Lyr Req: It Can't Happen Here (Frank Zappa???)

Subject: '...it can't happen here'
From: SharonA
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:46 AM

Does anyone know the song that includes the lyric: "I'm telling you, my dear, that it can't happen here" (or something like that)?

It's a song about America's false sense of security and invincibility. An ex-boyfriend of mine used to recite that line often, but I've long since forgotten the rest of the lyrics or the proper title of the song. Couldn't find it in the DigiTrad under "happen". Help, please!

SharonA

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: UB Ed
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:07 AM

Frank Zappa, possibly on his first album with the Mothers of Invention ("Freak Out"?) did a discordant barbershop quartet style song. From memory:

It can't happen here
No, no, it can't happen here
I'm telling you my dear
That it can't happen here

Who could imagine?
That they would freak out
in _________

(At this point, they'd repeat this line with different places; Kansas, Minnesota (maybe), Oklahoma

This is right up there with "Help I'm a Rock" and "Hungry Freaks, Daddy"

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: LR Mole
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:40 AM

Whoa! Good catch, there, UB!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 01:35 PM

There is also something about It couldn't happen here, not in a million years / everybody knows that the world is round/although it doesn't look it from the ground/everybody knows one and one make two/although (missing something)/ everybody knows it's right / but what if 1 and 1 were five / and the world not really round / everywhere was just a huge flat piece of ground / look at all the animals living in zoos / elephants and tigers, lions and kangaroos / (something...) Who was THAT one?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: UB Ed
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 01:39 PM

Got me there Mrrzz...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: SharonA
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 10:28 AM

Thanks, UB Ed! That's a load off my mind. I'll go look for the album now, and find the whole song. Is there a Zappa website, too?

Mrrzy, I don't know that one, either. Does anyone else know Mrrzy's song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: Tweed
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 05:41 PM

Here's a link to a Zappa site chock full of stuff. I think you can search for lyrics. I tried "It Can't Happen Here" and "Who Could Imagine". I don't remember if that song was on "Freak Out" or "Absolutely Free". He sure was different! Here's your link just click on this...

Zappa

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: Tweed
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 05:43 PM

Could have been mixed in with the "Suzy CreamCheese" medley also. My brain cells are not as many as they used to be;~)

Subject: Lyr Add: IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE (Frank Zappa)
From: Tweed
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 06:09 PM

UB ed's right, it was on Freak Out. Here's the It Can't Happen Here part. There's more over at that Zappa link above. It was/is a pretty funny song. Right up there with the Montana Dental Floss Farm thing.

IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE
(Frank Zappa)

It can't happen here
It can't happen here
I'm telling you, my dear
That it can't happen here
Because I been checkin' it out, baby
I checked it out a couple a times, hmmmmmmmm
And I'm telling you
It can't happen here
Oh darling, it's important that you believe me
(Bop bop bop bop)
That it can't happen here

Who could imagine that they would freak out somewhere in Kansas...
Kansas Kansas tototototodo
Kansas Kansas tototototodo
Kansas Kansas
Who could imagine that they would freak out in Minnesota...
Mimimimimimimi Minnesota, Minnesota, Minnesota
Who could imagine...

Who could imagine
That they would freak out in Washington, D.C.
D.C. D.C. D.C. D.C. D.C.
It can't happen here
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
It can't happen here
It can't happen here
Everybody's safe and it can't happen here
No freaks for us
It can't happen here
Everybody's clean and it can't happen here
No, no, it won't happen here
I'm telling you it can't
It won't happen here
(Bop bop didi bop didi bop bop bop)
Plastic folks, you know
It won't happen here
You're safe, mama
You're safe, baby
You just cook a TV dinner
And you make it
(Bop bop bop)
No no no no
Oh, we're gonna get a TV dinner and cook it up
Go get a TV dinner and cook it up
Cook it up
Oh, and it won't happen here
(No no no no no no no no no no no
Man you guys are really safe
Everything's cool).
Who could imagine
Who could imagine
That they would freak out in the suburbs!

Different lyrics version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbjInR6irI

More Freak Out Lyrics page

HTML line breaks added --JoeClone, 27-Nov-01.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: SharonA
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 06:19 PM

Wow! Thanks a lot, Tweed!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: Tweed
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 08:45 PM

My pleasure ma'am. You really gotta hear that stuff up there to get the full effect. It's pretty strange music but real well put together. He was something else!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: SharonA
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 05:34 PM

FYI: According to the Zappa website that Tweed linked, the lyrics appear on "Freak Out!" (1966) as part of the song "Help, I'm a Rock" but also on "Mothermania: The Best of the Mothers" (1969 – songs cut from earlier albums) as "It Can't Happen Here", without the first two verses that begin with "Help, I'm a rock..." and "Help, I'm a cop...".

Subject: Lyr Add: NOT IN A MILLION YEARS (G. O'Sullivan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Jan 02 - 09:42 PM

Mrrzy: The song you were thinking of is this one, but I don't think it's the one SharonA asked for:

NOT IN A MILLION YEARS
(Gilbert O'Sullivan)

Every other morning
I lie in bed awake
And wonder why the dawning
Always has to break.
Could it be? it must,
As we all expect it to.
Could it be? I just
Simply haven't got a clue.
And what if it stayed behind,
Had itself a change of mind?

CHO: What would your impression be?
How would you react?
Would you simply smile and say,
"Don't be silly. go away.
Anyone can plainly see
It couldn't happen here,
Not in a million years."

So you think you're clever.
Well, if you really are,
Would you kindly tell me
How big is a star?
And what does it contain?
Is it metal or wood?
How much does it cost?
Is it really any good?
And what if they all came down,
Every one upon the ground? CHO.

Everyone knows one and one is two,
And all take for granted that it's true.
Everybody know that the world is round
Although it doesn't look it from the ground.
Everybody knows it's right.
But what if one and one were five,
And the world not really round;
Everywhere was just a huge flat piece of ground?

Look at all the animals
Living in zoos:
Elephants and tigers,
Lions and kangaroos.
Don't they all look cute
When they're hid behind a cage--
Funny when they laugh,
Exciting when they rage?
But what if they took control,
There and then reversed the role? CHO.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: '...it can't happen here'
From: SharonA
Date: 11 Jan 02 - 12:07 PM

Thanks for answering Mrrzy's question, Jim. I'd been curious about it since she (?) posted it. You're right that O'Sullivan's song is not the one I'd been looking for, but it's certainly interesting nonetheless. Wonder whatever happened to ol' Gilbert?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It Can't Happen Here (Frank Zappa???)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 29 Sep 21 - 08:37 PM

Well, it seems the songwriter's real name was
Raymond Edward O'Sullivan, and his manager Gordon Mills changed it.


That Zappa lyric calls Weird Al Yankovic to mind.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It Can't Happen Here (Frank Zappa???)
From: clueless don
Date: 30 Sep 21 - 06:48 AM

I remember (*doot* *doot*) I remember (*doot* *doot*) they had a SWIMMING POOL!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It Can't Happen Here (Frank Zappa???)
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 30 Sep 21 - 07:34 PM

And they said it couldn't happen here.... but it sure did!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It Can't Happen Here (Frank Zappa???)
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Oct 21 - 10:24 AM

I said it would.

I'll get me coat