Why Johnny Can't Read

Lyrics

Instrumental

Players On This Song

• Frank Zappa lead guitar
• Warren Cuccurullo rhythm guitar
• Denny Walley rhythm guitar
• Ike Willis rhythm guitar
• Tommy Mars keyboards
• Peter Wolf keyboards
• Ed Mann percussion
• Arthur Barrow bass
• Vinnie Colaiuta drums

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared

FZ Albums & Side Projects

• Return Of The Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar

Notes About This Song

The title is based on a famous book, "Why Johnny Can't Read" (1955) by Rudolf Flesch. The book was a critique of the then-trendy movement to teach reading by sight, often called the "look-say" method. The flaw of this approach, according to Flesch, was that it required learners to memorize words by sight. When confronted with an unknown word, the learner was stumped. Flesch advocated a return to phonics, the teaching of reading by teaching learners to sound out words. (See also: Why Johnny Can't Read.)