Eleven years ago today, we lost Frank Zappa.

[NightTrain]

Just imagine what he would've thought of the Bush Junta!



RIP, Brother Frank. :cry:

[Feathered Fish]

1. Trouble Every Day

Well I’m about to get up sick
From watchin my t.v.
Been checkin’ out the news
Until my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day
Is just another rotten mess
And when it’s gonna change, my friend
Is anybody’s guess
So I’m watching and I’m waiting
Hopin’ for the best
Even think I go to praying
Every time I hear them sayin’
That there’s no way to delay
That trouble comin’ everyday
No way to delay
That trouble comin’ every day

Wednesday I watched the riot
I’ve seen the cops out on the street
Watch them throwing rocks and stuff and choking in the heat
Listen to reports
About the whiskey passin’ round
Seen the smoke and fire
And the market burnin’ down
Watched while everybody on his street would take a turn
They stomp and smash and bash and crash and slash and bust ’n burn
And I’m watching and I’m waitin hopin’ for the best
Even think I go to prayin’
Every time I hear em sayin’
That there’s no way to delay
That trouble comin’ every day
No way to delay
That trouble comin’ everyday

You can cool it
You can heat it
Cause baby I don’t need it
Take your t.v. tube and eat it
And all that phony stuff on sports
And all those unconfirmed reports
You know I watch that rotten box
Until my head begin to hurt
From checkin’ out the way
The newsmen say they get the dirt
Before the guys on channel so and so
And further they assert
That any show they litter up
They bring you news if it comes up
They say that if the place blows up
They will be the first to tell
Cause the boys they got downtown
Working hard and doin swell
And if anybody gets the news
Before it hits the streets
They say that no one blams it faster
Their coverage can’t be beat
And if another woman driver
Gets machine gunned from her seat
They’ll send some joker with a brownie
And youll see it all complete

So I’m watching and I’m waiting
Hopin for the best
Even think I go to praying
Every time I hear them saying
That there’s no way to delay
That trouble comin’ everyday
No way to delay
That trouble comin’ every day

Well I’ve seen the fires burnin’
And the local people turnin’
All the merchants and the shops
Who use to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watch the mob just turn and bite em
And they say it serve them right
Because a few of them are white
And it’s the same across the nation
Black and white discrimination
Yell and you can understand me
And all that other crap they hand me
In the papers and t.v.
And all that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more everyday
These time of year some asshole say
He wants to go and do you in
Cause the color of your skin
Just don’t appeal to him
No matter if it’s black or white
Because he’s out for blood tonight



RIP

[sendero]

2. He figured it out ahead of his time....

"I AM THE SLIME"

I am gross and perverted
I’m obsessed ’n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I am the tool of the government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can’t look away
I make you think I’m delicious
With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I am the slime oozin’ out
From your tv set

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don’t need you
Don’t go for help...no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

That’s right, folks..
Don’t touch that dial

Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin’ along on your livin’room floor

I am the slime from your video
Can’t stop the slime, people, lookit me go

[peekaloo]

6. I remember him doing that song on SNL many moons ago.

R.I.P. Mr. Zappa.

"and the meek share inherit NOTHING".

[Aiptasia]

3. That's why I watched "Baby Snakes" last night

Frank was such genius.

:cry:

[bikebloke]

4. I just started reading his biography last night.

What a coincidence. I didn't know his death day was near.

By the way, the book is entitled "Zappa", by Barry Miles.

[Aiptasia]

8. I've read that book

Fascinating insights and quite funny.

[UrbScotty]

5. Check out my sig line. (nt)

[m_welby]

7. a great man, a great musician, a great loss.

My favorite (non lyrical) frank quote...

"the two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity".

I has the great opportunity to see Frank in concert many times, always a brilliant performance. An incredibly gifted musician and composer who is still not properly appreciated in his native country, although in europe he is properly honored.

[Aiptasia]

9. RIP Frank..

Is that a real poncho or a sears poncho? hmmm no fooling...

[TexasBushwhacker]

13. You know, I bet he was a great dad too n/t

[acmavm]

10. Zappa. I miss Zappa. The man had the ability to make you laugh, then

make you angry. The laughter came when you heard the brilliantly ironic/sarcastic way he phrased his songs. Then anger came afterwards, when you were thinking about what you heard. And he was right on message, always. And Zappa was one of the few who had the courage of his convictions. Never backed down from a fight, never cared what people thought of him. And he was so great that that was never a hindrance. People my age still thought of Zappa as a God. One of the might messengers of the truth. And after all these years, his message is still as relevant as it was all those years ago.

There are a lot of people who have clarity of vision, who can put into words the irony and sadness and tell the tales of stupidity and corruption that occur all around us. But no one can take it to the level Zappa did. And he was a musical genius on top of it all.

They should teach Zappa in the schools. Zappa 101.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Agreed on all counts! A Zappa class would be excellent!

And Zappa pushed recording and performance technology and helped developed a lot of it. Without his initiative and skill, we wouldn't have what we have now. Sadly, it's now being used for the likes of NStink and the other forms of shit music against which Frank railed.

I miss ya, Frank!!

[bbernardini]

12. Frank died in the middle of my first Todd Rundgren concert...

Coincidence? Irony? I don't know, I could never remember the difference. But one of my idols died while I was two feet from the other. Weird.

Frank, although we never met, introduced me to my third musical idol, Mike Keneally, a hell of a musician, and a heck of a nice guy.

[FizzFuzz]

14. I miss Frank too.

Thanks for this thread. :cry:

sigh. So smart. So talented. So funny. Amazing.
Dammit, why do the good ones have to go. Why can't we lose the shit and keep the good ones?

"I might be movin to montana soon....
......by myself I wouldn't have no boss,
But I'd be raisin' my lonely!
Dennil!
Floss!"