141. FRANK ZAPPA: Let's Make The Water Turn Black
A detailed analysis of the above Frank Zappa composition, including notated musical examples.
LYRICS
One of FZ's most covered composition...
More cool piano arpeggios start us off...
The CD is a whole step lower than the LP! (C Major on the CD; D Major on the LP!)
We'll give this to you in C Major, from the CD:
Now be-lieve me when I tell you...it's a-
I-iii6/4-vi-(vi)-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-(vi)-ii-iii-IV-V
C-Em/B-am-(am)-F-G-am-G
bout some little people...neighbors didn't know
I-iii6/4-vi-(vi)-bVII-III-bVI-V
C-G/B-am-(am)-Bb-Eb-Ab-G
Once again, a beautiful turnaround in the last four bars above -- using half-steps to insinuate new keys, yet he goes right back to C here...
Next verse -- however:
feeding all the boys at Ed's Cafe
Everything's the same as the above until the Bb chord. Then another fine modulation -- he descends to A Major from the Bb which then goes to D, (bVII-VI-II in C) -- and turns II into the pivot chord -- now a V of G...going to
G Major. Notice how he gets back to C Major, with a very dramatic modulation at
Kenny's little creatures on display
Let's Make The Water Turn Black
LYRICS
Other Official Versions:
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (1988)
Make A Jazz Noise Here (1991)
Ahead Of Their Time (1993)
The Lumpy Money Project/Object (2009)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (1988)
Make A Jazz Noise Here (1991)
Ahead Of Their Time (1993)
The Lumpy Money Project/Object (2009)
One of FZ's most covered composition...
More cool piano arpeggios start us off...
The CD is a whole step lower than the LP! (C Major on the CD; D Major on the LP!)
We'll give this to you in C Major, from the CD:
Now be-lieve me when I tell you...it's a-I-iii6/4-vi-(vi)-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-(vi)-ii-iii-IV-V
C-Em/B-am-(am)-F-G-am-G
bout some little people...neighbors didn't know
I-iii6/4-vi-(vi)-bVII-III-bVI-V
C-G/B-am-(am)-Bb-Eb-Ab-G
Once again, a beautiful turnaround in the last four bars above -- using half-steps to insinuate new keys, yet he goes right back to C here...
Next verse -- however:
feeding all the boys at Ed's Cafe
Everything's the same as the above until the Bb chord. Then another fine modulation -- he descends to A Major from the Bb which then goes to D, (bVII-VI-II in C) -- and turns II into the pivot chord -- now a V of G...going to
Whizzing and pasting
Kenny's little creatures on display
Wait till the fire turns green
IV-V-vi. Then for the final chord, just like all those dudes with wigs did in the Baroque Era (if it ain't Baroque, don't fix it), he goes to Major! We hear A Major for only the second time on the last note of the piece! Constant ear surprises, both obvious and subtle, are a major tool in FZ's compositional palette.
Another nice electronic transition to
IV-V-vi. Then for the final chord, just like all those dudes with wigs did in the Baroque Era (if it ain't Baroque, don't fix it), he goes to Major! We hear A Major for only the second time on the last note of the piece! Constant ear surprises, both obvious and subtle, are a major tool in FZ's compositional palette.
Another nice electronic transition to
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