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Frank Zappa — Willie The Pimp
Album: Hot Rats
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1389









Released: 1969
Length: 9:13
Plays (last 30 days): 0
I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back
Pair a khaki pants with my shoe shined black

Got a little lady... walk that street
Tellin' all the boys that she cain't be beat

Twenny dollah bill (I can set you straight)
Meet me onna corner boy'n don't be late

Man in a suit with a bow-tie neck
Wanna buy a grunt with a third party check

Standin' onna porch of the Lido Hotel
Floozies in the lobby love the way I sell:
HOT MEAT
HOT RATS
HOT CATS
HOT RITZ
HOT ROOTS
HOT SOOTS

HOT MEAT
HOT RATS
HOT CATS
HOT ZITZ
HOT ROOTS
HOT SOOTS
Comments (184)add comment
Frank and the Captain killin' it!!
Captain Beefheart - gorgeous!
The opening to this makes a great ringtone.
More Frank please BillG!!
I suspect that over here on the Rock Channel is where Bill gets to show off his real chops! Old-school DJ, from when the term actually meant something more akin to musicologist or curator of recorded music?! Long live the Rock & Roll Archivist 🤘🏽 !
This may be the most off the wall, brilliant, unorthodox jam I have ever heard.  This dude and his band were in-sane-ly good.  
I'm sorry, Bernie (a 1976 college chum) for screaming that your Zappa and the Mothers fixation was bullshit. 
Ok BillG - big thanks for playing my fav song on my fav Frank album. But how about Peaches or Gumbo Variations?? Please?
Good lord!
I believe I was just Willie The Pimped!.....  I cannot come up with any other verb form for this!
 Montreal_Mort wrote:

My fav Frank album!!




GREAT ALBUM!!! One of my top 5 favorite Frank albums! And, I like a LOT of his albums!
My fav Frank album!!






To the clown who put THUMBS DOWN:   I hope you wake up some day soon.
My favorite album back in the misspent youth.  Every track is amazing. 
Take a trip n' never leave the farm...
 p_d_neumiller wrote:
It seems '69 was just a magical year for Rock music.
 

Oh yes it was!
It seems '69 was just a magical year for Rock music.
Pretty amazing guitarist.
 kingart wrote:
Man was out of his mind. 
Incredible jam. Nutso good. 

 

 
What he said. 
 Cynaera wrote:
Zappa. Wow. I can remember sitting in our across-the-street neighbor's basement bedroom listening to his "Freakout" album with a very weird lamp that cast images all over the walls because the heat from the light bulb made the carved shade spin around. A very ingenious invention. More so was Zappa, singing "It can't happen HERE... It can't happen HERE... I'm telling you, my dear, that it can't happen HERE..."  He gave me nightmares for years.

And here I am, waxing rhapsodic about his work. Well, yeah, he haunted me. But he also inspired me, drove me to fits of rebellion, probably caused others in my life to think I'd gone totally bugf*ck... Point is, he was an artist who demanded interaction. If he accomplished his goal, a listener was moved to take some kind of action - whether it was to light candles, dance around naked, write a novel, park in a different space, or stand on the roof of a building and make shapes out of clouds.

Zappa was not a passive artist. He was a hellion, in the best possible way. More than that, I think, he was a humanist, getting his point across in his sometimes inane, seemingly-silly ways. He loved to point out the idiocy in humans by poking fun, or by slipping very sly snarkiness under the radar in his lyrics.

Love him or hate him - he'd grin at both extremes.  Zappa was his own man.  He left this earth too soon. And I love every damned thing he ever recorded.

 
JOY    : )    Peace
I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back, pair a khaki pants with my shoe shined black and I gotta tell you folks Zappa makes my day : )
 nomnol wrote:
See what PSD brought me? Joyous!

 
Agreed
See what PSD brought me? Joyous!
Creative choice yet I much prefer to hear Peaches En Regalia from Hot Rats (a classic!).
 
primm wrote:
{#Boohoo} the fiddle player jean something or the other is smoking on this whole album one of franks best !

 
Jean-Luc Ponty is not on this song, it's Don "Sugarcane" Harris on this song.


This is the one song from him, I hear Rory Gallahger.

Go figure.  
Orchids and waterfalls on the slideshow for Zappa/Beefheart's Willie the Pimp?!! Ain't you got no R.Crumb drawings of street life? 
Love to hear some more Beefheart here...
WOO-HOO ZAPPA BABY YEAH!!!!!     ahh, life is good  : )
Thank you! And more Frank! 
this set has been unreal!  Thanks RP!
 TerryS wrote:

Unsure of the translation, but perhaps this lady would eat an LP, shoot some Tenessee whisky and toke on?



Lentils and potatoes?  yes GD is TN sour mash.  Blunt , slang noun marijuana inside a hallowed out cigar.


First I've heard this on RP.  Thanks PSD!!!
Oh heck yes!
Zappa with Beefheart. It does not get any better than this!
Man was out of his mind. 
Incredible jam. Nutso good. 

 
I can only imagine what it must feel like to play music at this level of greatness.
Oh so bad . . . . .
In The Hall of The Mountain King and Frank. Somehow it works.
 jbuhl wrote:

No shit I dated this gal in college who would ate this up over dinner a shot of Goerge Dickel and a  blunt.

    

 
Unsure of the translation, but perhaps this lady would eat an LP, shoot some Tenessee whisky and toke on?
 pankman wrote:
Man, this is heavy. Definitely no soundtrack for a candlelight dinner.
 
jessesteinen wrote:

Totally depends on the company!

 
No shit I dated this gal in college who would ate this up over dinner a shot of Goerge Dickel and a  blunt.

    
While I do like this piece, I happen to prefer Francesco Zappa.
Sorry. 
22
11
I hear Hendrix."voodoo child?"..
{#Boohoo} the fiddle player jean something or the other is smoking on this whole album one of franks best !
 pankman wrote:
Man, this is heavy. Definitely no soundtrack for a candlelight dinner.

 
Totally depends on the company!
 SuperWeh wrote:
solo gets a bit boring fairly quickly, guess you need to have been there (and drunk) or something.
 
Don't really agree SuperWen.  Not usually a guitar solo kind of a guy but this is the exception. It is absolutely smoking and in my opinion moves along well enough so I don't loose interest. 
Sadly this is the only time we hear the late great Captain Beefheart on RP. It'd be nice to hear Grow Fins or even Diddy Wah Diddy just once...  :)


Great review!!  Frank probably have tried to get you to be his PR rep!!  

I don't bother to rate many songs one way or the other so I was surprised I'd already rated this an 8 before.  I re-rated to a 9....  Rather brilliant.   Back to tending my vegetables......   
 

coloradojohn wrote:
Perhaps no one ever wielded such imaginatively genius lyrical obliqueness with as much confidence and verve as Zappa could. He could generate a truly staggering symphonic Excentrifugal Forz on the guitar, too. There's always Korla Plankton; him 'n me can play The Blues...He'll straighten up his turban/ and inject a little ooze/ along a one-celled Hammond Organism/ underneath my shoes... 

 


Great to be reminded of what a great guitarist Frank was.  Very fortunate to have seen him while this was the "norm". {#Laughing}
So far ahead of his time.  In 100 years, Frank will be the Mozart of the 20th Century.
Perhaps no one ever wielded such imaginatively genius lyrical obliqueness with as much confidence and verve as Zappa could. He could generate truly staggering symphonic Excentrifugal Forz on the guitar, too. There's always Korla Plankton; him 'n me can play The Blues...He'll straighten up his turban/ and inject a little ooze/ along a one-celled Hammond Organism/ underneath my shoes...
solo gets a bit boring fairly quickly, guess you need to have been there (and drunk) or something.
Man, this is heavy. Definitely no soundtrack for a candlelight dinner.
My favorit couple!!
Well, that blew out the cobwebs.
That woke me up! {#Eek}

In a good way
Every time I hear this song wind up I expect "Son of Mister Green Genes" to start up. I miss Frank Zappa
Ahead of his time from another dimension!

 
{#Bananajam}
This makes up for all the tracks RP have played recently that had me on PSD

More Beefheart
More Zappa please 
Zappa and the Captain.  Not much more needs to be said.  10.
This one needs a little more of guitar work...
Your Captain speaking

https://www.theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/images/stories/FrankZappaCaptainBeefheartcptbeefheart_frankzappa.jpg
Somehow I forgot how Zappa jams.  Lost this album decades ago, probably to some roommate.  Need to get it again, though it would be a nightmare for my wife.
 kingart wrote:
This track is an off da meter jam.
 
True that!
 

Take that, GD and Garcia.
 
Um, WTF?

We NEED to have more Zappa here!
Overlooked, underrated.

LOLZ FUCKIN ZAPPA is alright.

 

I can't turn this loud enough.


Zappa! WooHoo!
Zappa.... nice.
gotta 10 it

FUCKIN' ZAPPA BABY YEAH!!!!! 
Lyrics say

Standin' onna porch of the Lido Hotel
Floozies in the lobby love the way I sell

But in the song that last word sounds like 'smell'. 

Smell sounds more like Zappa.

This track is an off da meter jam. 
Take that, GD and Garcia.
 
Frank's guitar can melt your brain...
 
What a blessing. I've got a friend who insists on testosterone driven guitar music that I can't stand. Love this riff by Frank and will play this for him to set him straight. Play it again, Sam ... errrr Bill!
Bill—thanks for this.
Beefheart ah sang'n and Frank Scratch'n it out {#Guitarist}
 Singlow wrote:
Willie wonka Zappa'd to death in a loud jango fantango of rat hot blammin' music
 
Sassafras on the up-dike and Milwaukee, too.
Thanks guys - I used PSD on something else playing and landed on Zappa.... what a landing it was... {#Cheesygrin}
Couldn't agree more...
 
{#Wall}{#Fire}

nikki54 wrote:
OMG! My mom was right! It is only  noise!!!!

 


 nikki54 wrote:
OMG! My mom was right! It is only  noise!!!!

 
Yes, she IS right. Happening, innovative, ballsy, fun, dynamic avant noise. Sure, Zappa could be a snarky lyrics-and-music pain in the ass. My mid ' 70s college pal Bernie drove me nuts with the constant LPing of the Motherfuckers of Invention. But I didn't appreciate Zappa and his band at the time. This track, and others, are 8s and 9s. Listen to that jam, man.  Perhaps the Allmans, the Dead, etc. enjoyed a few seminars at Zappa U.  
Willie wonka Zappa'd to death in a loud jango fantango of rat hot blammin' music
Frank,

we miss ya.
Love this album and all concerned, from the moment I picked it up as a kid for 25 cents in a repair shop.  Had to stop what I was doing now and just listen.
OMG! My mom was right! It is only  noise!!!!
The socket wrench is a bit high in the mix
 onerb wrote:
Thank You!!

 
Ditto!!...Not enough Zappa in the air these days
Standing on the porch in his Lederhosen. Ausgezeichnet!
Thank You!!
FZ guitarero !!
 
 Lindo525 wrote:
That playing is why he "had" to record "Shut Up n Play Yer Guitar".

Haven't heard this in years. Wow. Just Wow.

10 

 
I was thinking about that album (or CD) as well.  Used to play it a lot — some seriously good guitar work!
That playing is why he "had" to record "Shut Up n Play Yer Guitar".

Haven't heard this in years. Wow. Just Wow.

10 

Man, that's just great music.  Might have to push it to a 10.

Thinking back to '75, 17 years old, saw the band in CT.  Loved it then and love it now.


Thank you! I'm now cleansed of that crappy Chris Hillman you smeared on my ears a little while ago, FUCKIN' ZAPPA BABY YEAH!!!!!
My god...the man could played guitar. This is freakin smoking. Reminds me of Frank Morino and Mahogany Rush. 

Overall, I just wish his music was a little more approachable for the masses.

 
And now, the jazz stylings of Frank Zappa!
Thank you for playing Frank!!! Awesome! 
 SparkyMarky wrote:
One of the best rock songs of the last 40 years - a profound tapestry of Frank guitar and the Captain's vocals. Love it

 
No.

Really, NO - It is not one of the best rock songs of the last 40 years.

Aaahhhh, finally, some Real Music!  Guitar is totally awesome man, so so cool
One of the best rock songs of the last 40 years - a profound tapestry of Frank guitar and the Captain's vocals. Love it
 rdo wrote:

 I think I may need to go to the doctor now because this song has given me ear cancer.     
 
That may be from trying to keep your ears too tightly-closed, or restricting them to a narrow spectrum of musical styles.  Maybe not.


Thank-you Bill.  RIP Captain Beefheart.
Wahoo!
first time hearing this here.
I lub it!

Excellent Bill G. Excellent !!

To The Captain . . .& Frankie Z   {#Cheers}


RIP Captain.

Sheik Yerbouti _Frank Zappa by ~OhioArt2
©2006-2010 ~OhioArt2

From the cover of Sheik Yerbouti .


Zappa. Wow. I can remember sitting in our across-the-street neighbor's basement bedroom listening to his "Freakout" album with a very weird lamp that cast images all over the walls because the heat from the light bulb made the carved shade spin around. A very ingenious invention. More so was Zappa, singing "It can't happen HERE... It can't happen HERE... I'm telling you, my dear, that it can't happen HERE..."  He gave me nightmares for years.

And here I am, waxing rhapsodic about his work. Well, yeah, he haunted me. But he also inspired me, drove me to fits of rebellion, probably caused others in my life to think I'd gone totally bugf*ck... Point is, he was an artist who demanded interaction. If he accomplished his goal, a listener was moved to take some kind of action - whether it was to light candles, dance around naked, write a novel, park in a different space, or stand on the roof of a building and make shapes out of clouds.

Zappa was not a passive artist. He was a hellion, in the best possible way. More than that, I think, he was a humanist, getting his point across in his sometimes inane, seemingly-silly ways. He loved to point out the idiocy in humans by poking fun, or by slipping very sly snarkiness under the radar in his lyrics.

Love him or hate him - he'd grin at both extremes.  Zappa was his own man.  He left this earth too soon. And I love every damned thing he ever recorded.
Excellent album cover.
I think I just enjoyed a Frank Zappa song...  I feel dirty.
We'd listen to this and compare it to Clapton, Garcia, and god knows who. Imagine our surprise many, many years later when we found out that Hot Rats was a jazz-rock fusion experiment. Oh. We thought it was just rock'n'roll.
 rdo wrote:
I think I may need to go to the doctor now because this song has given me ear cancer.     
 
You can get both exams with the same lubed glove in the same visit.

loving this {#Bananajam}
 rdo wrote:
I think I may need to go to the doctor now because this song has given me ear cancer.     
 
lobotomy might help'ya rdo

 rdo wrote:


Are you being serious?  I want to laugh at your post because it is so unusual, but I think you are truly concerned about this and you are surely right to be so.  I think I may need to go to the doctor now because this song has given me ear cancer.     
 

dto. ! {#Frustrated}
 justin_thyme wrote:
Frank Zappa died so young (53), and so needlessly, from prostate cancer — a disease that can nearly always be detected at a curable stage with a combination of PSA blood testing and a digital rectal exam.  It's a shame that so many men are phobic about a having a doctor's gloved-n-lubed finger briefly up their butts, even if only once every couple of years; many lives could be spared if that attitude were to change on a large-scale basis.  {#Sad}
 

Are you being serious?  I want to laugh at your post because it is so unusual, but I think you are truly concerned about this and you are surely right to be so.  I think I may need to go to the doctor now because this song has given me ear cancer.     
 justin_thyme wrote:
Frank Zappa died so young (53), and so needlessly, from prostate cancer — a disease that can nearly always be detected at a curable stage with a combination of PSA blood testing and a digital rectal exam.  It's a shame that so many men are phobic about a having a doctor's gloved-n-lubed finger briefly up their butts, even if only once every couple of years; many lives could be spared if that attitude were to change on a large-scale basis.  {#Sad}
 

I concur Justin. An oz of prevention is worth a lb of cure ...+ I wish he was around a little longer.....

Frank Zappa died so young (53), and so needlessly, from prostate cancer — a disease that can nearly always be detected at a curable stage with a combination of PSA blood testing and a digital rectal exam.  It's a shame that so many men are phobic about a having a doctor's gloved-n-lubed finger briefly up their butts, even if only once every couple of years; many lives could be spared if that attitude were to change on a large-scale basis.  {#Sad}
you all should have around in the early seventies. great band that will never die
yes one of the few Zappa songs that I really like.   great to hear once in a while, as you said.  this came on a vinyl compilation put out by the record company.   there were ads on the sleeves for various compilations.  they were $3-4.00 each.   This one had Capt. Beefhart, Tim Buckley, the Mothers and more.   Far out stuff!!

 
hoppin_bob wrote:
So very good.
I do not need to hear it often... but I do need to hear it.  So tight, so rehearsed.... just amazing after all these years.
I think this is among Frank's best... and I love that Sugar Cane violin.