Shut up ‘n eat yer burrito.

Laughing Planet Cafe, Belmont, Portland, OR

“I have an important message to deliver to all the cute people all over the world. If you’re out there and you’re cute, maybe you’re beautiful. I just want to tell you somethin’ — there’s more of us UGLY MOTHERFUCKERS than you are, heyyy, so watch out.”

-Frank Zappa

Happy Zappadan!

For the start (a day late) of this “annual blogswarm tribute to Frank Zappa”, which runs from the anniversary of Frank’s death (Dec 4 1993) to his birthday (Dec 21 1940), here is his master guitar solo “Watermelon in Easter Hay”. Originally released on Zappa’s 1979 rock opera(?) album Joe’s Garage, this was Joe’s last imaginary guitar solo before he rejoined a world without music.

Pour one out for Frank while you enjoy this most beautiful of funeral songs.

[Frank Zappa - Watermelon In Easter Hay, Live In NYC, 1978 (by reldditmot)]

A reminder that @Zappadan starts in just a couple weeks. This is one of my favorite FZ songs, “Strictly Genteel”, as it appeared in the finale of 200 Motels (with selected lyrics):

Lord, have mercy on the people in England
For the terrible food these people must eat
And may the Lord have mercy on the fate of this movie
And God bless the mind of the man in the street

Help all the rednecks and the flatfoot policemen
Through the terrible functions they all must perform
God help the winos, the junkies, and the weirdos
And every poor soul who’s adrift in the storm.

Help everybody, so they all get some action
Some love on the weekend, some real satisfaction

A room and a meal
And a garbage disposal
A lawn and a hose’ll
Be strictly genteel

Lord, have mercy on the hippies and faggots
And the dykes and the weird little children they grow

Help the black man
Help the poor man
Help the milk man
Help the door man
Help the lonely, neglected old farts that I know

Oh, and I know tonight, I am definitely …
I am positively …
I just have to get …
BENT, REAMED AND WASTED