Joe's Garage

Frank Zappa

 E
    It wasn't very large
                       A                                B
    There was just enough room to cram the drums
    In the corner over by the Dodge
    It was a fifty-four with a mashed up door
    And a cheesy little amp
    With a sign on the front said "Fender Champ"
    And a second hand guitar
                  A                               B                     (little B jam)
    It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar...

    We could jam in Joe's garage
    His mama was screamin', his dad was mad
    We was playing the same old song
    In the afternoon and sometimes we would
    Play it all night long
    It was all we knew, and easy too
    So we wouldn't get it wrong
    All we did was bend the string like...   E A B

    Hey! Down in Joe's garage
    We didn't have no dope or LSD
    But a coupla quartsa beer
    Would fix it so the intonation would
    Not offend yer ear
    And the same old chords going over and over
    Became a symphony
    We could play it again and again and again
    Cause it sounded good to me...
(no chord)                  E A B
    "One more time"

    We could jam in Joe's garage
    His mama was screamin', "Turn it down!"
    We was playin' the same old song
    In the afternoon and sometimes we would
    Play it all night long
    It was all we knew and easy too
    So we wouldn't get it wrong
    Even if you played it on the saxophone...   E A B (hang on B)

    We thought we was pretty good
    We talked about keepin' the band together
    And we figured that we should
    Cause about this time we was getting the eye
    From the girls in the neighborhood
    They'd all come over and dance around like...   (clap 'n' stamp)

    So we picked out a stupid name
    Had some cards printed up for a coupla bucks
    And we was on our way to fame
    Got matching suits and Beatle boots
    And a sign on the back of the car
    And we was ready to work in a go-go bar
(no chord)
    "One, two, three, four
    Let's see if you've got some more"...   E A B

    People seemed to like our song
    They got up and danced and made a lot a noise
    And it wasn't 'fore very long
    A guy from a company we can't name
    Said we ought to take his pen
    And sign on the line for a real good time
    But he didn't tell us when
    These "good times" would be something
    That was really happening
                A                 (pause)     B               (pause)
    So the band broke up... and it looks like
                  E
    We will never play again
(no chord)
    "Guess you only get one chance in life
    To play a song that goes like"...   E A B
                   E         A B
    "Turn it down
                 E
    Turn it down
       A                    B
    I have children sleeping here
 E                                            A                  B
    Don't you boys know any nice songs?"

    Well the years was rolling by
    Heavy metal and glitter rock
    Had caught the public eye
    Snotty boy with lipstick on
    Was really flying high
    And then they got that disco thing
    And new wave came along
    And all of a sudden I thought the time
    Had come for that old song
    We used to play in Joe's garage
    And if i am not wrong
    You will soon be dancing to the...
(music subsides)
    "The white-zone is for loading and unloading only
    If you can load or unload, go to the white-zone"
(music returns full)
    So the years was rolling by
    The years was rolling by
    The years was rolling by...


Copyright 1979
Joe's Garage, Act I












What a long strange trip it's been!