Earl of Duke Songtext
von Frank Zappa

That is the sound of a very short cymbal
It′s a finger cymbal
It's something that′s normally worn on the finger, and another one is worn on the thumb
The thumb and the finger are beaten together
With these two little metal things to make it go ding, ding, ding
George Duke is now applying an ingenious technique
To the finger cymbal itself, as a prelude
A preamble to some sort of fantastic keyboard solo that he's going to invent for you right here on the spot
We don't know what he′s going to do
We never know what George is going to do, and perhaps it′s best for all of us
It'd better be best for all of us

(You′re going to like that)
That was called a push beat

I thought it was a grace note

I thought it was a booger bear

Yes, you— you would think so

But then, as he was thinkin' about whether it was a booger bear or not, somethin′ happen'd

Well...


Just like it did last show
And somethin′ started a-rumblin'
And then all of a sudden
It got louder
And it got louder
And it got louder until I couldn't stand it

Wow, goodness gracious
And then somethin′

Oh, why don′t you sharpen it then?

Something else happened
It was midnight
And Ruth wouldn't come through

Midnight in the laboratory of a nationally known mad scientist

I told her
I told her, I said, "It ain′t gonna hurt you"
But then...

But then
But then

Ow
Can you feel it?

You know what I'm talking about, Napi
I′m comin' down in a minute
I′m comin' down there
(Come on, down, come on!)


Ruth has got the lick alright
Go on, Ruth

Give the—
Give the gong player some

Now we're gonna continue on, we′re just gonna melt away into another tune
This is a love song of sorts, you know, it′s a little bit tweaked
But, it's one of those ones you gotta stick in the show somewhere there