Trouble Every Day
Lyrics
Freak Out! Version
Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
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 watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot . . .
Seen the cops out on the street
Watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff
And chokin' in the heat
Listened to reports
About the whisky passin' 'round
Seen the smoke and fire
And the market burnin' down
Watched while everybody
On his street would take a turn
To stomp and smash and bash and crash
And slash and bust and burn
And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
Well, you can cool it,
You can heat it . . .
'Cause, baby, I don't need it . . .
Take your TV tube and eat it
'N all that phony stuff on sports
'N all the unconfirmed reports
You know I watched that rotten box
Until my head begin to hurt
From checkin' out the way
The newsman say they get the dirt
Before the guys on channel so-and-so
And further they assert
That any show they'll interrupt
To bring you news if it comes up
They say that if the place blows up
They will be the first to tell,
Because the boys they got downtown
Are workin' hard and doin' swell,
And if anybody gets the news
Before it hits the street,
They say that no one blabs 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 you'll see it all complete
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
Hey, you know something people?
I'm not black
But there's a whole lots a times
I wish I could say I'm not white
Well, I seen the fires burnin'
And the local people turnin'
On the merchants and the shops
Who used to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
And they say it served 'em right
Because a few of them are white,
And it's the same across the nation
Black and white discrimination
Yellin' "You can't understand me!"
'N all that other jazz they hand me
In the papers and TV and
All that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more every day
Each time you hear some nitwit say
He wants to go and do you in
Because 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
You know we got to sit around at home
And watch this thing begin
But I bet there won't be many live
To see it really end
'Cause the fire in the street
Ain't like the fire in the heart
And in the eyes of all these people
Don't you know that this could start
On any street in any town
In any state if any clown
Decides that now's the time to fight
For some ideal he thinks is right
And if a million more agree
There ain't no Great Society
As it applies to you and me
Our country isn't free
And the law refuses to see
If all that you can ever be
Is just a lousy janitor
Unless your uncle owns a store
You know that five in every four
Just won't amount to nothin' more
Gonna watch the rats go across the floor
And make up songs about being poor
Blow your harmonica, son!
YCDTOSA 5 Version
Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
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 watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot . . .
I seen the cops out on the street
Watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff
And chokin' in the heat
Listened to reports
About the whisky passin' 'round
Seen the smoke and fire
And the market burnin' down
Watched while everybody
On his street would take a turn
To stomp and smash and bash and crash
And slash and bust and burn
And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
You can cool it,
You can heat it . . .
'Cause, baby, I don't need it . . .
Take your TV tube and eat it
'N all that phony stuff on sports
'N all those unconfirmed reports
You know I watched that rotten box
Until my head begin to hurt
From checkin' out the way
The newsman say they get the dirt
Before the guys on channel so-and-so
And further they assert
That any show they'll interrupt
To bring you news if it comes up
They say that if the place blows up
They will be the first to tell,
Because the boys they got downtown
Are workin' hard and doin' swell,
And if anybody gets the news
Before it hits the street,
They say that no one blabs 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 you'll see it all complete
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll 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' every day
Well, I seen the fires burnin'
And the local people turnin'
On the merchants and the shops
Who used to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
And they say it served 'em right
Because a few of them were white,
And it's the same across the nation
Black and white discrimination
Yellin' "You can't understand me!"
'N all that other crap they hand me
In the papers and TV and
All that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more every day
Each time you hear some asshole say
He wants to go and do you in
Because 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
Roxy & Elsewhere Version
Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
Been checkin' out the news
Till my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day
Is just another rotten mess
(Sure 'nuff!)
And when it's gonna change, my friend
Is anybody's guess (Well!) (Woa!)
So I'm
Watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot
I seen the cops out on the street
I watched 'em throwin' rocks & stuff & chokin'
In the heat
I listen to reports
'Bout the whisky passin' around
I seen the smoke & fire
And the market burnin' down
I watched while everybody
On his street would take a turn
To stomp & smash & bash & crash & slash & bust & burn
I'm a--watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
But I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
Watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin', oh, yeah...
DHBIM Version
(It's a boy in a muumuu)
Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' MTV
I been checkin' out the HO HO HO!
Until my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day
Is just another rotten group
(Right you are, girl)
And when it's gonna change, my friend
Will probably make you stoop, I don't know
So I'm
Watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
(Oh no!)
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot
I seen those cops out on the street
I watched 'em throwin' rocks & stuff & chokin'
In the heat
I listen to reports
(Oh, we gotta . . . )
'Bout the whisky passin' around
(Sho' nuff . . . don'tcha!)
I seen the smoke & fire
And the market burnin' down
Watched while everybody
On his street would HA HA HA!
To stomp & smash & bash & crash & slash & bust & burn
And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
(Oh no!)
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
(Oh no!)
Players On This Song
FREAK OUT! version
- Frank Zappa - guitar & vocals
- Ray Collins - lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin & tweezers
- Jimmy Carl Black - drums (also sings in some foreign language)
- Roy Estrada - bass & guitarron; boy soprano
- Elliot Ingber - alternate lead & rhythm guitar with clear white light
Records On Which This Song Has Appeared
Singles
- Trouble Comin' Every Day (05:50) / Who Are The Brain Police? (03:33) - The Mothers Of Invention (1966)
Zappa Albums & Side Projects
- Freak Out!
- The MOFO Project/Object (2006)
- The MOFO Project/Object (Deluxe Edition) (2006)
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5
- Roxy & Elsewhere as More Trouble Every Day
- Does Humor Belong In Music?
- The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life as More Trouble Every Day (Swaggart Version)
- Electric Aunt Jemima (BTB)
- Unmitigated Audacity (BTB) as More Trouble Every Day
- Strictly Commercial contains the Freak Out! version
- Understanding America
Unauthorized Compilations
-
Samplers And Promos
-
Special Editions
-
Miscellaneous
-
Tribute & Cover Albums
Bootleg Recordings
- Bubble Cream Cheese in Trouble Every Day / Any Downers (Inst.)
- What's New In Loreley? in Trouble Every Day / Penguin In Bondage
Notes About This Song
FZ liner notes on "Freak Out!" (1966): "'Trouble Every Day' is how I feel about racial unrest in general and the Watts situation in particular. It was written during the Watts riot as it developed. I shopped it briefly all over Hollywood but no one would touch it... everybody worries so much about not getting any air play. My, my."
This song appears as "Trouble comin' every day" on the first LP versions of "Freak Out !"
Other variations
More Trouble Every Day (Swaggart Version) from The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
CC Clues In This Song
- Mentions the "Great Society".
- "Blow your harmonica, son!" - Famous Lightnin' Slim order to a harmonica player.