Zappa.com

English is not my mothertongue and therefore I find it sometimes hard to follow FZ's lyrics.....

The other day I listened to Just Another Band From L.A. I didn't understand where the words of Billy The Mountain were about. I checked the "notes and comments" about it on Román García Albertos' site, but they didn't make much sense to me either. So, could someone please help me by explaining where Billy The Mountain is about???

_________________
Music is the best. Music composed by FZ is the very best!

Billy the Mountain and his wife Ethel (a tree growing off of Billy's shoulder) suddenly find them themselves rich, since after posing for postcards year after year, they finally recieve their royalties. So, Billy deicdes that they should go on a vacation. To New York.

(continue...)

_________________
"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

But first they were gonna stop in Las Vegas...

....to check out the lounges, pull a few handles and drink a few beers.....
then move on to destroy Edwards Air Force Base.......
(continue)

And TO THIS VERY DAY, 'Wing Nuts' and Data Reduction Clerks alike, speak in reverent whispers about that fateful night when TEST STAND #1 and THE ROCKET SLED ITSELF got LUNCHED! By a FAMOUS MOUNTAIN-IN and his SMALL, WOODEN WIFE.[/img]

_________________
" . . . On the outside now . . ."

you can't really see Ethell in this one ))

Thanks! Well yeah, I could more or less follow the words, but I was only wondering if the fact that Billy is a mountain and his wife is a tree growing off of his shoulders and the things they do is of humorous insignificance or if there's a "message" behind it or if it is referring to something that really happened....

_________________
Music is the best. Music composed by FZ is the very best!

I always thought BTM was basically meant as a humorous protest against the draft and authority figures.

_________________
"When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone in the air. You can never capture it again." -- Eric Dolphy

and don't forget Studebaker
[everyone!]
" . . . a MOUNTain is SOMEthing you DON'T wanna FUCK with
you DON'T wanna FUCK with
DON'T fuck aROUND (Don't fuck around).
Don't fuck with BILLy and
Don't fuck with ETHell
You SAW what just HAPpened to the GUY with the CAR --
DON"T fuck a ROUND
Don't fuck a ROUND . . ."

[is the song over?]

_________________
" . . . On the outside now . . ."

some of the references to the car dealer, Bob Spreen, the store where the Aunt Jemima Syrup Kaiser broiler Foill, cardboard, and scissors were purchased as well as the brand name of the foil itself were real. another segment contained what was supposed to be reading bill boards from the highway. someone from the US would recognize they style. there was also a play on AM radio commercials including the stereotypical drag racing commercial. in fact, while checking the spelling of Big John Masmainian's name i came across this site. it may help you some.
http://www.science.uva.nl/~robbert/zapp ... notes.html

_________________
My new purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

_________________

I think that Billy The mountain is wery great ,bacause it was some of the first songs that I get to listen to erly in the 70`s .Here in Norway You either liked Or hated FZ at that time,but his fans stay solid ewermore.I have almost bought all of his records since then and they all give me more eacht time I play them

BILLY WAS a MOUNTAIN




fz 's inlaws had some sorta indevisive control on his head at th time , naf

_________________

picture time?

_________________
" . . . On the outside now . . ."

Photo of Ralphs - Sun Valley, CA, United States. Sunland & Glenoaks

_________________

should there be an apostrophe in Ralph's?

_________________
hey Punk, where you goin' with that rake in your hand?

^^^ Not when there is more than one Ralph!

_________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

mmmmm good point

_________________
hey Punk, where you goin' with that rake in your hand?

BTM's famous Ralphs is of course the Ralphs on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Where I used to go whenever I was in Hollywood. Is the phonebooth still there in the parking lot?

Probably not. Phone booths don't seem to exist much anymore. What's a super hero to do?

Actually, I don't even remember if there really ever was a phonebooth at Ralphs when I was there (at least in the 80s and 90s). Maybe I mix up reality and the lyrics.

That's right!

Jack in the Box was on Glenoaks.

_________________

Hmm, does that BФИusburger come with Russian dressing?

_________________
Buy some! Now!
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson

nyet

_________________
hey Punk, where you goin' with that rake in your hand?

La La Nice Lady!

_________________