Frank Zappa's Monster Movie, Cheepnis

by Jack Brummet

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When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (the Frank Zappa rendition)

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Frank Zappa sets the record straight on the ca-ca rumors

By Mona Goldwater, Rock & Roll Correspondent

Frank Zappa once wrote, in response to persistent rumors that he defecated on stage (or ate s*** in a gross out contest):

"For the record, folks; I never took a s*** on stage and the closest I ever came to eating s*** anywhere was at a Holiday Inn buffet in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1973."

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Photo: The Beatles fishing in Seattle

The Beatles fishing from their hotel window at Seattle's Edgewater Inn. You can still fish there. Led Zeppelin famously dropped a line, and Frank Zappa wrote his song "Mud Shark" about fishing there. . .


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Frank Zappa's "Takle Your Clothes Off When You Dance" with lyrics

Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
by Frank Zappa

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above

Who cares if hair is long or short
Or sprayed or partly grayed...
We know that hair ain't where it's at

(there will come a time when you won't
Even be ashamed if you are fat!)

Wah wah-wah wah

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love (dance and love)

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above (rise above)

Who cares if you're so poor you can't afford
To buy a pair of mod a go-go stretch-elastic pants...
There will come a time when you can even
Take your clothes off when you dance
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Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention play one of their greatest songs live with an all star Mothers lineup: Inca Roads (with lyrics)

I don;t know when this was made, or the full band lineup (the YouTube notes are mum on any details). But I do know this is a great rendition of one of Zappa/The Mothers greatest song, including midway through, some off the hook old school animation work. This band was one of Zappa's best, including the stellar Ruth Underwood on vibes, Napolean Murphy Brock, Chester Fowler, and George Duke on vocals, piano arp synth, Wurlitzer 145, and a Hohner clavinet. And all the other people in this classic lineup.... the last words of the song are "On Ruth/On Ruth/That's truth."




Inca Roads
By Frank Zappa

Did a vehicle
Come from somewhere out there
Just to land in the Andes?
Was it round
And did it have
A motor
Or was it
Something
Different

Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Fly along the mountains
And find a place to park itself
Park it
Se-e-e-elf
(PARK IT . . . PARK IT)

Or did someone
Build a place
To leave a space
For such a thing to land

Did a vehicle
Come from somewhere out there
Did a vehicle come
From somewhere out there
Did the Indians, first on the bill
Carve up the hill

Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Just to land in the Andes?
Was she round
And did she have a motor
Or was she something different

Guacamole Queen
Guacamole Queen
Guacamole Queen

At the Armadillo in Austin Texas, her aura,
Or did someone build a place
Or leave a space for Chester's Thing to land
(Chester's Thing . . . on Ruth)
Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Did the Indians, first on the bill
Carve up her hill
On Ruth
On Ruth
That's Ruth
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Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance - A Frank Zappa/Mothers YouTube slideo (with lyrics)

Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
Music and Lyrics by Frank Zappa

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above

Who cares if hair is long or short
Or sprayed or partly grayed...
We know that hair ain't where it's at

(there will come a time when you won't
Even be ashamed if you are fat!)

Wah wah-wah wah

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love (dance and love)

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above (rise above)

Who cares if you're so poor you can't afford
To buy a pair of mod a go-go stretch-elastic pants...
There will come a time when you can even
Take your clothes off when you dance
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Happy Mother's Day - Frank Zappa & The Mother of Invention's "Mother People".

We are the other people
We are the other people
You're the other people too
Found a way to get to you...
Do you think that I'm crazy?
Out of my mind?
Do you think that I creep in the night
And sleep in a phone booth?
Lemme take a minute & tell you my plan
Lemme take a minute & tell who I am
If it doesn't show
Think you better know
I'm another person
Do you think that my pants are too tight
Do you think that I'm creepy?
Lemme take a minute & tell you my plan
Lemme take a minute & tell who I am
If it doesn't show
Think you better know
I'm another person (the verse that really
Goes here has been censored out &
Recorded backwards in a special section
At the end of side one...)
We are the other people
We are the other people
You're the other people too
Found a way to get to you
We are the other people
We are the other people
You're the other people too
Found a way to get to you
Do you think that I love you...
Stupid & blind?
Do you think that I dream through the
Night
Of holding you near me?

Lemme take a minute & tell you my plan
Lemme take a minute & tell who I am
If it doesn't show
Think you better know
I'm another person
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Video: Ruth Underwood is interviewed about her work with Frank Zappa (includes video clips of Ruth at the mallets)

Here is a YouTube video from a very moving interview with the great marimbist Ruth Underwood, along with clips of her playing and the great story of how Frank Zappa convinced her to "go electric. " Also includes a brief clip of Dweezil Zappa and Napoleon Murphy Brock:



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Zappa Plays Zappa at Paramount Northwest

I went to see Dweezil Zappa's touring show and band tonight. I'd give it a mixed review. You have to remember, as always, that I suck as a music reviewer. For as much time as I spend going to shows, you'd think I could possibly sound literate, or knowledgeable, about music. And you would be wrong. That's why I keep these reviews brief.

There were some weird moments, like the band playing along with a 70's video of Frank (where they stripped away all the multitracks except Zappa's voice and guitar). It was a little creepy (ala Natalie and Nat King Cole's "duets." Dweezil is an incredible guitarist, playing the same kind of speedy, mathematical style his father employed. He didn't play a lot of melodic material...a couple songs, maybe.

Zappa Plays Zappa is a mostly young band, augmented by the wonderfully charming showboating singer/guitar veteran Ray White (who has an amazing set of pipes). They played songs from the first album all the way to the end, but focused a lot on the late 70's/early 80's Ray White era music like Zappa in New York (including his intense vocal on The Illinois Enema Bandit), Tinsel Town Rebellion, and You Are What You Is. If I had a voice, I'd have chosen more the late 60's to mid-70's music.

They played a few older gems like Uncle Remus (one of my favorite songs of the night), Uncle Meat, San Bernardino, Pygmy in Twilight, and other classics.

It was a good show, and I might even go see them again. But, I have to admit, it didn't match the two times I saw Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention play at the very same theatre 30 some years ago (including one show where they played a set of Reuben and the Jets).
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Video clip: Frank Zappa Guest Stars On Miami Vice

Frank Zappa plays a drug dealer in this episode of Miami Vice. He didn't want to play the part until he learned his son Dweezil loved the show. Ironically, Frank Zappa, as you may know, was violently anti-drug. As far as I know he never even smoked a joint in his entire life. He was a coffee and cigarette guy.

OK, he's not the best thespian I've ever seen, but as Frank himself would tell you, this video clip furnishes an interesting chunk of conceptual continuity...


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