Chords for Frank Zappa - TV Interview, 1990
Tempo:
103.8 bpm
Chords used:
G
E
Em
F
Eb
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Five years ago, Frank Zappa was a rock star [Em] who was known for the outrageous.
Since then, he has become [G] somewhat of a Renaissance [E] man, although he'd probably decry the [F] label.
A musician, [Em] an author, an activist, a businessman, in many ways an ongoing [G] symbol of the 60s spirit of peace and love.
He's also been a force for change of late in Eastern Europe.
Frank, good morning.
How you doing?
Nice to meet you.
Hey, how would you describe yourself, what you do these days?
I'm a guy who does a bunch of stuff, not necessarily connected with music.
Yeah?
Do you dislike the label of Renaissance man?
Well, it really sounds like media talk.
Really?
Yeah.
But you are involved in all those things I talked about.
That's true.
But, you [B] know, to stick a label on it like that makes it sound, ew.
Okay, let's walk down them.
Starting with the last [N] one first.
A force for change in Eastern Europe.
In what fashion?
I mean, is it true that for a long time listening to Zappa was illegal in Eastern Europe?
[E] Well, in Czechoslovakia for 20 years they've been smuggling my records in and translating the lyrics into Czech.
And people were [Em] arrested and beaten by the secret police for owning the albums.
And the same thing was true with the secret police in East Germany.
What's [N] your relationship now with the Czechoslovakian government?
Much has been written of it.
I mean, I even saw in one magazine where you're an emissary of culture.
Well, what I do goes through the Ministry of Culture in Czechoslovakia.
But I have no official government title.
I'm not [Eb] a member of their government or anything like that.
No diplomatic passport.
This is [N] a private individual trying to do something to help them.
[Abm] Okay, let's talk about your business efforts.
Is it true that you are in the process of setting [G] up business ties between Americans and others in the Soviet Union?
Yes.
In what sense?
If I came to you, what is it you'd do for me now?
Depends on what [N] you wanted to have done.
Like an example, a guy called me up.
He said he had a [Fm] tractor.
And it's called the [G] Jack Tractor.
It's a new innovation in tractor technology.
It's [N] a four-wheel independent suspension with a powertrain in the suspension.
It'll drive over everything.
It doesn't tip over.
And it picks up a 2,000-pound log with its thing underneath [E] of it.
And he wants to get it manufactured someplace in the East.
So what I'm trying to do for him is arrange to have it manufactured in a recommissioned [N] Soviet military factory.
Nice.
So you're a man who networks internationally.
You are also, I mean, music is still a part of your life.
You've written a score for the upcoming Jacques Cousteau show on TBS called Outrage at Valdez.
How much of that are you doing [Bb] now?
[G] I'm not doing anything else in that regard now.
I did that because I thought that the show was important.
I've never scored a TV show before.
That's the first and [E] only one so far.
And you donated your salary for it.
Yeah.
[A] Let's go ahead and take a [Abm] look at a clip of that and listen to some of your work, some of this [G] coming from Outrage at Valdez.
[Bb] [Em]
[F] [E]
[C] [E]
[Ebm] [F]
[Ab]
[Eb] [Ab]
[Dm] [Db]
For example, how [F] central is music to your life [N] these days?
Is it as important as it used to be?
Well, I think that even if I'm doing something like a business deal, it is a type of composition.
I view the whole thing as composition.
You have always been politically active.
You've always been an activist.
Why have you never run for office?
Or might you still?
I might still.
I've thought about it.
The problem with running for office is I don't like [G] the platform of either of the parties.
And [N] any time there's been an attempt in the U.S. to create a third party, it's been a disaster.
So the only way that I could imagine to run would be connected with no party whatsoever and just say, look, if you want me for a job, I'll, you know, OK.
But I'm neither one of those guys.
But you're ready for an appointment, in other words.
[Bm]
Not an appointment, [G] but I mean, I would run a campaign, but I haven't made the decision to actually do it.
So thanks for bringing it up.
Frank, take care of yourself.
I appreciate it.
We're going to come back in just a moment.
Deborah's back with a look at the [E] distaff side of California's gubernatorial race right after this.
[N]
Since then, he has become [G] somewhat of a Renaissance [E] man, although he'd probably decry the [F] label.
A musician, [Em] an author, an activist, a businessman, in many ways an ongoing [G] symbol of the 60s spirit of peace and love.
He's also been a force for change of late in Eastern Europe.
Frank, good morning.
How you doing?
Nice to meet you.
Hey, how would you describe yourself, what you do these days?
I'm a guy who does a bunch of stuff, not necessarily connected with music.
Yeah?
Do you dislike the label of Renaissance man?
Well, it really sounds like media talk.
Really?
Yeah.
But you are involved in all those things I talked about.
That's true.
But, you [B] know, to stick a label on it like that makes it sound, ew.
Okay, let's walk down them.
Starting with the last [N] one first.
A force for change in Eastern Europe.
In what fashion?
I mean, is it true that for a long time listening to Zappa was illegal in Eastern Europe?
[E] Well, in Czechoslovakia for 20 years they've been smuggling my records in and translating the lyrics into Czech.
And people were [Em] arrested and beaten by the secret police for owning the albums.
And the same thing was true with the secret police in East Germany.
What's [N] your relationship now with the Czechoslovakian government?
Much has been written of it.
I mean, I even saw in one magazine where you're an emissary of culture.
Well, what I do goes through the Ministry of Culture in Czechoslovakia.
But I have no official government title.
I'm not [Eb] a member of their government or anything like that.
No diplomatic passport.
This is [N] a private individual trying to do something to help them.
[Abm] Okay, let's talk about your business efforts.
Is it true that you are in the process of setting [G] up business ties between Americans and others in the Soviet Union?
Yes.
In what sense?
If I came to you, what is it you'd do for me now?
Depends on what [N] you wanted to have done.
Like an example, a guy called me up.
He said he had a [Fm] tractor.
And it's called the [G] Jack Tractor.
It's a new innovation in tractor technology.
It's [N] a four-wheel independent suspension with a powertrain in the suspension.
It'll drive over everything.
It doesn't tip over.
And it picks up a 2,000-pound log with its thing underneath [E] of it.
And he wants to get it manufactured someplace in the East.
So what I'm trying to do for him is arrange to have it manufactured in a recommissioned [N] Soviet military factory.
Nice.
So you're a man who networks internationally.
You are also, I mean, music is still a part of your life.
You've written a score for the upcoming Jacques Cousteau show on TBS called Outrage at Valdez.
How much of that are you doing [Bb] now?
[G] I'm not doing anything else in that regard now.
I did that because I thought that the show was important.
I've never scored a TV show before.
That's the first and [E] only one so far.
And you donated your salary for it.
Yeah.
[A] Let's go ahead and take a [Abm] look at a clip of that and listen to some of your work, some of this [G] coming from Outrage at Valdez.
[Bb] [Em]
[F] [E]
[C] [E]
[Ebm] [F]
[Ab]
[Eb] [Ab]
[Dm] [Db]
For example, how [F] central is music to your life [N] these days?
Is it as important as it used to be?
Well, I think that even if I'm doing something like a business deal, it is a type of composition.
I view the whole thing as composition.
You have always been politically active.
You've always been an activist.
Why have you never run for office?
Or might you still?
I might still.
I've thought about it.
The problem with running for office is I don't like [G] the platform of either of the parties.
And [N] any time there's been an attempt in the U.S. to create a third party, it's been a disaster.
So the only way that I could imagine to run would be connected with no party whatsoever and just say, look, if you want me for a job, I'll, you know, OK.
But I'm neither one of those guys.
But you're ready for an appointment, in other words.
[Bm]
Not an appointment, [G] but I mean, I would run a campaign, but I haven't made the decision to actually do it.
So thanks for bringing it up.
Frank, take care of yourself.
I appreciate it.
We're going to come back in just a moment.
Deborah's back with a look at the [E] distaff side of California's gubernatorial race right after this.
[N]
Key:
G
E
Em
F
Eb
G
E
Em
Five years ago, Frank Zappa was a rock star [Em] who was known for the outrageous.
Since then, he has become [G] somewhat of a Renaissance [E] man, although he'd probably decry the [F] label.
A musician, [Em] an author, an activist, a businessman, in many ways an ongoing [G] symbol of the 60s spirit of peace and love.
He's also been a force for change of late in Eastern Europe.
Frank, good morning.
How you doing?
Nice to meet you.
Hey, how would you describe yourself, what you do these days?
_ _ _ I'm a guy who does a bunch of stuff, not necessarily connected with music.
Yeah?
Do you dislike the label of Renaissance man?
Well, it really sounds like media talk.
Really?
Yeah.
But you are involved in all those things I talked about.
That's true.
But, you [B] know, to stick a label on it like that makes it sound, ew.
Okay, let's walk down them.
Starting with the last [N] one first.
A force for change in Eastern Europe.
In what fashion?
I mean, is it true that for a long time listening to Zappa was illegal in Eastern Europe? _
[E] Well, in Czechoslovakia for 20 years they've been smuggling my records in and translating the lyrics into Czech.
And people were [Em] arrested and beaten by the secret police for owning the albums.
And the same thing was true with the secret police in East Germany.
What's [N] your relationship now with the Czechoslovakian government?
Much has been written of it.
I mean, I even saw in one magazine where you're an emissary of culture.
Well, what I do goes through the Ministry of Culture in Czechoslovakia.
But I have no official government title.
I'm not [Eb] a member of their government or anything like that.
No diplomatic passport.
This is [N] a private individual trying to do something to help them.
[Abm] Okay, let's talk about your business efforts.
Is it true that you are in the process of setting [G] up business ties between Americans and others in the Soviet Union?
Yes.
In what sense?
If I came to you, what is it you'd do for me now?
Depends on what [N] you wanted to have done.
Like an example, a guy called me up.
He said he had a [Fm] tractor.
And it's called the [G] Jack Tractor.
It's a new innovation in tractor technology.
It's [N] a four-wheel independent suspension with a powertrain in the suspension.
It'll drive over everything.
It doesn't tip over.
And it picks up a 2,000-pound log with its thing underneath [E] of it.
And he wants to get it manufactured someplace in the East.
So what I'm trying to do for him is arrange to have it manufactured in a recommissioned [N] Soviet military factory.
Nice.
So you're a man who networks internationally.
You are also, I mean, music is still a part of your life.
You've written a score for the upcoming Jacques Cousteau show on TBS called Outrage at Valdez.
How much of that are you doing [Bb] now?
[G] I'm not doing anything else in that regard now.
I did that because I thought that the show was important.
I've never scored a TV show before.
That's the first and [E] only one so far.
And you donated your salary for it.
Yeah.
[A] Let's go ahead and take a [Abm] look at a clip of that and listen to some of your work, some of this [G] coming from Outrage at Valdez.
_ _ [Bb] _ _ [Em] _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
[C] _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Ebm] _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Eb] _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [Dm] _ [Db] _ _ _
For example, how [F] central is music to your life [N] these days?
Is it as important as it used to be?
Well, I think that even if I'm doing something like a business deal, it is a type of composition.
I view the whole thing as composition.
You have always been politically active.
You've always been an activist.
Why have you never run for office?
Or might you still?
I might still.
I've thought about it.
The problem with running for office is I don't like [G] the platform of either of the parties.
And _ [N] any time there's been an attempt in the U.S. to create a third party, it's been a disaster.
So the only way that I could imagine to run would be connected with no party whatsoever and just say, look, if you want me for a job, I'll, you know, OK.
But I'm neither one of those guys.
But you're ready for an appointment, in other words.
[Bm] _
Not an appointment, [G] but I mean, I would run a campaign, but I haven't made the decision to actually do it.
So thanks for bringing it up.
Frank, take care of yourself.
I appreciate it.
We're going to come back in just a moment.
Deborah's back with a look at the [E] distaff side of California's gubernatorial race right after this. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _
Since then, he has become [G] somewhat of a Renaissance [E] man, although he'd probably decry the [F] label.
A musician, [Em] an author, an activist, a businessman, in many ways an ongoing [G] symbol of the 60s spirit of peace and love.
He's also been a force for change of late in Eastern Europe.
Frank, good morning.
How you doing?
Nice to meet you.
Hey, how would you describe yourself, what you do these days?
_ _ _ I'm a guy who does a bunch of stuff, not necessarily connected with music.
Yeah?
Do you dislike the label of Renaissance man?
Well, it really sounds like media talk.
Really?
Yeah.
But you are involved in all those things I talked about.
That's true.
But, you [B] know, to stick a label on it like that makes it sound, ew.
Okay, let's walk down them.
Starting with the last [N] one first.
A force for change in Eastern Europe.
In what fashion?
I mean, is it true that for a long time listening to Zappa was illegal in Eastern Europe? _
[E] Well, in Czechoslovakia for 20 years they've been smuggling my records in and translating the lyrics into Czech.
And people were [Em] arrested and beaten by the secret police for owning the albums.
And the same thing was true with the secret police in East Germany.
What's [N] your relationship now with the Czechoslovakian government?
Much has been written of it.
I mean, I even saw in one magazine where you're an emissary of culture.
Well, what I do goes through the Ministry of Culture in Czechoslovakia.
But I have no official government title.
I'm not [Eb] a member of their government or anything like that.
No diplomatic passport.
This is [N] a private individual trying to do something to help them.
[Abm] Okay, let's talk about your business efforts.
Is it true that you are in the process of setting [G] up business ties between Americans and others in the Soviet Union?
Yes.
In what sense?
If I came to you, what is it you'd do for me now?
Depends on what [N] you wanted to have done.
Like an example, a guy called me up.
He said he had a [Fm] tractor.
And it's called the [G] Jack Tractor.
It's a new innovation in tractor technology.
It's [N] a four-wheel independent suspension with a powertrain in the suspension.
It'll drive over everything.
It doesn't tip over.
And it picks up a 2,000-pound log with its thing underneath [E] of it.
And he wants to get it manufactured someplace in the East.
So what I'm trying to do for him is arrange to have it manufactured in a recommissioned [N] Soviet military factory.
Nice.
So you're a man who networks internationally.
You are also, I mean, music is still a part of your life.
You've written a score for the upcoming Jacques Cousteau show on TBS called Outrage at Valdez.
How much of that are you doing [Bb] now?
[G] I'm not doing anything else in that regard now.
I did that because I thought that the show was important.
I've never scored a TV show before.
That's the first and [E] only one so far.
And you donated your salary for it.
Yeah.
[A] Let's go ahead and take a [Abm] look at a clip of that and listen to some of your work, some of this [G] coming from Outrage at Valdez.
_ _ [Bb] _ _ [Em] _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
[C] _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Ebm] _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Eb] _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [Dm] _ [Db] _ _ _
For example, how [F] central is music to your life [N] these days?
Is it as important as it used to be?
Well, I think that even if I'm doing something like a business deal, it is a type of composition.
I view the whole thing as composition.
You have always been politically active.
You've always been an activist.
Why have you never run for office?
Or might you still?
I might still.
I've thought about it.
The problem with running for office is I don't like [G] the platform of either of the parties.
And _ [N] any time there's been an attempt in the U.S. to create a third party, it's been a disaster.
So the only way that I could imagine to run would be connected with no party whatsoever and just say, look, if you want me for a job, I'll, you know, OK.
But I'm neither one of those guys.
But you're ready for an appointment, in other words.
[Bm] _
Not an appointment, [G] but I mean, I would run a campaign, but I haven't made the decision to actually do it.
So thanks for bringing it up.
Frank, take care of yourself.
I appreciate it.
We're going to come back in just a moment.
Deborah's back with a look at the [E] distaff side of California's gubernatorial race right after this. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _