"What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this?"

From Zappa Wiki Jawaka
Revision as of 05:47, 21 September 2008 by NawlinWiki (talk | contribs) ("What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this?" (CC) moved to "What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this?" (CC) on wheels: [[MUHAMED RAPED LITTLE CHILDREN. HE WORSHIPPED SATAN AND SACRIFICED BABIES IN HIS NAME. MUSLIMS ARE TERRORISTS )
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The line "What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this?" (and variations thereof) feature prominently in Zappa's more sexually oriented songs. It usually serves a kind of mantra for a male character to seduce the girl (or as in some cases: the boy) of his choice. This is the entire quote as found on Joe's Garage Acts II & III:

What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?
Do you come here often?
Wait a minute... I've got it:
You're an Italian!
What? You're Jewish?
Love your nails! You must be a Libra!
Your place or mine?

Songs that quote this line

  • "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?" on Fillmore East, June 1971: this proto-version ("What's a girl like you / Doin' in a Motel like this?") lacks the mantric feel of later instances of the line and is therefore not as overtly ironic as those.
  • "Stick It Out" on Joe's Garage Acts II & III: the character Sy Borg (who is half vacuum cleaner and half piggy bank) tries to impress Joe (who is dressed like a housewive and has just had his coming-out as a "latent appliance fetishist") by reciting "a few lines of traditional American Love Poetry" (i.e. above line in its entirety).
  • "Dancin' Fool" on Sheik Yerbouti: in the coda of the song, the narrator recites a variation of the line which is adjusted to his disco surroundings ("Hey darlin'! Can I buy ya a coupla drinks? Lookin' for Mister Goodbar? Here he is! Wait a minute... I've got it: you're an Italian! Huh? You're Jewish? Oh, love your nails! You must be a Libra! Your place or mine?")
  • "Artificial Rhonda" on Thing-Fish: Harry-as-a-Boy (the childhood version of the character Harry) asks Artificial Rhonda (the deflatable past self of Harry's wive Rhonda) to dance with a variation of the line ("Hey, good-lookin'! May I have this dance? What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? Do you come here often?")