In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Now believe me when I tell you that my song is really true
I want everyone to listen and believe
It's about some little people from a long time ago
And all the things the neighbors didn't know
Early in the morning daddy dinky went to work
Selling lamps and chairs to San Bernadino squares
And I still remember mama with her apron and her pad
Feeding all the boys at Ed's cafe!
Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day...
(Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!)
And all the while on a shelf in the shed:
Kenny's little creatures on display!
Ronnie saves his numies on a window in his room
(a marvel to be seen: dysentery green)
While Kenny & his buddies had a game out in the back:
Let's make the water turn black
We see them after school in a world of their own
(to some it might seem creepy what they do...)
The neighbors on the right sat and watched them every night
(I bet you'd do the same if they was you)
Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day...
(Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!)
And all the while on a shelf in the shed:
Kenny's little creatures on display!
Ronnie's in the army now and Kenny's taking pills
Oh! how they yearn to see a bomber burn!
Color flashing, thunder crashing, dynamite machine!
(wait till the fire turns green...wait till the fire turns green)
Wait till the fire turns green!
This would be a little bit of vocal teen-age heaven, right here on earth!
Dodn-do-do-dodn-dodn-dodn-dada
I want everyone to listen and believe
It's about some little people from a long time ago
And all the things the neighbors didn't know
Early in the morning daddy dinky went to work
Selling lamps and chairs to San Bernadino squares
And I still remember mama with her apron and her pad
Feeding all the boys at Ed's cafe!
Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day...
(Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!)
And all the while on a shelf in the shed:
Kenny's little creatures on display!
Ronnie saves his numies on a window in his room
(a marvel to be seen: dysentery green)
While Kenny & his buddies had a game out in the back:
Let's make the water turn black
We see them after school in a world of their own
(to some it might seem creepy what they do...)
The neighbors on the right sat and watched them every night
(I bet you'd do the same if they was you)
Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day...
(Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!)
And all the while on a shelf in the shed:
Kenny's little creatures on display!
Ronnie's in the army now and Kenny's taking pills
Oh! how they yearn to see a bomber burn!
Color flashing, thunder crashing, dynamite machine!
(wait till the fire turns green...wait till the fire turns green)
Wait till the fire turns green!
This would be a little bit of vocal teen-age heaven, right here on earth!
Dodn-do-do-dodn-dodn-dodn-dada
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown
Let's Make the Water Turn Black Lyrics as written by Frank Zappa
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Frank Zappa has this to say:
'Let's Make the Water Turn Black' was a true story about two brothers, Ronnie and Kenny Williams - a couple of musicians I knew in 1962 during the early Paul Buff/Pal Records era (it was Ronnie who introduced me to Paul). It is difficult to describe these guys, their family and their 'hobbies' - so much of it will sound like fiction - however, let me assure you that this has all been documented on tape, in their own words.
NOTE: I read in THE FRANK ZAPPA BOOK that Frank said they were going to censor "her apron & her pad" because the record co thought he was refering to her menstrating! idiots
The numies on the window are boogers. It was an "expiriment" and they smeared their boogers on a window. I got this all at: globalia.net/donlope/fz/ Go there if you really want to know.
well i actually know what it means its about his neighbors ronnie and knenny williams in ontario ronnies brother kenny wanted to live in the garage but there was know bathroom so the peed in mason jars and one day they wanted to see how much they collected so they dumped it into a crock pot there mom owned
I have... no... idea.
about kids and drugs. the entire album refers to 'creeps' meaning drug changed hippie types.
lets make the water turn black refers to the idea of smoking so much marijuana that the bong water will turn black (as i becomes discoloured with exesive use), they intend to do this by helping 'burn his poots away', they were Whizzing & pasting & pooting through the day. wait till the fire turns 'green'
other people see them after school, in a stoned daze, so some it might seem a bad thing that they do the drugs.
ronnies in the army now and kennies taking pills. obviously both thier lives had'nt turned out like they planned.
it's a concept album, so things often run a similar path, making fun of every single aspect and person involved in the hippie movement.
This is a good reply. I always thought in the line "oh how they yearn to see a bomber burn," the 'bomber' was slang for a 'hot rock' which is a little clump of hot ash that falls out of a joint made from cannabis when you smoke it.
@kid-44 As well as an airplane, "bomber" was 60\'s SoCal slang for a fat joint. I know because we used to say that. @Daryl333, I never heard it used for a hot rock. But maybe the slang was different in different places.
All this time I thought it was whizzing and pasting and PUTTING through the day, as if they were doing arts and crafts/having fun like kids do. I mistook poots for the word boots. I thought it was about the magic that comes with being left alone with good childhood boredom and the antics kids get up to, as opposed to anxiety stricken confused adults.