Trouble Every Day (1966)

From blackwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
781BF6C0-916F-4ED8-B8E4-94BCE757A201.jpg

Trouble Every Day" (labeled in early prints as "Trouble Comin' Every Day") is a song by the Mothers of Invention, released on their 1966 debut album Freak Out![1]

Key Lyrics

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


Hey, you know something people?

I'm not black but there's a whole lots a times I wish I could say I'm not white

Background

Frank Zappa wrote the song in 1965 at 1819 Bellevue Avenue, Echo Park, Los Angeles, the residence of a methamphetamine chemist referred to by Zappa as "Wild Bill the Mannequin-Fucker" after watching news coverage of the Watts Riots.[2] Originally dubbed "The Watts Riot Song", its primary lyrical themes are racial violence, social injustice, and sensationalist journalism. The musical style—featuring multiple guitar tracks and a harmonica—much more closely resembles blues than mainstream rock and roll.[3]

Re-arrange Version

A re-arranged version appeared on the Mothers' 1974 live album Roxy & Elsewhere (and on the 1991 live album The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life) as "More Trouble Every Day". These subsequent versions were more up-tempo and usually featured a strong horn intro and punctuation.[4]

Reference

  1. Trouble Every Day (song). Wikipedia. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  2. Neil Slaven. Electric Don Quixote: The Definitive Story of Frank Zappa. 2003. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-9436-2. Retrieved from Wikipedia, February 5, 2021.
  3. Kelly Fisher Lowe. The Words and Music of Frank Zappa. p. 33–35. 0ctober 2007. ISBN 978-0803260054. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  4. Kelly Fisher Lowe. The Words and Music of Frank Zappa. p. 10. 0ctober 2007. ISBN 978-0803260054. Retrieved February 5, 2021.