"Muffin Man" is a song recorded live by

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

and

the Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as the Mothers) were an American rock music, rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an ...

. It appears on his 1975 mostly live album ''

Bongo Fury ''Bongo Fury'' is a collaborative album by American artists Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, and Zappa's band the Mothers, released in October 1975. The live portions were recorded on May 20 and 21, 1975, at the Armadillo World Headquarters in ...

'' made with

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born 'Don Glen Vliet'; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as the M ...

(Don Van Vliet).

Background

The song begins with studio-recorded

spoken word Spoken word is an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a 20th-century continuation of an oral tradition, ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetic ...

lyrics delivered by Zappa and is followed by the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

. The song was inspired by the traditional nursery rhyme, "

The Muffin Man "The Muffin Man" is a traditional nursery rhyme, children's song, or children's game of England, English origin. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7922. Origins and meaning The rhyme was first recorded in a British manuscript circa 1820, ...

". The song closes the album, as well as the 1995 compilation ''

Strictly Commercial ''Strictly Commercial'' is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1995, two years after his death. The album was named as part of a 2011 lawsuit by Gail Zappa towards Rykodisc, claiming the label released several vault masters wi ...

,'' and was also used as a finale in concerts for many years afterwards. The song's tone was compared to

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

's style. An alternative live version of "Muffin Man" appears on disc one (track 22) of the 1992 compilation ''

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 ''You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6'' is the last of six double-compact disc, disc collection volumes of live performances by Frank Zappa recorded between 1970 and 1988. All of the material on disc one has a sexual theme. Zappa used th ...

''. This song also appears on the 2009 album released by the Zappa Family Trust ''

Philly '76 ''Philly '76'' is a live album by Frank Zappa, recorded on October 29, 1976 at the Wachovia Spectrum, Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and released by the Zappa Family Trust on December 21, 2009 to commemorate Frank Zappa's 69th birthday. ...

,'' the 2002 album '' FZ:OZ'' and the 2003 album ''

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

.'' Frank Zappa's son,

Dweezil Dweezil Zappa (born Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa, September 5, 1969) is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor. He is the son of musical composer and performer Frank Zappa. Exposed to the music industry from an early age, Zappa develop ...

, along with his

Zappa Plays Zappa Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the elder son of late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa. History The band debuted in 2006 with shows in Europe, Cana ...

(ZPZ) band, have featured "Muffin Man" on many concert tours. In 2010, they offered video footage of Frank Zappa playing "Muffin Man", along with isolated Frank Zappa guitar parts, so that Dweezil and ZPZ could accompany Frank Zappa and his extended guitar solo.

Meaning

The meaning of the song was never fully explained by Frank Zappa. The "Muffin Man" of the song appears to be a new kind of food aficionado, one who has taken his love for

muffins A muffin or bun is an individually portioned baked product; however, the term can refer to one of two distinct items: a part-raised flatbread (like a crumpet) that is baked and then cooked on a griddle (typically unsweetened), or a (often swee ...

to a scientific and semi-religious level. There are some who have interpreted his loyalty to his favorite food as a parody of the repetitive

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. They are tradition ...

life that Zappa despised.Brown and Newquist (1997), p. 84

References

;Sources * * 1975 songs Frank Zappa songs Songs written by Frank Zappa Captain Beefheart songs Songs written by Captain Beefheart Song recordings produced by Frank Zappa {{1970s-song-stub