You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here

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Lyrics

Bop bop-bop bop-bop bop-BOW
Bop bop-bop bop-bop bop-BOW

You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I

Just as much as you wonder
'Bout me bein' in this place
(Yeah!)
That's just how much I marvel
At the lameness on your face
You rise each day the same old way
And join your friends out on the street
Spray your hair
And think you're neat
I think your life is incomplete
But maybe that's not for me to say
They only pay me here to play

(I wanna hear Caravan with a drum sola!)

You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I

Just as much as you wonder
'Bout me starin' back at you
(Yeah!)
That's just how much I question
The corny things you do

You paint your face and then you chase
To meet the gang where the action is
Stomp all night
And drink your fizz
Roll your car and say "Gee whiz!"
You tore a big hole in your convertible top
What will you tell your Mom and Pop?

(Mom, I tore a big hole in the convertible)

You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
And so am I
So am I

Just as much as you wonder
If I mean just what I say
(Yeah!)
That's just how much I question
The social games you play

You told your Mom you're stoked on Tom
And went for a cruise in Freddie's car
Tommy's asking
Where you are
You boogied all night in a cheesy bar
Plastic boots and plastic hat
And you think you know where it's at?

You're probably wondering
Why I'm here
(Not that it makes a heck of a lot of a difference to ya)

Players On This Song

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared

Singles

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Zappa Albums & Side Projects

Original Albums

Beat The Boots
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Compilations

Unauthorized Compilations
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Samplers And Promos
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Special Editions
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Miscellaneous
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Tribute & Cover Albums

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Notes About This Song

I want to hear Caravan with a drum solo!

...it has to be spelled "Sola" and pronounced with "tongue in cheek" to be correct. Every lounge act in the sixties played Caravan with a drum solo. It was as standard as Louie Louie later became and achieved the status of a "running joke."

John French interview from Captain Beefheart website
  • The Duke Ellington tune Caravan dates back to the late 1930's. It has become a standard havin*g been recorded by numerous artists across many genres. The start of a rendition by Zappa can be heard on Joe's XMASage. Versoins were played by FZ's bands in 1972, 1974 and 1984.
  • If the quote was about a specific version of Caravan there are many candidates which could have been the subject...
    • The Jazz drummer Art Blakey, who had an LP Caravan issued late in 1962, the same year Gene Krupa performed it on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show.
    • Perhaps more likely suspects, for both date and musical style, would be Sandy Nelson who included Caravan on his 1965 album "Let There Be Drums" or The Ventures who did a rocking version of Caravan which featured an extended drum solo when they performed it live. In an interview their drummer was asked:

Q: I notice that in concert you play Wipe Out and Caravan, two drum oriented songs, back to back. Is there any particular reason that you do that?

A: I think the guys have been doing that for some time when we do one set. I guess that its because Wipe Out is the last song of the set (as far as the audience knows) and it's a very exciting song. Then to come back and do Caravan really pumps the audience up even more.

CC Clues In This Song

  • Cars: "You tore a big hole in your convertible top"