The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing

Lyrics

• You Are What You Is version

While you WORK THE WALL
WORK THE FLOOR
WORK THE PIPE
IN SERIOUS PAIN . . .

Some take the bible
For what it's worth
When it says that the meek
Shall inherit the Earth
Well, I heard that some sheik
Has bought New Jersey last week
'N you suckers ain't gettin' nothin'

Is Hare Rama really wrong
If you wander around
With a napkin on
With a bell on a stick
An' your hair is all gone . . .
(The geek shall inherit nothin')

You say yer life's a bum deal
'N yer up against the wall . . .
Well, people, you ain't even got no kinda
Deal at all
'Cause what they do
In Washington
They just takes care of NUMBER ONE
An' NUMBER ONE ain't YOU
You ain't even NUMBER TWO

Those Jesus Freaks
Well, they're friendly but
The shit they believe
Has got their minds all shut
An' they don't even care
When the church takes a cut
Ain't it bleak when you got so much nothin'
(So whaddya do? Hey!)
Eat that pork
Eat that ham
Laugh till ya choke
On Billy Graham
Moses, Aaron 'n Abraham . . .
They're all a waste of time
'N it's your ass that's on the line
(IT'S YOUR ASS THAT'S ON THE LINE)

Do what you wanna
Do what you will
Just don't mess up
Your neighbor's thrill
'N when you pay the bill
Kindly leave a little tip
And help the next poor sucker
On his one way trip . . .
SOME TAKE THE BIBLE . . .
(Aw gimme a half a dozen for the hotel room!)

• Thing-Fish version

Thing-Fish: Boy!
Ensemble: WORK THE WALL!
Thing-Fish: Dey workin' de wall!
Ensemble: WORK THE FLOOR!
Thing-Fish: Dey not only woikin' it, dey turnin' de damn thing!
Ensemble: WORK THE PIPE!
Thing-Fish: De pipe?
Ensemble: (IN SERIOUS PAIN)
Thing-Fish: Welcome to the QUENTIN ROBERT DE NAMELAND VIDEO CHAPEL OF ECONOMIC WORSHIP!
Ensemble: (singing) Some take THE BIBLE For what it's worth When it says that THE MEEK Shall inherit THE EARTH Well, I heard that some Sheik Has bought New Jersey last week, 'N you suckers ain't gettin' DOODLY! Is all de MAMMYS really wrong, If we's wandrin' aroun' Wit' de nakkin on? Big ol' lips like a duck, While we's singin' dis song, (EVIL PRINCE, people, he cain't do NOTHIN'!)
Thing-Fish: You say yo' life a 'BUM DEAL', 'N yo' 'UP AGAINST DE WALL'? Well, people, you ain't got no kinda 'DEAL' at all! Now de shit dey be doin' Down in WASHINGTUM,
Ensemble: Dey just takes care
Thing-Fish: Dey takin' care
Ensemble: O' 'NUMBER ONE,'
Thing-Fish: O' 'NUMBER ONE'!
Ensemble: An' 'NUMBER ONE' ain't YOU!
Thing-Fish: Oh no! It ain't YOU or YOU!
Ensemble: YOU ain't even 'NUMBER TWO'!
Thing-Fish: (Push de button, pull dat chain, Out come dat lil' brown Choo-choo train!)
Ensemble: Those JESUS-FREAKS, Well, they're friendly, BUT, The SHIT they BELIEVE Has got their minds ALL SHUT, An' they don't even CARE When 'THE CHURCH' takes a 'CUT'! (Ain't it BLEAK when you've got so much NOTHIN'?)
Thing-Fish: Wohhhhhh, so whaddya do?
Ensemble: EAT that PORK! 'N EAT that HAM! Laugh till ya choke On BILLY GRAHAM! BROWN MOSES, AARON, 'n ABRAHAM: They're ALL a waste of TIME, 'N it's YOUR ASS that's ON THE LINE!
Thing-Fish: Wohhhhhh, heah me talkin' to ya, now, IT'S YOUR ASS THAT'S ON THE LINE!
Ensemble: Do what you WANNA,
Thing-Fish: Ohh! Do what ya wanna!
Ensemble: Do WHAT YOU WILL,
Thing-Fish: Do what you will!
Ensemble: Just DON'T MESS UP
Thing-Fish: Don't mess it!
Ensemble: YOUR NEIGHBOR'S THRILL,
Thing-Fish: Dat's right!
Ensemble: 'N when you PAY THE BILL,
Thing-Fish: Aww, when y'pay de bill . . .
Ensemble: Kindly LEAVE A LITTLE TIP,
Thing-Fish: One-Adam-Twelve . . .
Ensemble: And help the NEXT POOR SUCKER
Thing-Fish: See de sucker . . .
Ensemble: On his ONE WAY TRIP! (SOME TAKE THE BIBLE!)
Thing-Fish: Aw, gimme a half a duzzning fo' de hotel ruim!

Players On This Song

• Thing-Fish version
  • Ike Willis rhythm guitar and vocals
  • Ray White rhythm guitar and vocals
  • Tommy Mars keyboards
  • Arthur Barrow bass
  • Denny Walley slide guitar and vocals
  • Chad Wackerman drums

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared

Zappa Albums & Side Projects

• Thing-Fish
• Buffalo

Tribute & Cover Albums

• Various Artists: Zappa's Universe

Videos

• Saturday Night Live, NBC, October 21st 1978