Joes Garage Lyrics by Frank Zappa

Joes Garage Lyrics

    Frank zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
    Warren cucurullo (rhythm guitar, vocals)
    Denny walley (slide guitar, vocals)
    Ike willis (lead vocals)
    Peter wolf (keyboards)
    Tommy mars (keyboards)
    Arthur barrow (bass, vocals)
    Ed mann (percussion)
    Vinnie colaiuta (drums)
    Jeff (tenor saxophone)
    Marginal chagrin (baritone saxophone)
    Stumuk (bass saxophone)
    Dale bozzio (vocals)
    Al malkin (vocals)
    Craig steward (harmonica)

    A boring old garage in a residential area with a teen-age band rehearsing in it. joe (the main character in the central scrutinizer's special presentation) sings to us of the trials and tribulat
    Of garage-band husbandry.

    Central scrutinizer:
    We take you now, to a garage, in canoga park.

    Frank zappa:
    (it makes it's own sauce...)

    Joe:
    It wasn't very large
    There was just enough room to cram the drums
    In the corner over by the dodge
    It was a fifty-four
    With a mashed up door
    And a cheesy little amp
    With a sign on the front said "fender champ"
    And a second hand guitar
    It was a stratocaster with a whammy bar

    At this point, larry (a guy who will eventually give up music and earn a respectable living as a roadie for a group called toad-o) joins in the song...

    Larry:
    We could jam in joe's garage
    His mama was screamin'
    His dad was mad
    We was playin' the same old song
    In the afternoon 'n' sometimes we would
    Play it all night long
    It was all we knew, 'n' easy too
    So we wouldn't get it wrong
    All we did was bend the string like...
    Hey!
    Down in joe's garage
    We didn't have no dope or lsd
    But a coupla quartsa beer
    Would fix it so the intonation
    Would not offend yer ear
    And the same old chords goin' over 'n' over
    Became a symphony
    We would play it again 'n' again 'n' again
    'cause it sounded good to me
    One more time!
    We could jam in joe's garage
    His mama was screamin',
    "turn it down!"
    We was playing' the same old song
    In the afternoon 'n' sometimes we would
    Play it all night long
    It was all we knew, and easy too
    So we wouldn't get it wrong
    Even if you played it on a saxophone
    We thought we was pretty good
    We talked about keepin' the band together
    'n' we figured that we should
    'cause about this time we was gettin' the eye
    From the girls in the neighborhood
    They'd all come over 'n' dance around
    Like...

    Twenty teen-age girls dash
    In and go stomp-clap,
    Stomp-clap-clap...

    So we picked out a stupid name
    Had some cards printed up for a coupla bucks
    'n' we was on our way to fame
    Got matching suits 'n' beatle boots
    'n' a sign on the back of the car
    'n' we was ready to work in a go-go bar

    One two three four
    Let's see if you got some more!

    People seemed to like our song
    They got up 'n' danced 'n' made a lotta noise
    An' it wasn't 'fore very long
    A guy from a company we can't name
    Said we oughta take his pen
    'n' sign on the line for a real good time
    But he didn't tell us when
    These "good times" would be somethin'
    That was really happenin'
    So the band broke up
    An' it looks like
    We will never play again...

    Joe:
    Guess you only get one chance in life
    To play a song that goes like...

    (and, as the band plays their little song,
    Mrs. borg (who keeps her son sy,
    In the closet with the vacuum cleaner)
    Screams out the window...

    Mrs. borg:
    Turn it down!
    Turn it down!
    I have children sleeping here...
    Don't you boys know any nice songs?

    Joe:
    (speculating on the future)
    Well the years was rollin' by, yeah
    Heavy metal 'n' glitter rock
    Had caught the public eye, yeah
    Snotty boys with lipstick on
    Was really flyin' high, yeah
    'n' then they got that disco thing
    'n' new wave came along
    'n' all of a sudden i thought the time
    Had come for that old song
    We used to play in "joe's garage"
    And if i am not wrong
    You will soon be dancin' to...

    Central scrutinizer:
    The white zone is
    For loading and
    Unloading only. if you
    Gotta load or unload,
    Go to the white
    Zone. you'll love it...

    Joe:
    Well the years was rollin' by (etc.)...

    Mrs. borg:
    I'm calling the police!
    I did it! they'll be here...shortly!

    Officer butzis:
    This is the police...

    Mrs. borg:
    I'm not joking around anymore

    Officer butzis:
    We have the garage surrounded
    If you give yourself up
    We will not harm you
    Or hurt you neither

    Mrs. borg:
    You'll see them

    Officer butzis:
    This is the police

    Mrs. borg:
    There they are, they're coming!

    Officer butzis:
    Give yourself up
    We will not harm you

    Mrs. borg:
    Listen to that mess, would you?

    Officer butzis:
    This is the police
    Give yourself up
    We have the garage surrounded

    Mrs. borg:
    Everday this goes on around here!

    Officer butzis:
    We will not harm you, or maim you
    (swat team 4, move in!)

    Mrs. borg:
    He used cut my grass...
    He was very nice boy...
    That's disgusting!!

    Central scrutinizer:
    This is the central scrutinizer...
    That was joe's first confrontation with the law.
    Naturally, we were easy on him.
    One of our friendly counselors gave him
    A do-nut...and told him to
    Stick closer to church-oriented social activities.

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