Wednesday, May 16, 2007

who needs the peace corps?

The brilliant, brilliant Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention here on this day are inducted into Ashcan Ranting's Lyrics Hall of Fame for their fantastically hilarious and satirical "Who Needs the Peace Corps?". It mocks people who would come to San Francisco to be phoney stereotypical hippies. Yes, it's littered with allusions that the average person wouldn't understand (Owsley, the Fillmore). But anyone can appreciate its awesomeness.

What's there to live for?
Who needs the peace corps?
Think I'll just DROP OUT
I'll go to Frisco
Buy a wig & sleep
On Owsley's floor
Walked past the wig store
Danced at the Fillmore

I'm completely stoned
I'm hippy & I'm trippy
I'm a gypsy on my own
I'll stay a week & get the crabs &
Take a bus back home
I'm really just a phony
But forgive me
'Cause I'm stoned

Every town must have a place
Where phony hippies meet
Psychedelic dungeons
Popping up on every street
GO TO SAN FRANCISCO . . .

How I love ya, How I love ya
How I love ya, How I love ya Frisco!
How I love ya, How I love ya
How I love ya, How I love ya

Oh, my hair is getting good in the back!

Every town must have a place
Where phony hippies meet
Psychedelic dungeons
Popping up on every street
GO TO SAN FRANCISCO . . .
Hotcha!

First I'll buy some beads
And then perhaps a leather band
To go around my head
Some feathers and bells
And a book of Indian lore
I will ask the Chamber Of Commerce
How to get to Haight Street
And smoke an awful lot of dope
I will wander around barefoot
I will have a psychedelic gleam in my eye at all times
I will love everyone
I will love the police as they kick the shit out of me on the street
I will sleep . . .
I will, I will go to a house
That's, that's what I will do
I will go to a house
Where there's a rock & roll band
'Cause the groups all live together
And I will join a rock & roll band
I will be their road manager
And I will stay there with them
And I will get the crabs
But I won't care
Because . . .

4 comments:

Carolina Lange said...

Frank Zappa is fantastic!

maya said...

I can kind of understand how you can find him hot, i used to have a pisture of him on my wall. it's just he has been around in enland for bloody (god, im so english) ages and im kind of so bored of him now its untrue. have you heard any of their first album though? it's not bad

The Boob Lady said...

You're wise beyond your years Molly. :)

Eddie said...

...I'll stay for a week and get the crabs... LMAO

It's amazing how free everyone was back in the 60's... almost ahead of their time.

Shortly after... everything retracted and became conservative again... almost taking a huge step in reverse.

These lyrics are lickable. How 'bout them drugs... jeez.

Besos para siempre.