ARF: Notes and Comments: SHEIK YERBOUTI: Bobby Brown

SHEIK YERBOUTI

Bobby Brown

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	Women's Liberation Came creepin' across the nation
When this movement was at the top of the society fashion wave? Late 70s?
From: David F Lynch <dflync01@homer.louisville.edu> Well, I'm probably not the best person to ask about this, having been born on '76, but my understanding is that by the late '70s there was a significant backlash against Women's Lib, which resulted in the ERA being unable to pass and eventually Ronald Reagan. It probably reached its peak in the early '70s.
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	So I went out 'n' bought me a leisure suit I jingle my change, but I'm still kinda cute
From: Bill Lantz <lantz@primenet.com> I can't get in FZ's head to be 100% sure, but I think he's referring to 'pocket hockey' or sticking your hands in your pocket to make adjustments so to speak. It could also be referring to actually jingling the coins in your pocket around to make someone look at your crotch. But what do you expect from this song's star ;~{-
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	Got a job doin' radio promo An' none of the jocks can even tell I'm a homo Eventually me 'n' a friend Sorta drifted along into S&M I can take about an hour on the tower of power
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	'Long as I gets a little golden shower
From: bzavitz@fres2.glfc.forestry.ca (Brian Zavitz) Back in my younger days, we used to go into sex shops for a yuck and kill ourselves laughing over some of the stuff for sale. One of the items I remember is an ANAL INTRUDER KIT (complete with different intruding devices, all laid out in a box with a clear cover, some of 'em pretty dangerous lookin' with spikes stickin' offa them, selling for $69
I remembered the price due to it's significance to the type of shop). Another item, sold separately was the TOWER OF POWER; a GIANT dildo. It must have had a 3 or 4 inch base diameter and about a foot long. Now, where you would put that thing is best left up to the imagination of the purchaser. Frank may or may not have seen/heard of this device, I have no idea if he coined the phrase, but I doubt it. 'Course they had lotsa little Ms. Pinky's lyin' around, too!
From: Bengt Jonsson Regarding Zappas knowledge of Tower of Power
This is an extract from an interview in Swedish Radio (circus 1980) that was made after the release of Joe's Garage. I did this translation this night (31 may, 01.00) so excuse eventually mistakes.
(Reporter - in Swedish) .... I also asked him about the wellknown song Bobby Brown and why it became a hit only here in Scandinavia.
(FZ) As a matter of fact. It´s so unusual. I suggested to Stan from CBS, what they should do, is to hire an anthropologist from a major university and bring him to Scandinavia to examine the people here and find out why such a thing could happen. Cause it's very unusual.
(Reporter) There is some funny words in the song and I asked him what Tower of Power is. Considering my old aunt I let Zappa himself explain the word.
(FZ) The Tower of Power is a..... You know what S & M is?
(Reporter) Yeah
(FZ) It's a S & M device that they sell at a store in Los Angeles. It's a stool... small stool, You know to sit on. That has this spindle that comes up, that's sticks up Your asshole and it has straps on the legs of the stool where You supposed to put a persons ankle into the straps on the edge of the stool. And they actually sell this thing here and it's called the Tower of Power.
(Reporter) Is Bobby Brown someone special guy?
(FZ) No. It's actually talking about that device, cause the words in the song says: I can take about an hour on the Tower of Power, as long as I get some golden shower. You know what a golden shower is?
(Reporter) No
(FZ) Golden shower is a sexual abberations or sexual activity where one person pisses on another person. Do You get the idea that Bobby Brown in this song is a result of following the advice of Womens Liberation has wound up sitting on a stool with a thing up his ass while somebody pisses on him. And that's why I think that's unusual that the song is so popular here. I mean, when I go to a disco and see the people dancing Bobby Brown, I had to laugh.
From: David F Lynch <dflync01@homer.louisville.edu> Regarding the "Tower of Power"- during the Baby Snakes movie, Zappa is presented with something from the audience. His reaction: "Is that the Tower of Power? Oh, no, that's some sort of dope-fiend device. Get it away."
Or something like that.

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