(Front)


singles with FZ involvment - 1961-63

Cucamonga era singles

 

  1 Memories of El Monte [Frank Zappa, Ray Collins]
  2 How’s your bird
  3 The world’s greatest sinner
  4 Dear Jeepers
  5 Letter from Jeepers
  6 Everytime I see you [Frank Zappa, Ray Collins]
  7 Love of my life [Frank Zappa, David Lee Aerni]
  8 The big surfer
  9 Hey Nelda [Frank Zappa, Ray Collins]
10 Surf along with Ned & Nelda [Frank Zappa, Ray Collins]
11 Mr. Clean
12 Jessie Lee

 

All compositions by Frank Zappa, except as noted above.


1. Memories of El Monte


[Cleve Duncan] I’m all alone, feeling so blue
Thinking about you and the love we once knew

And each time I do, it brings back those memories of El Monte
 
Remember the dance? I held you so tight

The Satins were singing “In the still of the night”
You gave me your heart and your love undying
Now I’m alone, I’m sitting here crying
 
If only they have those dances again
I’d know where to find you and all my old friends

The Shields would sing “You cheated, you lied”

And the Heartbeats, “You’re a thousand miles away”

And the Medallions with “The letter” and “sweet words of pismotality

Marvin and Johnny with “Cherry pie”

And then Tony Allen with “Night owl”
And I, Cleve Duncan, along with the Penguins, will sing

“Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine?” at El Monte
 
If I could go back to those days of the past
I’d show you a love, a love that would last
Oh, I remember those wonderful dances in El Monte
In El Monte
 
“Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine?” at El Monte

2. How’s your bird


[Ray Collins] You dirty fink!
 
Hey, baby
Uh, what’s the word?
Hey, baby
Now, have you heard
What’s the latest?
Uh, how’s your bird?
 
Uh, how’s your brother?
An’ how’s your mother?
An’ how’s Aunt Fanny?
An’ how’s your granny?
This is absurd
Uh, how’s your bird?
 
Excuse me!
 
Uh, how’s your bunion?

An’ how’s your grunion?
Now I’m stuck
Uh, lots o’ luck
This is absurd
Uh, how’s your bird?
 
Uh, how’s your fern?
I don’t love you, yes
An’ how your ear lobe?
Dirty fink!
An’ how’s your nose?
You dirty fink!
How’s your elbow?
An’ how’s your foot?
Natural fink! Find out, sister
An’ don’t forget your sister
I’ve never…
An’ you know, like I said…

3. The world’s greatest sinner


[Ray Collins] Chee poppa doodly woppa
Chee poppa doodly woppa
Chee poppa doodly woppa
Chee poppa doodly woppa
 
Now, he’s the world’s greatest sinner
I said, the world’s greatest sinner
As a sinner he’s a winner
Honey, he’s no beginner
He’s rotten to the core
Daddy, you can’t say no more
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
 
If you’ve never a-sinned before
Then you know what I mean
If you see him a-walkin’ around the floor
He’s the meanest creature you ever seen
 
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
I said, the world’s greatest sinner
As a sinner he’s a winner
Honey, he’s no beginner
He’s rotten to the core
Baby, you can’t say no more
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
 
[Instrumental]
 
If you’ve never a-sinned before
You know what I mean
If you see him a-walkin’ around the floor
He’s the meanest creature you ever seen
 
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
As a sinner he’s a winner
I mean it, he’s no beginner
He’s rotten to the core
Baby, you can’t say no more
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
 
Hey, the world’s greatest sinner
I mean he is terrible
Too much!
He’s no beginner
He’s the world’s greatest sinner
Unbelievable

4. Dear Jeepers


[Bob Guy] Oh, what have we here?
Oh, a letter!
Oh oh, it smells!
Oh, how wonderful!
I just love letters that are perfumed
Oh, lovely, lovely stench!
Essence of wolfbane!
Oh, let me open it!
 
Dear Jeepers,
It was so nice of you to attend my party at the castle last week. You and Doris make such a lovely couple. I’m also very glad to have seen Igor, Boris and Sally Snake and Pumpkin The Rat.
Snork
It was so much fun when we all played “Pin the tail on the werewolf
Oh yes! And “Electrical chairs”
Oh oh, when everybody sat down, oh, two million volts!
Ho-ho ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Oh, such fun!
(Uh, Doris, squeeze me a glass of mildew)
 
And to continue now…
Although the party was supposed to be rot luck, oh, it turned out to be pot luck. It was still lovely of you to bring along that “Leg of leprechaun au gratin”, oh. Desdemona wants the recipe.
Well, I’m… I’m rather exhausted, so I… I must close now. The sun is coming up and I must return to the crypt.
 

Sincerely

Count Dracula

 
Oh
P.S. Here’s a riddle:
When there’s a wheel, watch the way!
 
Ho-ho ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

5. Letter from Jeepers


[Bob Guy] Doris, get out your poison pen and take a letter. I have to write to Count Dracula. You know he wrote me a letter of that sort.
 
Dear Count Dracula,
I am writing to you from Cucamonga, ha-ha
Cucamonga
The weather is lovely, oh-oh
The nausea of noon, oh-oh oh-oh-oh
The wind is always blowing and the sun never shines, and it’s rainy and damp four hundred days of the year, oh-oh
I enjoyed the party very much, especially the sumptuous feast you had prepared
Snork
It was thrilling, from the first appetizers
Aaargh!
The “Chicken fried grub worms”, on through the dessert, ohhhh, “Blood pudding”! Oh oh oh-oh, I love “Blood pudding”! Oh yes! Oh oh oh-oh, it was a masterpiece of culinary skill.
Although I… I was worried for a moment when you… you said the main course was… “Fish and chips”. Oh, we’re not that plebeian in Cucamonga, ha ha.
But my fears were quickly allayed when I discovered to my delight it was “Silverfish and Buffalo chips”! Ho-ho! Ho-ho! The most… ohhhh, unique! Oh, they’re so squirmy! Oh-oh-oh ha-ha! Oh, the first one went down easy, but the second one was greasy! Ho-ho-ho ho-ho-ho ho-ho-ho!
Oh, my… oh, I’m getting carried away, because… I really must apologize for… getting tipsy and singing, but I have always wanted to be the death of the party, ha-ha ha-ha ha-ha!
 
Uh, when you hear the pellets drop, count ten an’ take a deep bleath
Uhwrr uhwrr he he he he

6. Everytime I see you


[Benny Rodriguez & Joe Rodriguez] Everytime I see you, whenever you walk by
I want to hold you, darling, please let me try
Darling, I love you, I really do
Darling, I want you, let me be true
I want to hold you everytime I see you
 
If you would love me, we’d never, never part
We would be lovers, heart unto heart
Darling, I love you, I really do
Darling, I want you, let me be true
I want to hold you everytime I see you
 
[Instrumental]
 
If you would love me, we’d never, never part
We would be lovers, heart unto heart
Darling, I love you, I really do
Darling, I want you, let me be true
I want to hold you everytime I see you
 
Everytime I see you
 
Everytime I see you
 
Everytime I see you
 
Everytime I see you

7. Love of my life


[Ron Roman] Love of my life, forever true
Being together and never blue
You’ll never leave me, love, love of my life
 
We’re so in love, we’ll never part
You’ll always love me with all your heart
You’re mine forever, love, love of my life
 
Stars in the sky, they never lie
Say our love will never die
I’ll always love you and come what may
I’ll never leave you till the stars melt away
 
Love of my life, forever true
Being together and never blue
You’ll never leave me, love, love of my life
 
Love of my life
 
Love of my life

8. The big surfer


[Audience] WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! HEY HEY HEY! HOLD, HOLD, HOLD IT! HOLD IT! HEY, HOLD EVERYTHING! HOLD IT, HOLD IT, HOLD IT! Here comes the Big Surfer! Hey, look… look at that woody! That’s a sharp woody, uh-huh!
 
[Big Surfer] It is a great pleasure to be back on the beach here at Santa Monica
[Audience] YEAH!
[Big Surfer] Now, well, you must all realize that these appearances are very important to me.
Jackie gave me a fresh bleach job just last night, and Pierre has been helping me wax down my board in the back of the woody on the way over from the airport.
Now at this time I should like to thank the governor for the foam rubber huarache I’m wearing. They are very comfy.
And now…
[Girls] Hee hee hee! Hee hee hee!
[Big Surfer] And now…
[Girls] Hee hee hee! Ha ha ha!
[Big Surfer] (Jackie, for goodness sake, tell Teddy to pull up his baggies)
And now I’d like to say, it’s a great pleasure to be your guest at this affair
And I should like to get on with the dance contest
And now all of you, well, hodaddies, grab your, uh, ho-mommies, and we’ll, uh, all hike, er, I mean stomp
(Oh well, they… they know I’m under pressure)
Now what I say, hit it, I want you to make a big, strong wedge, with a solid left hand macaroni, then hang five and shoot the curl. Now, hit it! Oh, you’re looking good!
 
(Jackie, I wish you get Caroline to turn her amplifier down)
 
(Pierre, remind me to get Bobby a new reed tomorrow, they all want to get into the act)
 
Yes, yes, I think we, uh, have a winner! It’s the, uh, little couple from over in the, uh, corner.
And (No, don’t stop the music) let’s uh… bring them up here and uh… give ‘em a big hand!
[Boy] Huh huh huh! Hi, Big Surfer!
[Girl] Hi, hi, Big Surfer!
[Big Surfer] Hiya, kids, ha, hiya, hiya, ha, hiya!
[Boy] Huh, gosh, this is really exciting!
[Girl] Oh yeah!
[Boy] What do we win?
[Big Surfer] Well, as the winners of our dance contest you’ll receive an all expense paid trip
[Girl] Oh, really?
[Big Surfer] Yes, it’s an all expense paid trip as the first members of the Peace Corp to be sent to, uh, Alabama

9. Hey Nelda


[Ned] Hey, Nelda, I love you true
[Nelda] Hey, Ned, baby, so what else is new?
 
[Ned] I love your complexion
[Nelda] I have an infection
[Ned] Your hair is so fleecy
[Nelda] And your hair is greasy
 
[Ned & Nelda] We go together like peaches and cream
Oh, dearest Nelda / Ned, baby
You are my dream
 
[Ned] Hey hey, Nelda
[Nelda] Hey, Ned
[Ned & Nelda] Wo-oh-ho-oh
[Ned] Nelda, Nelda, what’s wrong?
[Nelda] I… I dunno, it’s just… everything’s going wrong. Our parents don’t love us, an’…
[Ned] I know but, things are… things are tough all over, Nelda, we have a lot of problems
[Nelda] W we’re just teenagers, and everybody’s against us
[Ned] The world is against us
[Nelda] Everybody
[Ned] I feel the pressure!
[Nelda] We can’t do it, we can’t go on
[Ned] I’m under such strain!
[Nelda] We can’t make it
[Ned] Well, we can make it!
[Nelda] But I… I… I can’t take it! I just can’t take it! I can’t! Argh!
 
[Ned & Nelda] We go together like peaches and cream
Oh, dearest Nelda / Ned, baby
You are my dream
 
[Ned] Hey hey, Nelda
[Nelda] Hey, Ned
[Ned & Nelda] Wo-oh-ho-oh
[Nelda] I just can’t go on
[Ned] I wish you could go on
[Nelda] I just can’t make it, we’ve tried everything, y’know? Our parents won’t… I just can’t…
[Ned] Look, I know, but bein’ a teenager is rough!
[Nelda] I know, but…
[Ned] Skin problems
[Nelda] I know, but you just… listen. I’d just… well, I’d just as soon FORGET IT!
[Ned] Well, if you feel that way about it, I’ll forget it too!
[Nelda] I never liked your greasy hair anyway, it’s just the way […], sorry, forget it!
[Ned] I still love you, Nelda
[Nelda] I’ve NEVER loved you!
[Ned] I still love you, Nelda
[Nelda] Teen-age upstart!
[Ned] I still love you
[Nelda] Forget it! Just forget it!

10. Surf along with Ned & Nelda


One, two, one, two, three, four, five
 
[Ned] Nelda, baby, Nelda, baby, surf along with me
[Nelda] Neddie, oh, Neddie, I will surf along with thee
[Ned] Nelda, baby, Nelda, baby, surf along with me
[Nelda] Neddie, oh, Neddie, I will surf along with thee
 
[Ned] We will have funzies
[Ned & Nelda] We will have funzies, we-we wee-wee-wee
 
[Ned] Come on, little Nelda, do the surfer stomp with me-e-e-e-e
[Nelda] Come on, Neddie, baby, do the surfer stomp with me-e-e-e-e
[Ned] No, me!
[Nelda] No, me!
[Ned] No, me!
[Nelda] No, ME!
[Ned] No, me!
[Nelda] NO, ME!
 
[Ned] Forget it!
[Nelda] I’ve already forgotten it
 
[Instrumental]
 
[Ned] Wop! Hoop! Hoop! Hoop! Hoop hoop!
 
[Nelda] I don’t know, it just makes me sick
He’s tryin’ to make a decent record
This guy’s yellin’, shoutin’ an’ screamin’ an’ stompin’ an’ makin’ all kinds of noises an’ it just makes me sick
[Ned] Hoop hoop!
 
[Ned] Nelda, baby, Nelda, baby, it is fun to stomp with you
[Nelda] Neddie, dear Neddie, oh, if you only knew
[Ned] Nelda, baby, Nelda, baby, it is fun to stomp with you
[Nelda] Neddie, dear Neddie, oh, if you only knew
 
[Ned & Nelda] It is fun to be a surfer
Fun to be a surfer
Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Ned] This is fun!
[Ned & Nelda] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Nelda] Oh, I just love it, bouncin’ around in the waves
[Ned] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Nelda] This just makes me sick!
[Ned] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Nelda] Can’t stand this salty water them nasty fishes
[Ned] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Nelda] Them fishes just bitin’ my toes
[Ned] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!
[Nelda] And so on and so forth, and everything like that
[Ned] Surf! Surf! Surf! Surf!

11. Mr. Clean


[Mr. Clean] All you fine young honeys, all you grown up queens
Listen here while I tell ya I’m the man of your dreams
I’m the sweetest hunk of man that your eyes ever seen
Whoa, pretty baby, I’m-a Mr. Clean
 
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] He’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Whoa yeah
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] Whoa yeah, he’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Hey hey
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] Whoa yeah, he’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Whoa yeah
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] Whoa yeah
[FZ] He’s the greatest lover anywhere
 
[Mr. Clean] I’m the king of all the lovers, I’m the greatest in the world
I can even make a woman out of you, little girl
I’m a swinging sugar daddy, I’m a sweet jelly bean
Whoa, pretty mama, I’m-a Mr. Clean
 
[Instrumental]
 
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] He’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Yeah yeah yeah yeah
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] He’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Hey hey
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] Whoa yeah, he’s Mr. Clean
[Mr. Clean] Whoa yeah
[Dorothy Berry & The Sweethearts] Whoa yeah
[FZ] He’s the greatest lover anywhere
 
[Mr. Clean] If your heart gets wasted and your mind gets tore
Just remember, all is fair in love and-a war
I’m a fast-talkin’ lover, I’m the meanest of the mean
Whah, pretty baby, I’m-a Mr. Clean
 
Watch my white tornado!
Oh yeah, you think I’m crazy?
I’m clean clear through, baby

12. Jessie Lee


[Mr. Clean] Jessie Lee, Jessie Lee, girl, you’re so fine
C’mon, pretty baby, say that you’ll be mine
Jessie Lee, Jessie Lee, c’mon take my love
You know it’s you, pretty baby, that I’m thinking of
 
Yeah-hey-hey-hey yeah
Hey-hey-hey yeah
 
You know I love to watch you, baby, when you walk
And I love to watch you, baby, when you talk
You can treat me mean, you can treat me cruel
Tell your friends I was a fool
 
But Jessie Lee, Jessie Lee, you know I love you still
Please let me love you, please say you will
 
Yeah-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey yeah
Yeah-hey-hey-hey
Hey yeah



Rancho Cucamonga in the ‘50s

English lyrics from site Information Is Not Knowledge.