Difference between revisions of "United States of America"

From Zappa Wiki Jawaka
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(29 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
Frank Zappa was born in [[Baltimore]], U.S., but later moved to [[Lancaster]], near the [[Mojave Desert]].
+
[[File:Zappa Uncle Sam.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Frank Zappa dressed up as Uncle Sam for a 1988 publicity shoot to promote voting in the presidential elections.]]
  
In his work Zappa was very critical of his home country, especially the American government, its foreign policy, organized religion, media, advertisement corporations and the consumer culture. This is one of the reasons why his music was far more popular in [[Europe]].
+
While Zappa was born and raised in the United States he was often critical of the American government, its foreign policy, organized religion, media, corporations and the consumer culture.
 
 
Despite his criticisms Zappa didn't hate his country.
 
 
 
==Locations==
 
* [[Baltimore]]
 
* [[California]]
 
* [[Glendale]]
 
* [[Palo Alto]]
 
* [[Los Angeles]]
 
* [[San Diego]]
 
* [[San Fernando]]
 
* [[Ontario]] (California)
 
* [[San Fernando Valley]]
 
* [[San Joaquin Valley]]
 
* [[San Quentin]]
 
* [[San Francisco]]
 
* [[Santa Monica]]
 
* [[Saint Louis]]
 
* [[Sun Village]]
 
* [[Palmdale]]
 
* [[Irwindale]]
 
* [[Lancaster]]
 
* [[El Monte Legion Stadium]]
 
* [[Orange County]]
 
* [[Encino]]
 
* [[Monterey]]
 
* [[Edwards Air Force Base]]
 
* [[Las Vegas]]
 
* [[Pomona]]
 
* [[Park Avenue]]
 
* [[Chicago]]
 
* [[Nevada]]
 
* [[Utah]]
 
* [[Georgia]]
 
* [[Alaska]]
 
* [[Virginia]]
 
* [[Washington]]
 
* [[Miami]]
 
* [[Alabama]]
 
* [[New York]]
 
* [[Manhattan]]
 
* [[Madison Square Garden]]
 
* [[New Jersey]]
 
* [[Broadway]]
 
* [[The Broadway]]
 
* [[Lankershim Boulevard]]
 
* [[Laurel Canyon]]
 
* [[Long Island]]
 
* [[White Street]]
 
* [[Canter's Deli]]
 
* [[Mojave Desert]]
 
* [[Cucamonga]]
 
* [[Garrick Theatre]]
 
* [[Greenwich Village]]
 
* [[Reseda]]
 
* [[Houston]]
 
* [[Sunset Boulevard]]
 
* [[Westchester]]
 
* [[Huntingpark]]
 
* [[Langley]]
 
* [[Cheviot Hills]]
 
* [[Boney's Market]]
 
* [[Pal Studio]]
 
* [[Granada Hills]]
 
* [[Lincoln Center]]
 
* [[Hollywood]]
 
* [[Hollywood Boulevard]]
 
* [[Fresno]]
 
* [[125th]]
 
* [[Pomona]]
 
* [[Fillmore East]]
 
* [[Fillmore West]]
 
* [[Wyoming]]
 
* [[Playa del Rey]]
 
* [[Pauley Pavilion]]
 
* [[Shrine Exposition Hall]]
 
* [[Jai Alai Fronton]]
 
* [[Royce Hall]]
 
* [[Uptown Hall]]
 
* [[Glenoaks]]
 
* [[Canal]]
 
* [[Cafe au-Go-Go]]
 
* [[Canoga Park]]
 
* [[Circle Star Theatre]]
 
* The [[Freak Out! Hot Spots]]  (where all 69 locations are American)
 
* [[Freak 2: Hot Spots]]
 
* [[:Category:Clubs And Bars]]
 
* [[:Category:Radio Stations]]
 
* [[:Category:Recording Studios]]
 
* [[:Category:Schools & Colleges]]
 
  
 
==Track and album references to America==
 
==Track and album references to America==
  
* [[Hungry Freaks Daddy]]
+
* [[Hungry Freaks Daddy]]: "Mr. America walk on by..."
* [[Trouble Every Day]]: was inspired by the [[Watts Riots]]
+
* [[Trouble Every Day]]: was inspired by the [[wikipedia:Watts riots|Watts riots]]
* [[It Can't Happen Here]]: "Who could imagine that they would freak out in [[Minnesota]] (...), [[Kansas]], (...) Washington D.C.?"
+
* [[It Can't Happen Here]]: "Who could imagine that they would freak out in [[wikipedia:Minnesota| Minnesota]] (...), [[wikipedia:Kansas| Kansas]], (...) [[wikipedia:Washington D.C.|Washington D.C.]]?"
 
* [[The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet]]: "America's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful... it really makes it!"
 
* [[The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet]]: "America's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful... it really makes it!"
* [[Plastic People]]
+
* [[Plastic People]]: "Ladies and gentlemen: the President of the United States!" (...) "My fellow Americans""
 
* [[America Drinks]]
 
* [[America Drinks]]
 
* [[Soft-Sell Conclusion]]: "Worshipping together in the church of your dreams. Only in America!"
 
* [[Soft-Sell Conclusion]]: "Worshipping together in the church of your dreams. Only in America!"
* [[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]
+
* [[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]: "I'd like her do a nasty/on the White House lawn."
 
* [[America Drinks & Goes Home]]
 
* [[America Drinks & Goes Home]]
 
* [[Who Needs The Peace Corps?]]: "Go to [[San Francisco]]"
 
* [[Who Needs The Peace Corps?]]: "Go to [[San Francisco]]"
Line 122: Line 32:
 
* [[Redneck Eats]]
 
* [[Redneck Eats]]
 
* [[Dental Hygiene Dilemma]]: (...) a rancid motel in Orlando, Florida, with the highest MILDEW rating of any commercial lodging facility within the territorial limits of the United States"
 
* [[Dental Hygiene Dilemma]]: (...) a rancid motel in Orlando, Florida, with the highest MILDEW rating of any commercial lodging facility within the territorial limits of the United States"
 +
* [[Strictly Genteel]]: "A disaster area the size of Atlantic City, New Jersey."
 
* [[Just Another Band From L.A.]]
 
* [[Just Another Band From L.A.]]
 
* [[Billy The Mountain]]
 
* [[Billy The Mountain]]
Line 151: Line 62:
 
* [[Truck Driver Divorce]]
 
* [[Truck Driver Divorce]]
 
* [[Stevie's Spanking]]
 
* [[Stevie's Spanking]]
* [[Harry-As-A-Boy]]: ''"just like every other American, I'm too concerned with my own personal health and well-being to think of devoting any of myprecious time to something as boring as reproduction!"''
+
* [[Harry-As-A-Boy]]: ''"just like every other American, I'm too concerned with my own personal health and well-being to think of devoting any of my precious time to something as boring as reproduction!"''
 
* [[Be In My Video]]  (satire of [[MTV]])
 
* [[Be In My Video]]  (satire of [[MTV]])
 
* [[What's New In Baltimore?]]
 
* [[What's New In Baltimore?]]
Line 187: Line 98:
 
* [[The Madison Panty-Sniffing Festival]]
 
* [[The Madison Panty-Sniffing Festival]]
 
* [[Emperor Of Ohio]]
 
* [[Emperor Of Ohio]]
* [[Operation Gladio]] (unreleased track)
 
 
* [[Agency Man]]: "Let's try California..."
 
* [[Agency Man]]: "Let's try California..."
 
* [[Outrage At Valdez]]
 
* [[Outrage At Valdez]]
Line 196: Line 106:
 
* [[Amnerika]]
 
* [[Amnerika]]
 
* [[This Ain't CNN]]
 
* [[This Ain't CNN]]
 +
 +
* Various characters associated with the U.S.A. can be seen in ''[[You Are What You Is (The Music Video)]]'', including President Reagan, a Ku Klux Klan member and a Playboy Bunny
 +
* [[Clean American Version]], a text that can also be seen on the artwork for [[Absolutely Free]]
 +
* The M.O.I. American Pageant is the name of side two of [[Absolutely Free]] (track 10-15 on the CD version)
 +
* Zappa often used the monicker ''"American composer"'' to describe himself in the most straightforward way.
 +
 +
==Locations==
 +
* [[Baltimore]]
 +
* [[California]]
 +
* [[Glendale]]
 +
* [[Palo Alto]]
 +
* [[Los Angeles]]
 +
* [[San Diego]]
 +
* [[San Fernando]]
 +
* [[Ontario]] (California)
 +
* [[San Fernando Valley]]
 +
* [[San Joaquin Valley]]
 +
* [[San Quentin]]
 +
* [[San Francisco]]
 +
* [[Santa Monica]]
 +
* [[Saint Louis]]
 +
* [[Sun Village]]
 +
* [[Palmdale]]
 +
* [[Irwindale]]
 +
* [[Lancaster]]
 +
* [[El Monte Legion Stadium]]
 +
* [[Orange County]]
 +
* [[Encino]]
 +
* [[Monterey]]
 +
* [[Edwards Air Force Base]]
 +
* [[Las Vegas]]
 +
* [[Pomona]]
 +
* [[Park Avenue]]
 +
* [[Chicago]]
 +
* [[Nevada]]
 +
* [[Utah]]
 +
* [[Georgia]]
 +
* [[Alaska]]
 +
* [[Virginia]]
 +
* [[Washington]]
 +
* [[Miami]]
 +
* [[Alabama]]
 +
* [[New York]]
 +
* [[Manhattan]]
 +
* [[Madison Square Garden]]
 +
* [[New Jersey]]
 +
* [[Broadway]]
 +
* [[The Broadway]]
 +
* [[Lankershim Boulevard]]
 +
* [[Laurel Canyon]]
 +
* [[Long Island]]
 +
* [[White Street]]
 +
* [[Canter's Deli]]
 +
* [[Mojave Desert]]
 +
* [[Cucamonga]]
 +
* [[Garrick Theatre]]
 +
* [[Greenwich Village]]
 +
* [[Reseda]]
 +
* [[Houston]]
 +
* [[Sunset Boulevard]]
 +
* [[Westchester]]
 +
* [[Huntingpark]]
 +
* [[Langley]]
 +
* [[Cheviot Hills]]
 +
* [[Boney's Market]]
 +
* [[Pal Studio]]
 +
* [[Granada Hills]]
 +
* [[Lincoln Center]]
 +
* [[Hollywood]]
 +
* [[Hollywood Boulevard]]
 +
* [[Fresno]]
 +
* [[125th]]
 +
* [[Pomona]]
 +
* [[Fillmore East]]
 +
* [[Fillmore West]]
 +
* [[Wyoming]]
 +
* [[Playa del Rey]]
 +
* [[Pauley Pavilion]]
 +
* [[Shrine Exposition Hall]]
 +
* [[Jai Alai Fronton]]
 +
* [[Royce Hall]]
 +
* [[Uptown Hall]]
 +
* [[Glenoaks]]
 +
* [[Canal]]
 +
* [[Cafe au-Go-Go]]
 +
* [[Canoga Park]]
 +
* [[Circle Star Theatre]]
 +
* The [[Freak Out! Hot Spots]]  (where all 69 locations are American)
 +
* [[Freak 2: Hot Spots]]
 +
* [[:Category:Clubs And Bars]]
 +
* [[:Category:Radio Stations]]
 +
* [[:Category:Recording Studios]]
 +
* [[:Category:Schools & Colleges]]
  
 
==References to American institutions and brands==
 
==References to American institutions and brands==
Line 253: Line 256:
 
* [[Jack Daniels]]
 
* [[Jack Daniels]]
 
* [[Lucky Strike]]
 
* [[Lucky Strike]]
* [[Aunt Jemima]]
 
 
* [[Uncle Ben's Rice]]
 
* [[Uncle Ben's Rice]]
 
* [[Burger King]]
 
* [[Burger King]]
Line 275: Line 277:
 
* [[Aaron Copland]]
 
* [[Aaron Copland]]
 
* [[Chris Opperman]]
 
* [[Chris Opperman]]
 +
* [[Elliott Carter]]
 +
* [[Gardner Read]]
 +
* [[Walter Piston]]
 +
* [[Moondog]]
 +
* [[Charles Amirkhanian]]
 +
* [[Eddie Van Halen]]
 +
* [[Michael Hedges]]
 +
* [[Kevin Murphy]]
 +
* [[Dan Studney]]
 +
* [[Tyler, The Creator]]
 +
* [[Action Bronson]]
 +
* [[J*Davey]]
 +
* [[Dog Eat Dog]]
 +
* [[Mr. Dibbs]]
 +
* [[DJ Z-Trip]]
 +
* [[Arsonists]]
 +
* [[Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire]]
 +
* [[Young Chris]]
 +
* [[MF Doom]]
  
 
==Blues singers==
 
==Blues singers==
Line 363: Line 384:
 
* [[Pat Boone]]
 
* [[Pat Boone]]
 
* [[Black Oak Arkansas]]
 
* [[Black Oak Arkansas]]
 +
* [[Gary Lucas]]
 +
* [[System of a Down]]
 +
* [[Living in a Box]]
 +
* [[Walk the Moon]]
 +
* [[The Mars Volta]]
 +
* [[Moe.]]
 +
* [[Les Claypool]]
 +
* [[Umphrey's McGee]]
 +
* [[Frank Vignola]]
 +
* [[Yonder Mountain String Band]]
 +
* [[Wayne Krantz]]
 +
* [[Disco Biscuits]]
 +
* [[Ron Jarzombek]]
 +
* [[Steely Dan]]
 +
* [[Slash]]
 +
* [[The Seeds]]
 +
* [[Isaac Hayes]]
 +
* [[Telesma]]
 +
* [[Ron Simasek]]
  
 
==Writers==
 
==Writers==
Line 373: Line 413:
 
* [[Eberhard Kronhausen]]
 
* [[Eberhard Kronhausen]]
 
* [[Thomas Paine]]
 
* [[Thomas Paine]]
 +
* [[William Manchester]]
 +
* [[E.E. Cummings]]
  
 
==Comedians and TV Presenters==
 
==Comedians and TV Presenters==
Line 383: Line 425:
 
* [[Rod Serling]]
 
* [[Rod Serling]]
 
* [[3 Stooges]]
 
* [[3 Stooges]]
* [[Harold LLoyd]]
+
* [[Harold Lloyd]]
 
* [[Larry King]]
 
* [[Larry King]]
 
* [[Ted Koppel]]
 
* [[Ted Koppel]]
Line 389: Line 431:
 
* [[Dan Rather]]
 
* [[Dan Rather]]
 
* [[John Belushi]]
 
* [[John Belushi]]
 +
* [[Lord Buckley]]
  
 
==Politics, Religion and Business==
 
==Politics, Religion and Business==
Line 424: Line 467:
 
* The [[Iran-contra affair]]
 
* The [[Iran-contra affair]]
 
* The [[Cold War]]
 
* The [[Cold War]]
 +
* [[Larry Flynt]]
  
 
==Criminals==
 
==Criminals==
Line 430: Line 474:
 
* [[Gordon Liddy]]
 
* [[Gordon Liddy]]
 
* [[Al Capone]]
 
* [[Al Capone]]
 +
* [[Bobby Beausoleil]]
  
 
==Fictional characters==
 
==Fictional characters==
Line 494: Line 539:
 
* [[KABC-TV L.A.]]
 
* [[KABC-TV L.A.]]
 
* [[Mark Spitz]]
 
* [[Mark Spitz]]
* Various characters associated with the U.S.A. can be seen in [[You Are What You Is (The Music Video)]], including President Reagan, a Ku Klux Klan member and a Playboy Bunny.
+
* [[Willie Mays]]
 
* [[Palladium]]
 
* [[Palladium]]
 
* [[Church of American Secular Humanism]]
 
* [[Church of American Secular Humanism]]
 
* [[The Flag Salute]]
 
* [[The Flag Salute]]
* [[Clean American Version]], a text that can also be seen on the artwork for [[Absolutely Free]]
 
* The M.O.I. American Pageant is the name of side two of [[Absolutely Free]] (track 10-15 on the CD version)
 
* Zappa often used the monicker ''"American composer"'' to describe himself in the most straightforward way.
 
  
 
[[Category:Countries]]
 
[[Category:Countries]]
 
[[Category:Targets]]
 
[[Category:Targets]]
 +
[[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]

Revision as of 05:26, 23 February 2021

Frank Zappa dressed up as Uncle Sam for a 1988 publicity shoot to promote voting in the presidential elections.

While Zappa was born and raised in the United States he was often critical of the American government, its foreign policy, organized religion, media, corporations and the consumer culture.

Track and album references to America

  • Various characters associated with the U.S.A. can be seen in You Are What You Is (The Music Video), including President Reagan, a Ku Klux Klan member and a Playboy Bunny
  • Clean American Version, a text that can also be seen on the artwork for Absolutely Free
  • The M.O.I. American Pageant is the name of side two of Absolutely Free (track 10-15 on the CD version)
  • Zappa often used the monicker "American composer" to describe himself in the most straightforward way.

Locations

References to American institutions and brands

Composers and conductors

Blues singers

Doo-wop and R&B singers

Jazz Composers

Rock, Folk and Pop Artists

Writers

Comedians and TV Presenters

Politics, Religion and Business

Criminals

Fictional characters

Scientists

Painters

Bandmembers, Supporting Cast, Family Members and Other

Note: Most of the people listed here are or were Americans and therefore would be too numerous to list each one of them indvidually on this page. Occasionally some of them might be born in another country:

Miscellaneous