Willie the Pimp

"Willie the Pimp" is a song from Frank Zappa's 1969 album "Hot Rats". It features an idiosyncratic Captain Beefheart vocal and one of Zappa's classic guitar solos. It is 9 minutes and 16 seconds long on "Hot Rats". It is the only track that is not instrumental on the album, though the track features a long instrumental guitar solo.

The song has also appeared on Zappa's "Fillmore East - June 1971" and "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4" albums.

The album title "Hot Rats" comes from a lyric of "Willie the Pimp". The origin of the song was explained in a conversation Zappa recorded in 1972. This interview recording was later released as "The Story of Willie the Pimp" on the Zappa album "Mystery Disc".

Musicians

Hot Rats version

*Frank Zappa - guitar, octave bass, percussion
*Ian Underwood - piano, organus maximus, all clarinets, all saxes
*Captain Beefheart - vocal
*Sugar Cane Harris - violin
*John Guerin - drums
*Max Bennett - bass

Fillmore East

*Frank Zappa - guitar & dialogue
*Mark Volman - lead vocals & dialogue
*Howard Kaylan - lead vocals & dialogue
*Ian Underwood - winds & keyboard & vocals
*Aynsley Dunbar - drums
*Jim Pons - bass & vocals & dialogue
*Bob Harris - 2nd keyboard & vocals
*Don Preston - Minimoog

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4

*Frank Zappa - lead guitar/vocal
*Ike Willis - guitar/vocal
*Ray White - guitar/vocal
*Bobby Martin - keyboards/sax/vocal
*Allan Zavod - keyboards
*Scott Thunes - bass
*Chad Wackerman - drums

Cover versions

"Willie the Pimp" was covered by Juicy Lucy on their 1970 release "Lie Back and Enjoy It", and also by Qui on their 2007 album "Love's Miracle". The Juicy Lucy version was included in Andy Votel's compilation "Vertigo Mixed", released in 2005.

External links

* [http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Frank-Zappa/Willie-The-Pimp.html Lyrics]