You Are What You Is (world premiere, 1980-05-13) Songtext
von Frank Zappa

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don′t make ham
You ain't what you′re not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it it is


A foolish young man
From a middle class fam′ly
Started singin′ the blues
Cause he thought it was manly
Now he talks like the Kingfish
("Saffiiiee!")
From Amos 'n Andy
("Holy mack′l dere . . . Holy mack'l dere!")
He tells you that chitlins
Well, they taste just like candy
He thinks that he′s got
De whole thang down
From the Nivea Lotion
To the Royal Crown

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make ham
You ain′t what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that′s all it ′tis


A foolish young man
Of the Negro Persuasion
Devoted his life
To become a Caucasian
He stopped eating pork
He stopped eating greens
He traded his dashiki
("Uhuru!")
For some Jordache Jeans
He learned to play golf
An' he got a good score
Now he says to himself
"I ain′t no Nigger no more (hey hey hey)"

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make ham
You ain′t what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An′ that's all it 'tis

You are what you is
An′ that′s all it 'tis
You are what you is
An′ that's all it ′tis

You are what you is
An' that′s all it 'tis
You are what you is
An' that′s all it ′tis