Willie the Pimp

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"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.

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.

Contents 1 Musicians 1.1 Hot Rats version 1.2 Fillmore East 1.3 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 2 Cover versions 3 External links

[edit] Musicians

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] 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.

[edit] External links

• Lyrics

v • d • e Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention Main albums Freak Out! • Absolutely Free • We're Only in It for the Money • Lumpy Gravy • Cruising with Ruben & the Jets • Uncle Meat • Hot Rats • Burnt Weeny Sandwich • Weasels Ripped My Flesh • Chunga's Revenge • Fillmore East - June 1971 • 200 Motels • Just Another Band from L.A. • Waka/Jawaka • The Grand Wazoo • Over-Nite Sensation • Apostrophe (') • Roxy & Elsewhere • One Size Fits All • Bongo Fury • Zoot Allures • Zappa in New York • Studio Tan • Sleep Dirt • Sheik Yerbouti • Orchestral Favorites • Joe's Garage • Tinseltown Rebellion • Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar • You Are What You Is • Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch • The Man from Utopia • Baby Snakes • London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1 • Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger • Them or Us • Thing-Fish • Francesco Zappa • Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention • Does Humor Belong in Music? • Jazz from Hell • London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2 • Guitar • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 • Broadway the Hard Way • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 • The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 • Make a Jazz Noise Here • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 • Playground Psychotics • Ahead of Their Time • The Yellow Shark Posthumous albums Civilization Phaze III • The Lost Episodes • Läther • Mystery Disc • Everything Is Healing Nicely • FZ:OZ • Halloween • Joe's Corsage • Joe's Domage • Joe's XMASage • Imaginary Diseases • Trance-Fusion • Buffalo • The Dub Room Special • Wazoo Compilations Mothermania • The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa • Strictly Commercial • Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute • Have I Offended Someone? • Strictly Genteel • QuAUDIOPHILIAc • The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle Box sets The Old Masters Box One • The Old Masters Box Two • The Old Masters Box Three • Beat the Boots • Beat the Boots II • The MOFO Project/Object Films and videos 200 Motels • Baby Snakes • The Dub Room Special • Video from Hell • Does Humor Belong in Music? • The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels • The Amazing Mr. Bickford • Uncle Meat Related articles Cultural references to Frank Zappa • Frank Zappa discography • The Real Frank Zappa Book • The Rage and the Fury • Dance Me This • Zappa Plays Zappa