Frank Zappa at PMRC Senate Hearing on Rock Lyrics
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.พ. 2025
- The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual via labeling and censorship. The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice President Al Gore; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius. They were known as the "Washington wives" -- a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington, D.C. area. In August 1985, 19 record companies agreed to put "Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics" labels on albums to warn of explicit lyrical content. Before the labels could be put into place, the Senate agreed to hold a hearing on so-called "porn rock". This began on September 19, 1985, when representatives from the PMRC, three musicians -- Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, John Denver -- and Senators Paula Hawkins and Al Gore testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on "the subject of the content of certain sound recordings and suggestions that recording packages be labeled to provide a warning to prospective purchasers of sexually explicit or other potentially offensive content." During his statement, musician and producer Frank Zappa asserted that "the PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years dealing with the interpretation and enforcement problems inherent in the proposal's design."
(source: en.wikipedia.or...)
Download unpublished Zappa videos here:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pKYVoCdpJlXmrAKrdUgO5JPr0oRMQweF?usp=sharing
Wow, thank you so much...
@@CC-lh7tj Frank slaughtered the assholes 10:28
Exactly bro😂
Interesting trivia: The album Zappa published after this was given a parental warning sticker. The entire album was an instrumental.
Ladies, how dare you.
I still have that album, with the cellophane still on it, with that dam sticker....
"The [PMRC] committee was founded by four women:"
If that committee hadn't been formed and performed senate hearings, and demands for warnings, the parental warning stickers would never have been implemented.
So, yes, "Ladies, how dare you."
Jazz from hell. Right?
+azangor femenazi's and other enemys of free speech must be exposed.
"Not all parents want to keep their children totally ignorant." Love Frank Zappa.
+Joe Amazon That was a nice jab by Zappa, truly beautiful.
Joe Amazon
My dad owned a bookstore. He never tried to monitor nor control what I read while hanging out there. He just cautioned me to use my brain.
Sounds like a good parenting tip to me.
@David Topchiev lol
😊👍🏻
Dee Snider was smart and sassy, and made the committee look like idiots.
Frank Zappa...he is brutal. There is no other word for it. And I mean that as a high compliment.
+David Topchiev He absolutely owned her on that "well come over to the house to look at the toys" comment, and they all knew it. Her little closing remark was just about the stupidest thing I heard during the entire 33 minutes. I was not a fan at how some of the senators got to throw closing cheap shots at Zappa and then immediately turn their mics away and look away from him, really cowardly behavior in my opinion even if they are on time constraints. Slade Gordon's was the most pitiful, as he didn't even have the balls to let Zappa respond at all to his little tirade. Loved it when Zappa responded anyway with "is this private action" and they just completely ignored him lol.
+Warffles ~~
I wish i would have seen your comment before making mine,
you said it all....
. That's that ignoramus "SLATE GORDON", typical Rep.
from Wash., no less....
Yeah, typical tactic of bearucrats. Throw some stones, then hop off the mic real quick before Frank could even defend himself...
. He said, (to Frank)
"you ruined any credibility you might have otherwise had.."
What an aszhole
+Warffles And it gets even better, because a bit before Zappa ask "is this private action?", the image cuts to the large amount of cameras shooting and taking photos.
He lost steam towards the end.
+David Topchiev Don't forget John Denver. The P.M.R.C. and the Senate wasn't expecting an ambush from John Denver.
"Treating dandruff with decapitation" Says it all for me.
I remember when I was a kid 20 years back and if I saw an explicit label, it just made me want to listen to the album more.
Yup, and in my days of CDs and cassets, you could easily remove it and stick it on something else. 😂
thats exactlythe reason Tshirts with "parental advisory" printed on them were so popular couple years back[more than 10 for me] between any and all teenagers lol
Definitely, that meant it was so much better!! lol
I wonder how many politicians at this time knew that sale would increase due to these labels and quietly bought shares in record labels.
@@d.bcooper7819 Dude, stop jumping out of commercial aeroplanes with bag loads of looted money and a parachute. Good to hear from you again though. Lol
"Your children have a right to know that something other than pop music exists"
Is one of the better quotes on pop music I have ever heard
It's not so much a quote on pop music, but rather youth culture and education.
For them to be so concerned about "inappropriate" lyrics you would think they would be against pop music.
"your children have a right to know something besides pop music exists" thank you Zappa, love you man
2consider Encouraged? Really? Fuck you’re a cretin, you haven’t one orifice that doesn’t spew bullshit all over a keyboard.
Zappa was a TRUE Human...and a TRUE Musician.....love people that fight against fundamentalist conservatives afraid of words...and "thinking"....
I love that!
Another great one is Ted Nugent 👌 👍 He don't take crap either when it comes to these issues. Love them both ! Very intelligent dudes right there! Frank was his own lawyer in that hearing! Courts usually don't allow the defendant to speak his mind throughout the court proceedings. Usually you have to speak through your attorney. I guess this wasn't considered a formal court session I suppose. 🤔 Frank is a sharp man. He responded to everything thrown at him with no hesitation and intelligent answers. Unlike his opponents. 👍👍👍
"Bad facts, make bad laws". Well played Mr Zappa.
DuramaterOZ
Still 100% relevant, 35 years later, now in 2020.
@@allemander more so now in 2020 and thats is on every point where Government has to have their nose up the peoples Ass .
That applies to gun laws bigtime
covid anyone?
As the meme says, “Thank you PMRC for helping me pick out all the best albums growing up”
Telling Frank Zappa how to speak into a microphone. 😂
I cracked up at that
@@classicalbcast
They were being facetious
Lol I hear ya😂
Frank was nervous as hell, but he defended free speech. We need more people like him
+David Topchiev He was definitely nervous at the beginning, but I mean he's human who wouldn't be in that situation? His voice and demeanor became stronger quickly though and by the time the senators started asking questions he was starting to roll. By the end he had the committee laughing about the incredibly stupid toy question that woman threw at him haha. Zappa absolutely killed this, really enjoyed watching.
+David Topchiev It's political theater. You thinks senators are truly stupid enough to actually seriously consider legislating something that would violate our freedoms of speech? Lol
David Topchiev
I disagree. He saved Music for future generations back then. He didn't have to be afraid of having his career destroyed-he was already famous for having the kind of music they'd have liked to go back in time and censor.
Contour
Absolutely. The current Censors call it Hate Speech.
Frank was not nervous at all. He had been a stage performer all his adult life for crisakes! He was notably and duly concerned about musicians being labelled unfairly and unjustly plus the lack of defining what the PMRC was actually doing. The whole affair reeked of the old "rock and roll has got to go" spiel from the 1950s. Also the backroom politics was not appreciated when being discovered along the "no members" PMRC being a failed misdirection. Al was wishing Tipper dead at this point as the ladies talked gibberish to everyone and other political testicles were in the vice (Leave the Dick ! Please!) as well.
Representative government? OK I am all for it but who are they representing and how do they make a career out of term limits??
Frank was pissed.
"I asked if they were a cult"
I almost spit my coffee out, pure savagery
He kinda had a point asking if it was a cult. People like the PMRC pigeonholed all musicians
Frankenstrat247 you look like Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys
They are
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@@HighlanderNorth1 You are a liar, ACLU never stopped defending 1st amendment. There is only one globalist threat, and that is the corporate-fascist cabal, which you seem to be a apart of.
Zappa died way too soon. Such a class act.
@ What does Martin G. having an opinion of frank zappa not being classy have to do with him being a gay hipocritical democrat who hates people of color?
I disagree...[Not being an asshole]
I believe everyone who is alive is here to influence the world in their own way... When that influence has shaped the minds of it's intended audience, what else is their point. Zappa, Hendrix, Cobain, Joplin... They/Listeners had no knowledge that their time would be cut short BUT look at what legacy was left behind... Thus, I turn- it back on you and ask what their relevance they'd have today?
@@mji245 thank you my brother!!
@@mji245 you read my mind
Give your head a .556 round.
Only hearing where the one-liners steal the show. “Not all parents want to keep their children totally ignorant”, “It means that somebody in an office somewhere is deciding how smart my child is”, “Come over to the house and I’ll show em to you”....Zappa in beast mode
"Somebody in an office someplace is making a desicion on how smart my child is" - I LOVE Frank!!
There were three amazing people who effectively ended the nightmare called, the PMRC.
Frank Zappa (The Brains)
Dee Snyder (The Strength)
John Denver (The Heart)
All brilliant men, all protective of our 1st Amendment rights and for all the right reasons. They got the job done in Washington. God bless 'em all.
Viper GTS Well said!
+Viper GTS And two of them are dead, so sad :/
Perfectly put. I don't get why that dumb woman asked if Zappa made a profit, and then said, ''l think that says enough to this committee''
Jello Biafra tore Tipper Gore apart on the Oprah Show. I mean even Oprah's audience was like "Yeah this weird voiced punk rock motherfucker is right what the hell, Tipper Gore?"
I think they were just grabbing at straws at that point. They expected Frank and Dee to be stooges that they could tear apart, and John Denver as someone who would go along with whatever they said. Instead they got three musicians that were capable of outmaneuvering and debunking them on an intellectual level, and they weren't prepared to deal with that.
Zappa's IQ is higher than the collect sum of the committee.
alderete74 Frank Zappa would make the list of the 100 Most Brilliant Minds of the 20th Century, along with Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, Linus Pauling, FDR, Ghandi, Niels Bohr, Watson and Crick, Jane Goodall, Rigoberta Menchú, Richard Feynman, and Jonas Salk.
+alderete74 i never listned to zappa b4 i am now
+alderete74 haha, yeah....
Yes, and he was clearly at a disadvantage, while all these a-holes could sit there, make their ill advised derogatory comments, and it was just Frank and his lawyer against them
all.... his rubuttle's made sense, and were sporadic, off the cuff..
Those fckface politicians
attacked at will, and had it all prepared.....
+alderete74 I think most people's IQ is higher than crappy government committees
“Mr Zappa can you speak directly and clearly into the microphone”..,, hahahaha. He speaks into microphones for a living, you buffoon
Hey McDonalds employees do that shit for a living and most still suck at it
@@iBringTheRain24 because no one at mcdonalds is payed enough to give a shit
Please - like that guy had any idea who Frank Zappa was. He may have heard the name and knew he was a performer of some kind but that's it. It's a shame cuz I guarantee that guy had a totally different idea of who Frank was and what his music was like. Who knows, he may have actually liked it.
@@Alex-kn5tr Nobody that works at McDonalds is yet worth getting paid enough to give a shit.
@@iBringTheRain24 _
Quality of mics, ranked from worst to best
McDonalds
Senate Hearing
Music
I’ve watched countless hours of serious congressional hearings. And of everything I’ve witnessed, Zappa saying “well come over to the house and I’ll show them to you” has to be the number one highlight.
What do u think he meant by that? And why did he let that last stupid Question go by Not telling the Dubm Bimbo that making profits from his Records was his means of feeding his family.
@@highwaystar3780 I don’t think he meant anything about it more than what he said. “I’d be interesting in seeing what kind of toys your children play with” -> “well come over to the house and I’ll show them to you”
He’s just mocking her and calling her argument dumb.
I have watched it so many times and of ALL the videos claiming destruction or others being owned THIS IS THE BEST EXAMPLE and one of the few non click bait examples even when not labeled as such .
I got to hang out with Frank at a party for the opening of the purple rain tour at Nassau Colesium where I worked at 17 . He is my fave musician so I snuck in and sat next to him for 30 minutes before my boss asked to speak to me , took me into the kitchen , laughed and said you a crazy fuck , get back to washing the dishes .
Frank Zappa was not only a great musician, he was eloquent, witty and whip-smart in his knowledge what America should stand for and what freedom was really about. His satire sometimes masked the depth of his true intellect. And he decimated this pompous group of Senate windbags and their self-righteous counterparts called the PMRC. We sorely need his insights right now. Long live FZ!
I once read a comment who said he was more punk than any punk rocker. One of the best things anyone has ever said about him.
Dee Snider's ace in the hole is I think no one saw him coming. The suits never expected a guy who looked like that to be that articulate and lucid. Zappa was just savage. He does not give a single shit, never did, never will. What he did to Paula Hawkins was brutal. Not that it was very hard for him, the woman was pathetic.
She deserved it
"She had the balls in a vice but she left the dick but it's still hooked on but it shoots too quick".
I think the best thing to happen at the hearings was John Denver, though. Everyone knew Zappa and Snider would be against the PMRC, but the PMRC itself thought Denver would be on their side. How wrong they were.
I don't think they saw John Denver coming...
it was all theater
A musician making profits from his records? He's got some nerve.
+Damon Icke Seriously. I was like, "What? What the hell do his monetary profits have ANYTHING to with PMRC movements?"
Do you know the name of the woman who asked him that?
It's not Tipper
Paula Fickes Hawkins
Yes, as far-fetched and round-circle-going-no-where the old farts' arguments were, this was simply just moronic oO
🅱
most of these poor folk had no idea they were dealing with a genius.
Another puppet, controlled opposition.
This is all theatre.
💯
Most those poor puppets could not even keep up with the conversation.
dealing with the mossad you mean
The PMRC presumably had no problem with little statues of a naked man being tortured to death hanging over their children's beds.
Touchet
👍
Ezekiel 23:20 "There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses." Ban the bible.
@@phangngabay3196 This fuckin killed me.
I'm gonna store this particular passage somewhere in the corner of my brain and use it on someone down the road who isn't expecting it.
Ya so much for him having friends 🤣
Frank Zappa: "I asked her if it (the PMRC) is a cult." When referring to how the PMRC has no "members" at 6:29. Frank you were awesome! Thank for speaking up for all people who love freedom of expression through music.
He also makes a very valid point about how actors in a movie with an 'R' rating are not condemned the way the PMRC would pin the scarlet letter on the band or individual musician that had whatever THEY decide is not ok.
All the Zappa points were valid points.
His lawyer cracking a smile as soon as he said that, got a laugh out of me.
Zappa schooled these pretentious buffoons. I miss him.
DEE CEE Respect.
Mr. Frank Vincent Zappa would have "a field day" in today's political culture.
The past 25 years of political crap really. It all came to a climax with the faux anti-establishment Trump nonsense. Political ineptitude and business as usual got us here. We need more diversity in our leadership choices. The two party system enables itself
.
I can only imagine what he'd make of Trump. And I'd love to hear HST's take on Trump.
@@kirkteeters8869 What would he say about HRC? Max Waters? Mitch McConnell? I agree Trump is an ass, but some people act like he's the first unethical liar to ever be in US politics. I wish I lived in such ignorant bliss. Remember, if our political system was rife with such wonderful, competent politicians, Trump wouldn't be president. He's the product of systematic failure.
@@markrago5024 the only problem is the position of the president of the U.S. can bring us all down.
@@jeromedragon5287 no it can't because of checks and balances
Zappa: (Explains how movie ratings are different from music ratings).
3 seconds later.
Senator Exon: Isn't it true movies have ratings?
Great listening skills there.
PancakeArbiter LOL I KNOW!! And then when Fritz Hollings came back from his extra-long shit time in the Senatorial Men's Room, he then proceeded to ask the same exact fucking question!! ARRRGH!!!
It has nothing to do with listening, the whole affair is called politics for a reason.
They will always imitate, falsify, and reinforce whatever piece of dialogue they want to put emphasis on, pretending to wanting to here a more detailed statement, or pretending that the statement wasn't already delivered.
It's called "social intelligence" by some, yet it's just a way to abuse communication, patience, and still deliver the intended message or opinion, all while looking the other in the eye, waiting for a slip up or a contradiction.
This was effectively a cross-examination panel, that tried to shake out every reason from their opponent's arguments.
And yes it is a cult. A private socio-economic cult, usurping a government bureaucratic machinery, that is not afraid of coming across as censoring and reprehensive throughout their legislative actions and "concerns", whether just for having weird personal beliefs, or more likely, as an organization, aiming at much larger goals within the popular media infrastructure, constraining it in just the right places, ahead of time. We can all see how much they managed to achieve in 35 years since then.
I remember watching Frank eviscerate this hearing and realized what a warrior he truly was. I wonder what he would think of our current political climate?
and then he was dead from a preventable illness a few years later. hmmmm.
Brian, that statement is really ignorant. Cancer can be prevented, but it is no basis on how a person acted and presented themselves. Unfortunately, Zappa smoked more than any famous person I know of.
@@phillipjensen5201 naive
@@brianjacob8728 I would say the exact opposite really
He had prostate cancer you fool .That had nothing to do with his lifestyle .Stop drinking the bong water and don’t be an ignoramus.
After being asked, "Do you make a profit off of the sales of rock records?", I'd have loved to see Frank fire back "Do you make a profit off of creating legislation?". ..:: Crickets::..
A crusader for liberty and a fighter against social programming. Frank we love you.
@Martin G you just failed at life...
Agreed xx
@IBZ
Frank was against labels. You don't get the show.
"Well come on over to my house, I'll show them to you." The perfect response to her attempt at a subtle jab.
That was the best!
He, Denver and Snider were all so valiant and professional at how they presented themselves during these hearings. So cool and calm, nothing got out of hand. Such a shame we had to lose both John Denver and Zappa, but at least we have good memories of them. Dee Snider's still with us which is great too, they're all legends of modern music.
They were valiant but neglected to mention the lyric printing issue. If you look on a lot of records dated up to and including this decade there is a disclaimer that reads "lyrics reprinted with permission".if a song is covered without permission the lyrics aren't printed
"is this private action?"
DESTROYED
That was perfect
7:52 When Gore realizes he's screwed, he crumples his papers.
He's such a succinctly logical person that he shuts down all these "powerful" people who talk to him one by one.
It's amazing, I wish there were more people like him in the 2010s.
Zzyxzaa people like that these days would be doxxed, called Nazis, fired from their jobs
There are, they’re just biding their time for the right moment to let themselves be fully heard.
Zzyxzaa Jordan Peterson
2019 already
@@edanecom1624 Jordan Peterson? Haha, are you kidding?
Al Gore got schooled on logic by Zappa.
Really Notsure They all did
Still nice to hear Al dropping lines like "Hey, you've probably never heard of the Mothers of Invention..."
Zappa doesn’t believe in man bear pig
Al Gore invented
The Fake Golbal Warming and Climate change
Just like Today's Democrats Are selfish sellouts work for George Soros
Drain The Swamp !
@@guyboost7311 And if you end up in the hospital, the doctors should drain you of their IV.
One of my hero's of the time. 30 year Navy vet, yet I never tolerated people trying to silence my voice or what came to my ears. Hell, what was I serving for?
"yet"? Why are you contrasting being a vet with not tolerating people trying limit first amendment?
I hope your cohorts all feel the same.
*Heroes. Apparently the Navy didn't teach you how to spell even after 30 years. No wonder you didn't know what you were serving for-probably still don't know 5 years later. Brilliant!
@@matthewronsson A navy veteran makes a typo and you take the opportunity to insult his intelligence. I've probably never met you before and I hopefully never will but I just learned far more about who you are as a person than the vast majority of people that have.
@@remembertotakeshowerspleas355 I'll go grab you a hanky.
You call it "disrespect" but the truth is 30 years is a long time to literally wallow in ignorance.
SO I get you too, defend ignorance as it's some kind of virtue. Sadly, he probably remains clueless.
I love how Frank says "Bondage" with mock pearl clutching sarcasm!
21:17 Dude just felt the urge to personally insult Zappa. No comment about the issue. What a jerk.
That's all republicans know how to do.
Agreed. He was very rude and disrespectful.
@@extremejon Keep crying
@@extremejon fuck Democrats
@@Trifixion22 fuck Republicans
The only senator I had respect for after watching this was James Exon. He seemed to be the only one that was thoughtful on the subject and didn't approach things with a preset mental lock. The one I disliked the most was Slade Gorton. All that guy offered was a drive-by ad hominem attack that offered nothing resembling a point or argument.
+BravoSquirrel Slade Gorton's comment was just completely unfounded and worthless. Crazy to think how people like that can have so much power.
BravoSquirrel
No one remembers these passe' politicians but everyone remembers Frank Zappa.
BravoSquirrel yes, I totally agree! Both with your statements about Exon and Gorton. Gorton offered no explanation for his opinion and did nothing to back up his statement. You say ad hominem and I think that is right on the nose.
Meh, he completely missed Zappa's point at first about how album ratings have a more stigmatizing effect on musicians than movie ratings have on actors
@@Warffles That is exactly why some people like him have so much power. They are sheep, utterly programmed their whole lives with that preset mental lock that BravoSquirrel mentioned in the comment that started this thread. Mr. Slade seemed like your typical ultra conservative that scoffs at the very thought of imagination, or creative freedom of self expression. He was probably so offended by Zappas intellect, that his rebuttal was so short due to the fact that he understood none of it.
Say what you will about Frank Zappa naming his children Dweezil and Moon Unit, but this man was perhaps the most intelligent person in Music History.
2consider well art is subjective
2consider Hmm, I think you’re taking Joes Garage out of context.
I know another one!
His real name is Ian. Dweezil is a stage name
2consider - You're interpreting his lyrics out of context. A common mistake among Zappa critics.
Damn, is Zappa missed today. A man whose balls had balls!
What a legend, "treating dandruff by decapitation". the wit of this man.
Zappa was a musical genius. Also very articulate and insightful. He was the full package. Can't say as much for all of these blowhard politicians who confuse their power with intelligence.
thats because this is all scripted, pure theater
And at 31:42-31:49 was she seriously trying to imply he was being sexist? How the hell he stayed so respectful and composed when faced with so much condescension, Ill never know. There was a couple of moments you could tell he had "fuck off" at the edge of his tongue, but he held it. He had more class alone than that entire room put together. The world misses you, Frank.
I agree. Frank Zappa taught me allot.
That lady was probably the most condescending of all 😡
Dvdsky He had fuck off on the tip of his tongue every time he was questioned
Dvdsky AMEN.
@Professor Manque Maybe that person in particular is gone by now, but her incarnation, her role in this world, is still on the devil's payroll. Your greatest mistake would be to believe that this individual female seems to be problematic, while in fact America, and the most of the developed world, is driven by such characters into a gradual submission of thought. We are now 35 years into the future, and things have been become much worse. We now have to suffer the children that were deliberately "protected" into ignorance.
That one dude sounds like Foghorn Leghorn.
"Ah say ah say! Them that they-ah rock music has them thar bad influences!"
Unlike good ol' boy lynch mobs , jes havin' fun
Hilarious dude!
"Them thar rag-a-lashuns".
I say I say I always keep a spare pack of feathuh's fo just such any e-mergency!
Two of them come close huh. Exon and I can't remember the other guy's name
Mr. Zappa was intelligent, absolutely American and entirely correct. Thanks to and for Frank and all his efforts, which will continue to amaze and endure. What a wonderful man and artist.
Well Marty you should just get it over with then .. go to the top floor. Yes take the elevator because we al know you are too fat and lazy to take the stairs.. Go to the roof access, and walk out to the edge and stare at the city lights. All those people out there living life, of desperation, hunger, stress, working a nine to five, day in day out.. and you wanted to prevent freedom of speech.. well you are entitled to give the world your endless religious fear mongering vomit, and you should expect some _push back._
The other ones, the politicians aren't merican? Because you still have them on gov
"is this private action?" the best statement made in the whole hearing
I was wondering if anybody at the time realized how brutal that question was when asked in the middle of a congressional hearing.
And we heard nothing but crickets after that quite valid question. Tells you everything the public needs to know about how inept Congress is
Yes
FZ is a favorite of mine: as a composer, as a guitarist, as a thinker. He did a great service to *all* Americans by testifying about this. All the more reason why we must acknowledge that he sadly lost this fight. There’s no two ways about that. And what’s worse is that the PMRC not only won, they “expanded”. Now, the government and entertainment industries not only dismiss our ability to “handle” profane content maturely. They also treat us like children when it comes to our consumption of any entertainment which relates in any way to issues of race, gender, or sexuality. If would FZ was alive today, it would be interesting to hear what he thought about cancel culture. Regardless of your position on either issue, record label warnings concerning language are no different than film industry warnings about content. “Gone with the Wind”, anyone?
Oh Frank, how we miss you.
@Martin G Yet Al Gore still pollutes the world with his drivel.
@Martin G 🖕
@@bubbiesdad 🖕you too.
@Martin G You must do extraordinary things with your life. Cheers.
He who single-handedly Crushed Everyone is Frank. All hail the almighty Mr. Zappa.
Music is art. And while these "ladies" petitioned for censorship of art, I don't recall at any time seeing warnings on any Michael Angelo pieces?!?
@2consider If you only consider Zappa's lyrical content ( especially as he's poking fun @ the activities of people that he's observed , so real life ) then you're missing the musical masterpiece that is "peaches en regalia" or any of the hundreds of all instrumental & extremely musically influencial work he's done ( so missing 3/4ths of his work ) Plus thinking that the PMRC wouldn't have had someone place fig leaves on all of Michelangelos nude works if they could is giving the PMRC a bit too much benefit of the doubt. Not to mention the fact that a majority of music teachers consider Zappa as one of the very few modern composers that are directly comparable to Beethoven, Bach , Mozart , Lizt or Wagner ( & I was suprised to hear them say it & then after point out all the instrumental pieces that they felt were the important work & I gave Zappa a critical re-listen to but only w/the instruentals) . So I can now understand why Zappa didnt want to have them base their ratings on someones interpretation of the lyrics " the boys in the crew are just waiting for you' or any of the other extremely humorus stuff on both volumes of 'Joes Garage". In the end regardless of the points I'm trying to make anyone who reads both our comments will have to make up their own minds & create their own opinions. I've made my points & realise that its just my opinion & hope that you realise I understand you are entitled to yours as well as respecting yours. One suggestion though,if you ever have a discussion like this, you could bring up all the lyrics to "Bobby Brown", can't say they wouldn't help in emphasizing your point,not that it needs it IMO but its extra ammo whenever u want to throw it in. Have a good night, and respect to you even if I dont agree w/your opinion.
That's true Michaelangelo came under enough fire for his depictions in painting and sculpture of nudity. Some called him guily of heresy.
If you study music or art history, you would learn that there was plenty of censorship in the arts, particularly in the Middle Ages, most of it by the church.
Or any plays that took place centuries ago
Nudity was not the issue, even if the Sistine Chapel was censored after his death, Michelangelo was involved in a sort of sect, or spiritual circle, to which he was introduced by Vittoria Colonna, the marquise of Pescara whom he befriended around 1537. The intent of said circle, called the Spirituali (Spirituals) was to reform the Catholic Church from the inside (rejecting the schism operated by Lutero) and was led by Cardinal Reginald Pole - who didn't become pope for one vote, because he was accused of heresy by the inquisitor and cardinal Gian Pietro Carafa and so he left Rome, sustained by a salary given to him by the newly elected Pope Giulio III and was later sent to England as envoy to bring them back under the Catholic church (I might suspect it was a fake mission to keep him away from trouble). But one year later Pope Giulio III died and Gian Pietro Carafa was elected pope with the name Paolo IV. Paolo IV prosecuted the Spirituals and tried to bring Pole back to Rome but he remained in London where he died a few years later. This is the context in which Michelangelo was accused of heresy, not the nudity, the inquisition raided Michelangelo's house after his death but he had burnt all the compromising documents (some argue hints of views are disseminated in his late artworks).
I’m old enough to remember this. Frank Zappa was my first major concert I went to. It was in the thick of this BS. I also agree that if it had a parental advisory sticker, it made me want it even more and my parents and brother were fine with it and actually encouraged me to listen to unique music (and literature). Zappa was a GENIUS. I’m happy that Dweezil carried on his tradition and Moon Unit, Ahmet, and Diva too.
And Slade Gordon still irks me when I listen to this… especially because I’m a Washingtonian.
Very impressive, and far more sensible than I anticipated. As a 76 y-o Englishman, I have obviously lived through Zappa's era, but I don't recall encountering his music. I probably need to hear some.
Try Joe's Garage.
@@brianjacob8728 lol brutal introduction
@@Niko3387Y Frank is best served cold.
@@brianjacob8728 it's one of my fav album so why not
Check out his album 'läther', too!
I love Frank zappa for being so genuine and brutally honest
thing is, he wasnt . either. he was a intelligence agency plant
@@leoross5777 what?
@@sonyaweinreis6530 read a book
@@leoross5777 are you offended by the truth?
@@sonyaweinreis6530 youre another know-nothing who thinks those 'hearings' were all on the level. it was all scripted. all the 'music' from laurel canyon was an intelligence project, but you know it alls have read a book
Zappa had the highest IQ in the room, by far. They knew they were in trouble as soon as he started to speak.
32:21 Paula Hawkins, Republican from Florida.
I love that exchange.
Hawkins: I'd be interested to see what toys your kids ever had.
Zappa: Why would you be interested?
EXACTLY. Why is it the government's business? Why are they so interested?
Zappa brilliantly takes what seems like a minor exchange and really gets at the crux of the biscuit.
Steve Beck To top it off what kind of stupid question and statement at the end? Do you make money from the sales of rock albums?"...no shit...he's an artist....."his statement tells the story to the commitee"....what is that? that legislation is being passed to tailor that!
It's as if she was a time traveler, used to making snide quips and immediately blocking people before they got a chance at a comeback. Unsurprisingly, that doesn't quite work offline.
The Crux of the biscuit, indeed
The last idiot comparison with toys is unbelievable.... toys are "rated" for the small parts, not the content.
Frank Zappa is just impeccable. So articulate and absolutely brilliant at debate as well as music.
no one knew that this was all planned out
"If you don't have something rational to compare it to, when you see or hear about something that is aberrated, you do not perceive it as an aberration." - Frank Zappa.
Fairly positive his song was not encouraging anyone to take the actions of a fictional groupy. The song is satire, and paints her actions both as reprehensible and as the direction society was going towards: hedonism, instant gratification, and focused on destructive things.
To quote the song you intentionally misrepresent:
"Buddy Jones: A million laughs, Mary! Anyway; good golly, what a mess... she's totally soaked... yeh, totally committed to the fifty bucks... That's it just step into the spotlight... let the guys get a good look at ya honey!
Mary: Here I am!
Buddy Jones: Whaddya say, fellas? Nice setta jugs? Now Mary, how's about shakin' it around a little...Ooooh!
Buddy Jones:Oh my goodness, look at her go!
Mary: Oooh! I'm dancing! I'm dancing!
Buddy Jones: Ain't this what living is really all about! Here's your fifty bucks Mary...
Mary:Oh great! Now I can go home!
Buddy Jones: Home is where the heart is. On the bus."
Which of those characters sounds like Zappa wanted people to imitate them?
@2consider lol you're pretty much on every comment on this video.
Frank Zappa should've run for president. I would vote for him
He seriously considered it in 1988. I even bought a "Zappa for President" bumper sticker at one of his concerts.
Spirits of Zappa/Carlin 2020
The problem with patience with fools is that it last since thousands years. And it could last during the next millions years...
yeah man he woulda made "Music Great Again" lolz
I think he was gearing up for it, Perot was supposed to be his VP, but they cancered him to get him out of the way
He saved the best for last, haha. Good on you Frank. He truly lives up to his name. He's quite a frank person, and you piss him off he'll zappa you down. RIP to the legend.
"...thank you, Mr. Zappa. Next witness, John Denver." NOW, THAT'S FUNNY!!!
The P.M.R.C. said Rocky Mountain High was about using drugs. Talk about ignorance. These fake, plastic people were trying to get attention for their selves or their husbands who are Politicians. The actions and agenda are fascist if you know about Political Science. The Chinese, the Russians, The Socialist Spanish, the NAZI Germans and many more did the same thing.
Is this Private Action?
Wonder if ole Slade realized how much of a Bitch Slap that was. Complete rebuke of his short diatribe with a 4 word question.
Nah, too stupid. Whoosh.
Don't you love how they KNEW Zappa was going to make them all look like asses? So they sought to control his speech right at the beginning of his time at the microphone. They knew they lost before he spoke...so they attacked him before hearing his words. IN fact: I heard his voice QUITE clearly as he spoke initially...they had nothing to criticize, yet they did in order to establish control over him. LOVE how much he destroys them! Tipper Gore is insane. Also, they need to censor Jerry Lee Lewis, since all his songs were about his COUSIN and their sexual relationship. MOST other genres contain inferences to something ludicrously of concern to a parent, where metal music only recently had that type of content. When these hearings took place, nearly ALL metal music was either Christian based dogma set to music or warnings AGAINST bad behavior.
Francie Griffith Al Gore not understanding the term "accordion fold" is remarkable. Not smart enough to justify his position.
+rosskolnikov He understood it but simply just had to assert his own little idea as well.
rosskolnikov
"Pleats." What a dip.
You state: "Also, they need to censor Jerry Lee Lewis, since all his songs were about his COUSIN and their sexual relationship." I disagree 110%. Censorship is censorship is censorship. No matter how uncomfortable, how ugly or how inappropriate some words might seem, they cannot be censored. Imagine the most disgusting subject you're able to imagine. Now imagine someone screaming as loudly as they can into a microphone about that subject, while using the most vulgar language possible. Even that must never be censored. Where does one draw the line? And who decides where that line is drawn? Once we start down that road, where will it end? We censor something so unimaginably vulgar today, even though most people agree, what happens 50 years from now? 100 years from now? Once precedent has been set, it's only a matter of time and personal taste until someone in power somewhere...perhaps years down the road...labels Ernest Hemingway (for example) vulgar, and therefore, since "vulgar" has been censored before, it must be censored now. Next thing we know, Hemingway is banned. Sound absurd? To you and I, yes. But who knows what the future holds? This last Presidential election should be proof enough of that.
@2consider They would ban it if they could. Instead they took a small step towards what we have now. Simon Cowell. A very successful businessman who doesn't give a shit about music.
Zappa, Snyder, and Denver put the nail in the coffin of the sanctimonious elitists who "know" there are preferred religions, music, art, and countries.
+David Topchiev 3 words "Rocky Mountain High." Tipper Gore said it was about using drugs and getting "high." Nothing but a bunch of BS and waste of time(if you ask me)
He sang in "let me give my life to you" in "Annie's Song", which the PMRC might've thought sounded like a suicidal stalker.
"We should NOT teach our children to threaten suicide to get someone to love them".
it wS ZAPA ALONE
SNYDER AND DENVER SAID NOTHING - FRRANK DID IT ALL
This is awesome, thanks for uploading. Nice to know that Zappa was a man of principle along with a great musician.
Senator Gore: Yeah, Mr. Zappa..First of all, huge fan. "Peaches In Regalia"? Love that jank."
R.I.P. Frank.thank you for being an individual and for making a change in this world
sorry but frank did NOT make a change in this world. It would be horrible to live by frank's godless principles.
Suck it
@@TheresaPowers clearly u have no knowledge of franks political outings were he made huge change in eastern europe specifically in czecho slovakia, through rallying against communism so, He very much did make a change to the world and a huge one at that.
lol....seems like Mr Zappa's lawyer is biting inside his lips to keep from cracking up and smiling
intelligent and cohesive thoughts from frank putting posers in there place. his logic is infallible.
Zappa was truly awesome. I Really enjoyed watching this, thanks for posting it.
Won’t somebody please think of the children! Except for when they are getting shot in the head at school
I remember when all of this was happening. Y'all have no idea what lengths we went to so that music today could be what it is. If a parent wants to object to lyrics, they need to have complete understanding of what is on that album first. You know, take an hour to listen to it
Music today sucks ass! But you're right I guess.
The Dee Snider testimony was amazing. I was surprised that "Warning: Parental Advisory", the TV movie that covered these hearings, made John Denver's testimony out to be the turning point, but it's clear from the actual videos from the hearings that Dee Snider's testimony was the most compelling.
Denver's was pretty brutal as well
They were all great but dee sniders was the best since everyone expected him to be an absolute moron
"Next witness is John Denver". lmfao. No disrespect to JD, but reminded me of the Bill Hicks routine "Here's Tom with the weather".
the only reason john Denver was there,cos they thought his song rocky mountain way ,was about drug smoking,and and the guy who sang we not going to take it any more was a another majorplayer with frank and john
John Denver was a really cool person. His music was not that great in my opinion, but don't let that fool you. He was ahead of his time in a lot of ways.
Jesus, if we only had people in Congress with an iota of Frank Zappa's intellect, rationality and intelligence
if they had an iota of his ability ( but in a political sence ) & most importantly his absolute honesty then Congress would actually get everything done & to the real benefit of citizens as well as cutting taxes & using them exactly as they were intended for. Damn, you've made me think all members should have to undergo gene therapy to recieve enough of Franks material to ensure they manifested such traits, that they'd all be able to play magnificent guitar & xylophone solos really would be a great "side-effect"
Anyone with a fraction of FZ's intellect would never be interested in joining the corrupt criminals on crapital hill.
Well that would be totally against the plan they have, wouldn't it ?
@Martin G you have the nerve to call that a mental illness ?
@Martin G and you had to edit that comment, for what ?
My Mum loved Frank Zappa... I miss both of them.
I love how he roasted the hell out of the cult of PMRC lol.
puritanism leads to absurdity and absurdity leads to atrocity. .. every time.
That last woman was a piece of work
Dumb as a bag of hammers: "That statement tells something to this committee."
Look who she made the mistake of going up against
She was a piece of something.
You spelled "shit" wrong.
Probably early stages of some kind of batshitness
I find it surprising, in a very gratifying way, that it was Senator Ernest Hollings who actually brought up the fact that although the wives and other pecking hens who were pushing for this crap said they were not interested in legislation, that it is the business of the Senate to enact legislation, so if this hearing is going on then it is legislation that is being considered.
A spark of honesty from an otherwise entirely corrupt politician who I can honestly say I'm thrilled is long gone from his position of "authority".
years later, the same senator criticized Beavis and Butt-head by calling them Beaver and Buffcoat, which turned into a running joke on the show
Frank came in cleaning house...John Denver came in with karate moves and Dee Snider finisjed them off. Legendary!
Seeing Frank Zappa and John Denver in the same frame (very briefly) at the end made me happy.
Right at the end after Zappa's testimony you can here one of the Senators still on mic commenting :
Senator Hollings: We haven't got 'em whipped on this one yet. You got a bear by the tail here, uh? Jeezis!
Its at the end of FZs composition "Porn Wars" where he took recordings of this hearing and put it to music.. "Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention" released today 11.21.17 in 1985. The album's title is a reference to the lobby group, the PMRC, who
were campaigning to require record companies to put warning stickers on
albums they considered offensive.
You shodl check it out if you havent already :)
We need more Frank Zappa's and less Al Gore's (Manbearpig) in this world!
@Martin G Al Gore had no purpose.
@Martin G
Frank was protecting the Constitution.
@Martin G Let me guess...God told you that, right?
Are you cereal
You can't be cereal... excelsior!!
Frank Zappa was a genius! He uses common sense to get the point across. He's articulate, mature, and polite while doing so.
I have watched this several times. When this was going on I was only just about the age to start buying these artists albums. When I first bought or listened to this music it was often not easy to get all the words from the actual tracks. Then someone put the words in the album sleeve .Next thing I am standing in a wet field with a thousand other people singing all the suposed filthy lyrics while a band tried to deafen us all. Those ladies made the lyrics so much more fun. The more those silly women knotted their panties, the greater the vibe at concerts and gigs got. I am for ever grateful for them making my youth so exciting. Without them none of it would have been so spicy.
I haven't seen many albums with the lyrics printed on the outside of the album. They're in the liner notes whether it's the pillow that comes with CDs/Tapes, & on the record sleeve that comes with + any pillow that comes with the vinyl records. I was born in 1979 and I listen to lots of music from today back to the middle ages.
I remember Grace Slick called Zappa "the most intelligent asshole I ever met"....she loved his daring
FRANK ZAPPA = TRUE GENIUS
was libertarian
Youre so nice Marty Baby a real sweet kind little thing yeah very cute and clean no badness yeah a real soldier for CHRIST.
Look at the kindness hanging out and thrashing people who disagree with you.. yeah a real sweety pie. kiss kiss.
I love listening to intelligent people. Mr. Zappa is (was) that. A far cry from the superfluous verbiage that is vomitously spewed by our politicians.
I love zappa's little Jewish princess.precious..not afraid to criticize our secret and not so secret rulers..I rest my case
Zappa was a musical genius. He was also a fabulous speaker. Thankfully I have a signed photo of Mr Zappa before he died.
I love that Frank played to the audience. Haircut and suit.
An immense artist and intellectual. Sorely missed.
Lol, is that guy really smoking a pipe in a government building?? wow, what a time to be alive..
+Steven haha right?
That's one thing I liked about the 80s. You could smoke in the office.
You could smoke anywhere.
Yes, there was a time before you. Peeps smoked everywhere, hospitals, airplanes any and all public places, restaurants, oxygen tents....uh, forget the last one....😎
Scary to think that Tippur Gore came extremely close to becoming the First Lady.
takerdust Right? Instead, we got a woman who drank herself into a stupor and killed her ex-boyfriend. Much better!
Dixon Cider
yes it was better, Laura Bush did some dumb literacy campaign as first lady, while Tippur helped shut down speech.
As contrived as the moral outrage was, Tipper didn't "shut down" speech. She pressured record companies to "clean up their act" and they acquiesced by labeling their products. This is many things; a violation of the First Amendment is not among them.
Dixon Cider i didn't say it was a violation of the first amendment, but a housewife who had the ear of one of the most powerful persons in the country pressured businesses to acquiesce to the morality of southern democrat conservatives.
Ann coulter,we did one thing wrong-we allowed women to vote.lol
I bet Tipper got all sweaty listening to Frank's HUGE mind.