ARF: Notes and Comments: YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS: Jumbo Go Away

YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS

Jumbo Go Away

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	Jumbo, go away Jumbo, go away Jumbo leave me alone Get your head off my bone I wanna go home ("I'm hungry")
From: jarvey@mail2.sas.upenn.edu (Jason M Arvey) wrote: On the subject of violence towards women in Zappa songs, I can understand the position of the original poster (sorry, I forget the name). However, whenever I listen to a song about domestic violence, I always look at it as a satire not only of the female involved but also, and primarily, of the male involved. Take "Jumbo, Go Away" for an example. The story involves a girl, rather heavy-set, who saves the narrator from committing suicide. In return, the narrator uses her for sex, gets sick of her, and starts beating her up. This is not a glorification of violence. This is a pointed attack on heartless male slobs who seduce and mistreat women. The only commentary I can see that involves Jumbo herself is the fact that she chooses to remain with this man who both no longer loves her and physically attacks her. I see this song as a parody of a failed relationship in which the woman iss noble, if not slightly misguided, and the man is absolute scum.
From: "Peter de B. Harrington" <Harring@helios.phy.ohiou.edu> First, historically Jumbo describes the size of the womans head and not her entire body. Remember "the head like a buffalo" in Suicide Chump. This is band folklore, which I am sure someone else will expand on, but it does have to do with women whose heads get stuck in between a band members thighs.
Like all Zappa songs there may be many interpretations. I think your spin on Jumbo is a little bit off. The narrator is trying to get rid of Jumbo, but apparently is not very successful. I think Jumbo has really taken to having sex with the narrator (perhaps her first exposure to sex), and is exhausting him. She also has some hygene problems which are perhaps contributing causes for the breakup.
From: 92ul08@chestud.chalmers.se (NAURIN, JON) No, Frank did on several occasions point out that "Jumbo go Away" had nothing to do with himself. Actually the Jumbo story was a true one, and the guy in the song was Denny Walley.
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	It seems I can't explain The way I feel about you You just don't understand You're from Kalamazoo...
From: wastrel <wastrel@citilink.com> Kalamazoo is a dingier, poorer, duller town than its trendy next-door-neighbor, Ann Arbor. Jumbo's being dissed for being from "the wrong side of the tracks."

	Jumbo gotta go Jumbo gotta go Jumbo better get back Or your eye will get black When I give you a smack (No, Denny, don't hurt me!)

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