!)
A baby doll that burps 'n pees;
A case of airplane glue!
There's a hungry plastic troll,
To scarf yo buddy's arm!
"Uncle bernie's farm"
There's a little plastic 'congress'
There's a 'nation' you can buy!
There's a doll that looks like mommy
(She'll do anything but cry) (yes, sir)
There's a doll that looks like daddy
(He's a funny little man...
Push a button 'n ask fo money:
There's a dollar in his hand!) (check his wallet)
We gotta send sanny claus back to de rescue mission!
Christmas don't make it no more!
Don'tcha know that murder an' destruction
Scream de toys in every store! (I think this is sold in new york)
There's a man who runs the country
There's a man who tried to think
And they're all made out of plastic
(When they melt, they start to stink)
There's a book with smiling children,
Nearly dead with christmas joys
And smiling in his office
Is the creep who makes 'the toys'
(they got this car, when it hits the wall, you can see the guy dying
You got little plastic pools of blood
Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho (I'm dreaming...)
...intestines...you can see right into his stomach...
There's this other thing, i...
I got bombs, I got rockets, I got a, I got a stillson wrench
And comes with a tape recorder...
I got plastic brass knuckles
With sound effects
We got a '39 chevy...
The Mothers of Invention's song Uncle Bernie's Farm is a satirical take on the commercialization of Christmas and the dangerous impact of toys on children's minds. The lyrics highlight the existence of dangerous toys like airplane glue and bombs that can blow up parents. The song also talks about the existence of a box of plastic toys marked with the name "Uncle Bernie's Farm." The lyrics paint a picture of the dark and twisted side of commercialism, making a mockery of how some corporations and their owners view children's welfare as insignificant.
The song speaks about the destruction that Christmas has brought along in the modern world, with toy stores selling toys that "scream murder and destruction." The song highlights the fact that Christmas has lost its meaning and has become a time for companies to exploit at their expense. Additionally, the song also mentions the existence of a plastic 'congress' and a 'nation' that people can buy. The song mocks the idea that everything in the world, including the government, can be bought and tops it all by likening government officials' actions and decisions to a melt and smelly plastic.
Uncle Bernie's Farm is a thought-provoking song that urges people to rethink their values and what they give to their children. It highlights how some corporations prioritise profit over children's welfare and warns people of the dangers that lie in the world of commercialism.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bomb to blow yo mommy up,
On Uncle Bernie's farm, there exists a toy bomb that is capable of exploding and harming one's mother.
A bomb for yo daddy too! (ouch!)
Similarly, there is another toy bomb that can harm the father as well.
A baby doll that burps 'n pees;
One of the toys on the farm is a baby doll that has realistic functions like burping and urinating.
A case of airplane glue!
Uncle Bernie's farm contains a case of airplane glue, which can be used irresponsibly as a hazardous toy for children.
There's a hungry plastic troll,
One of the toys on the farm is a troll that appears as if it's constantly hungry for human body parts.
To scarf yo buddy's arm!
The troll toy's function is to snatch the arm of a child's friend, as if it's trying to eat it.
There's a box of ugly plastic things marked: 'Uncle bernie's farm'
All these toys are available in a box that has the label 'Uncle Bernie's farm', indicating its potential to harm children.
There's a little plastic 'congress'
Another toy on the farm is a set of plastic figures of representatives and senators, portraying the US government system.
There's a 'nation' you can buy!
These toys are sold with a corresponding concept of a nation within the farm, which reflects the real-world America.
There's a doll that looks like mommy (She'll do anything but cry) (yes, sir)
There is a doll that resembles the mother figure, except it's programmed to have different functions, including not crying.
There's a doll that looks like daddy (He's a funny little man...
Similarly, there is a toy that resembles a father figure but is designed to be humorous.
Push a button 'n ask fo money: There's a dollar in his hand!) (check his wallet)
Another toy in the Uncle Bernie's farm is a father-like toy that disperses money when prompted through button-pushing. However, there's a joke about checking his wallet because the toy would probably run out of money afterwards.
We gotta send sanny claus back to de rescue mission!
The song lyrics express the need to stop Santa Claus from bringing dangerous toys to children.
Christmas don't make it no more!
The lyrics convey the idea that the real purpose of Christmas has been distorted by the commercialization of dangerous toys.
Don'tcha know that murder an' destruction scream de toys in every store! (I think this is sold in new york)
The song highlights that the ubiquitous availability of harmful toys affects not only children but also innocent civilians who happen to be in a store where they are sold.
There's a man who runs the country
Another toy in the farm is a figure who takes up the role of a person in power representing the government.
There's a man who tried to think
Similarly, there is a figure resembling someone with leadership qualities, manifesting in the form of having 'thoughtfulness.'
And they're all made out of plastic (When they melt, they start to stink)
The repeated theme of all figures being made of plastic underscores the issue that these toys lack emotions, sensitivity, and thoughtfulness - fundamental values in human society. The second part of the line is pointing out the danger that these toys could cause when melted.
There's a book with smiling children, Nearly dead with christmas joys
The farm even features a book containing pictures of children who seem overly excited with Christmas-related presents, emphasizing the point that the commercial side of Christmas can be dangerous and harmful.
And smiling in his office Is the creep who makes 'the toys'
The lyrics highlight the creators of the dangerous toys who are aware of the harm they are doing, yet continue to produce these toys for economic gains and willful destruction of childhoods.
(they got this car, when it hits the wall, you can see the guy dying
One of the toys on the farm is a car that resembles something deadly. The lyrics suggest the manufacturing of a toy car that reenacts a fatal accident, contrary to the essence of childhood imagination and innocence.
You got little plastic pools of blood
The quote connotes that the model car mentioned in the previous line comes with additional gruesome details such as fake-blood-pools.
Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho (I'm dreaming...)
The song ends with the humorous addition of Santa Claus' laughter, implying that even the maker of the song is aware of how ridiculous the ideas of lethal toys are.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Vincent Zappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind