Copyright © 1965, Francais Antoine Zappa
Well I'm about to get upset
from watchin' my TV;
I been checkin' out the news
until my eyeballs fail to see!
I mean to say that every day
is just another rotten mess
and when it's gonna change, my friend,
is anybody's guess!
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
and I'm hopin' for the best
even think I'll go to prayin'
every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay
that trouble comin' every day!
No way to delay
that trouble comin' every day!
Wednesday I watched the riot . . .
I seen the cops out on the street
watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff
and chokin' in the heat
Listened to reports
about the whisky passin' 'round
seen the smoke and fire
and the market burnin' down.
Watched while everybody
on his street would take a turn
to stomp and smash and bash and crash
and slash and bust and burn!
And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
hopin' for the best
even think I'll go to prayin'
every time I hear 'em sayin'
that there's no way to delay
that trouble comin' every day
No way to delay
that trouble comin' every day
Well, you can cool it,
you can heat it . . .
'cause, baby, I don't need it . .
Take your TV tube and eat it.
an all that phony stuff on sports
an all the unconfirmed reports
you know I watched that rotten box
until my head begin to hurt
from checkin' out the way
the newsman say they get the dirt
before the guys on channel so-and-so
and further they assert
That any show they'll interrupt
to bring you news if it comes up
they say that if the place blows up
that they will be the first to tell,
because the boys they got downtown
are workin' hard and doin' swell,
And if anybody gets the news
before it hits the street,
they say that no one blabs it faster
their coverage can't be beat
And if another woman driver
gets machine-gunned from her seat
they'll send some joker with a brownie
and you'll see it all complete!
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
hopin' for the best
even think I'll go to prayin'
every time I hear 'em sayin'
that there's no way to delay
that trouble comin' every day
No way to delay
that trouble comin' every day
Hey, you know something people?
I'm not black
But there's a whole lotta times
I wish I could say I'm not white!
Well, I seen the fires burnin'
and the local people turnin'
on the merchants and the shops
who used to sell their brooms and mops
and every other household item
watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
and they say it serves 'em right
because a few of them are white,
And it's the same across the nation
Black and White discrimination
yellin' "You can't understand me!"
an all that other jazz they hand me
in the papers and TV and
all that mass stupidity
that seems to grow more every day
each time you hear some nitwit say
he wants to go and do you in
because the color of your skin
just don't appeal to him
(No matter if it's black or white)
Because he's out for blood tonight!
You know we got to sit around at home
and watch this thing begin
but I bet there won't be many
live to see it really end
beause a fire in the street
ain't like a fire in the heart
and in the eyes of all these people
don't you know that this could start
On any street in any town
in any state if any clown
decides that now's the time to fight
for some ideal he thinks is right
and if a million more agree,
there ain't no Great Society!
As it applies to you and me,
our country isn't free
if the law refuse to see
that all that you can ever be
is just a lousy janitor
unless your uncle owns a store
you know that five in every four
just won't amount to nothin' more
than to watch the rats run across the floor
and make up songs about being poor . . .
. . . Blow your harmonica, son!
Freak Out! (1965)
Mothers of Invention!