Line #108 Music/BroadwayTheHardWay


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1b33e198f677800550f76388d27add32.jpg]]
2
3	''Broadway the Hard Way'' is a 1988 LiveAlbum by Music/FrankZappa, taken from his world tour that same year (which also ended up being his last; his diagnosis with terminal pancreatic cancer in 1990 caused him to dial back his live appearances to a considerable extent before his death in 1993). It is notable for being one of his most political, with the majority of tracks tackling the Reagan administration, televangelists, and the Iran-Contra scandal, but also people like UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, Jesse Jackson, Music/ElvisPresley, and Music/MichaelJackson. Compared to the LP release, the CD features eight additional tracks[[note]]"Why Don't You Like Me?", "Bacon Fat", "Stolen Moments", [[Music/ThePolice "Murder by Numbers"]], "Jezebel Boy", "Outside Now", "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel", and "What Kind of Girl?"[[/note]] and a considerably different running order; given these two factors in combination, both tracklists will be listed here for convenience.
4
5	"Elvis Has Just Left the Building", "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk", "Dickie's Such an Asshole" and "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" have become fan favorites, and Zappa's performance of Music/ThePolice's [[Music/{{Synchronicity}} "Murder By Numbers"]] with former Police frontman Music/{{Sting}} on lead vocals is generally considered a highlight of both performers' careers.
6
7	''Broadway the Hard Way'' is one of three live albums taken from Zappa's 1988 world tour. The other two, ''Music/TheBestBandYouNeverHeardInYourLife'' and ''Music/MakeAJazzNoiseHere'', were later released in 1991.
8
9	!!Tracklists
10	!!!LP Tracklist
11	[[AC:Side One]]
12	# "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" (2:24)
13	# "Planet of the Baritone Women" (2:48)
14	# "Any Kind of Pain" (5:42)
15	# "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" (9:15)
16
17	[[AC:Side Two]]
18	# "Dickie's Such an Asshole" (6:37)
19	# "When the Lie's So Big" (3:38)
20	# "Rhymin' Man" (3:51)
21	# "Promiscuous" (2:03)
22	# "The Untouchables" (3:05)
23
24	!!!CD Tracklist
25	# "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" (2:24)
26	# "Planet of the Baritone Women" (2:48)
27	# "Any Kind of Pain" (5:42)
28	# "Dickie's Such an Asshole (The San Clemente Magnetic Deviation)" (5:45)
29	# "When the Lie's So Big" (3:38)
30	# "Rhymin' Man" (3:50)
31	# "Promiscuous" (2:02)
32	# "The Untouchables" (2:26)
33	# "Why Don't You Like Me?" (2:57)
34	# "Bacon Fat" (1:29)
35	# "Stolen Moments" (2:58)
36	# [[Music/{{Synchronicity}} "Murder by Numbers"]][[note]]Originally by Music/ThePolice[[/note]] (5:37)
37	# "Jezebel Boy" (2:27)
38	# "Outside Now" (7:49)
39	# "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" (6:40)
40	# "What Kind of Girl?" (3:16)
41	# "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" (9:15)
42
43	!!Personnel
44	* Music/FrankZappa: vocals, guitar, producer
45	* Kurt [=McGettrick=]: baritone saxophone
46	* Scott Thunes: bass guitar
47	* Albert Wing: tenor saxophone
48	* Ed Mann: percussion
49	* Chad Wackerman: drums
50	* Ike Willis: vocals, guitar
51	* Eric Buxton: vocals
52	* Paul Carman: alto saxophone
53	* Walt Fowler: trumpet
54	* Mike Keneally: vocals, guitar, synthesizer
55	* Music/{{Sting}}: lead vocal on "Murder by Numbers"
56	* Bruce Fowler: trombone
57	* Robert Martin: vocals, keyboards
58
59	!! ''Hot Plate Tropes''
60	* AlbumTitleDrop: "Any Kind of Pain"
61	--> ''Broadway the hard way, ladies and gentlemen!''
62	--> ''Broadway the hard way''
63	* AlliterativeTitle: "'''H'''ot Plate '''H'''eaven at the Green '''H'''otel" and "'''J'''esus Thinks You're a '''J'''erk".
64	* AmbiguousGender: "Why Don't You Like Me?"
65	--> ''[[Music/MichaelJackson Michael]] is [[Music/JanetJackson Janet]], Janet is Michael''
66	--> ''I'm so confused now''
67	--> ''Who is Diana?'' [[note]] "Dirty Diana" is a song from ''Music/{{Bad}}''. But it could also refer to Music/DianaRoss, with whom Jackson had a severe obsession.[[/note]]
68	* AnatomicallyImpossibleSex: "Elvis Has Just Left the Building"
69	--> ''Had sex in his underpants, yes he had style!''
70	* AssShove: Suggested by Zappa in "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk":
71	-->''Jim and Pat should take a pole\
72	Right up each saintly glory hole''
73	* AsTheGoodBookSays: "Jezebel Boy" references Jezebel, a biblical character.
74	* BeliefMakesYouStupid: "When the Lie's So Big"
75	--> ''With a big ol' lie''
76	--> ''And a flag and a pie''
77	--> ''And a mom and a bible''
78	--> ''Most folks are just liable''
79	--> ''To buy any line''
80	--> ''Any place, any time''
81	--> ''(...) People, wake up''
82	--> ''Figure it out''
83	--> ''Religious fanatics''
84	--> ''Around and about''
85	--> ''The Court House, The State House,''
86	--> ''The Congress, The White House''
87	--> ''Criminal saints''
88	--> ''With a "Heavenly Mission" --''
89	--> ''A nation enraptured''
90	--> ''By pure superstition''
91	* BlackComedy: "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" at one point makes fun of religious fundamentalists opposed to abortion and points out their hypocrisy by having their excuse of respecting the sanctity of life juxtaposed with someone noticing that some black people have been lynched.
92	* BoleroEffect: Heard during "When the Lie's So Big".
93	* CallBack and ContinuityNod:
94	** "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" mentions Music/ElvisPresley, who was namedropped in the influences list in ''Music/FreakOut''.The line: "Bring back the King for the man in the street!" is similar to the line "God bless the mind of the man in the street" from "Strictly Genteel" from ''Film/TwoHundredMotels''.
95	** "Outside Now" appeared earlier on ''Music/JoesGarage''.
96	** "Why Don't You Like Me?" has the same melody as "Tell Me You Love Me" from ''Music/ChungasRevenge'', only with different lyrics.
97	** "What Kind of Girl?" appeared on ''Music/FillmoreEastJune1971'' before, but with different lyrics.
98	** "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" mentions "smelling the glove" again, a line from "Be in My Video" from ''Music/ThemOrUS'' and weasels, which brings ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'' to mind.
99	** "Jezebel Boy" continues car imagery in Zappa's lyrics, by mentioning a Lincoln, a car brand mentioned before in "Bow Tie Daddy" from ''Music/WereOnlyInItForTheMoney'' and "Billy the Mountain" from ''Music/JustAnotherBandFromLA''. The line: "maybe I could make a good rock star" is a sample from US senator Ernest F. Hollings from the PMRC hearings and can be heard on "Porn Wars" from ''Music/FrankZappaMeetsTheMothersOfPrevention'', as well as in track "Any Kind of Pain" on "Broadway The Hardway". The song also mentions a sausage, an object ridiculed before in songs like "The Torture Never Stops" from ''Music/ZootAllures'' and "Dong Work for Yuda" from ''Music/JoesGarage''.
100	** "Bacon Fat" was referenced earlier on "Advance Romance" from ''Music/BongoFury''.
101	** "The Untouchables" imagines the characters from ''Series/TheUntouchables'' arresting members of the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan government. Zappa mentioned actors from this TV series before [[note]] , Frank DeKova, Joe de Santis, Bruce Gordon and Herman Rudin [[/note]] in his influences list on ''Music/FreakOut'' (1966).
102	* CorruptChurch: Televangelists Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson and Jim and Tammy Bakker are targeted in songs like "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk", "When the Lie's So Big", "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel", "What Kind of Girl?" and "Murder by Numbers".
103	** "What Kind of Girl?"
104	--> ''Well, I get off being [[UnusualEuphemism spooed]] upon''
105	--> ''By hypocritical TV preachers''
106	--> ''With close ties to the Republican Party,''
107	--> ''While Ed Meese wipes his ass on the U.S. Constitution''
108	* CorruptPolitician: Referenced in "The Untouchables", "When the Lie's So Big" "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" and "What Kind of Girl?".
109	--> ''Republicans is fine,''
110	--> ''If you're a multi-millionaire''
111	--> ''Democrats is fair,''
112	--> ''If all you own is what you wear''
113	--> ''Neither of 'em's REALLY right,''
114	--> ''[='=]Cause neither of 'em CARE''
115	--> ''[='=]Bout that Hot-Plate Heaven,''
116	--> '''Cause they ain't been there''
117	--> ''They really oughta go''
118	--> ''[='=]N find out how the hall-way smell—''
119	--> ''They'd benefit to know''
120	--> ''[='=]Bout what the bums in there could tell''
121	--> ''(I guess we're only dreamin',''
122	--> ''But I s'pose it's just as well''
123	--> ''That's ALL you get to dream''
124	--> ''Up in the Green Hotel)''
125	* CoverVersion: "Stolen Moments" is a cover of an Oliver Nelson song. "Murder by Numbers" is a cover of Music/ThePolice song from the CD version of ''Music/{{Synchronicity}}'' and actually features Music/{{Sting}} on vocals! The CD version adds "Bacon Fat", an André Williams song.
126	* TheDitz: "Any Kind of Pain"
127	--> ''You'd take any kind of pain from me''
128	--> ''Wouldn't you, baby?''
129	--> ''Since you haven't got a brain''
130	--> ''Let me just explain''
131	--> ''Any kind of pain is never a maybe''
132	* EpicRocking: The 9:15 "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk", the 6:37 "Dickie's Such an Asshole" and the 6:40 "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel".
133	* ElvisHasLeftThePlanet: Kind of. "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" is a song about the fact that Elvis passed away to Heaven.
134	* ElvisLives: "Elvis Has Just Left the Building"
135	--> ''Jesus, let him come back!''
136	--> ''We don't want Elvis dead!''
137	* FaceOnTheCover: Zappa in a suit.
138	* FanDisservice: "Elvis Has Just Left the Building"
139	--> ''So what if he looks like a wart-hog in heat?''
140	* FatComicRelief: "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" pokes fun at Elvis' obesity later in life, especially after the line "those are his footprints right there", where upon two loud thuds can be heard.
141	* GreedyTelevangelist: One of the criticisms of religion that comes up in "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" is how televangelists tend to manipulate people with religious beliefs into giving them money.
142	* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: "Jezebel Boy" is about a male prostitute.
143	* IntercourseWithYou: "What Kind of Girl"
144	--> ''What kind of girl would suck his rod?''
145	--> ''A lazy prostitute!''
146	--> ''We wouldn't blow you just because you know "GOD"!''
147	* {{Jazz}}: "Stolen Moments" is a jazz standard by Oliver Nelson that Zappa liked.
148	* TheKlan: The UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan is a target in "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" where Zappa predicts that the same kind of racist politics from the past could return if these televangelists get more political power.
149	--> ''With a Ku-Klux muu-muu\
150	In the back of the truck\
151	If you ain't Born Again\
152	They wanna mess you up\
153	Screamin', "No abortion, no-siree!"\
154	"Life's too precious, can't you see!"\
155	What's that hangin' from a neighbor's tree?\
156	Why, it looks like 'colored folks' to me—\
157	(Would THEY do THAT?)\
158	They've been doin' it for years!\
159	(Seriously?)''
160	* LiveAlbum: All tracks were lifted from Zappa's 1988 world tour.
161	* MyCountryTisOfTheeThatISting: US politics and society are criticized in all tracks, best summed up in this line from "The Untouchables"
162	--> ''Reagan! You're asleep! Wake up! The country's in a mess!''
163	* NoNameGiven: "Any Kind of Pain"
164	--> ''Since she hasn't got a name''
165	--> ''Let me just explain''
166	--> ''Any kind of pain is probably her hobby''
167	* OneManSong: "Rhymin' Man", targeting politician Jesse Jackson.
168	* OneWordTitle: "Promiscuous".
169	* ProductPlacement:
170	** "Jezebel Boy"
171	--> ''On the corner by the Technicolor processing plant''
172	--> ''(...) To drive up in his Lincoln''
173	** "Why Don't You Like Me?"
174	--> ''Get me a Pepsi''
175	* ProtestSong: The majority of songs on this album criticize the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan administration, televangelists and in only two songs Jesse Jackson and Music/MichaelJackson too. Near the end of "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" Zappa tells the audience:
176	--> ''Ladies and gentlemen, this is intermission. Get your butt out there and register to vote! Would you please? See you in half an hour!''
177	* QuestioningTitle: "Why Don't You Like Me?" and "What Kind of Girl?"
178	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Several songs are satirical attacks on President UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, televangelist scandals, Music/ElvisPresley, the Iran-Contra scandal, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Music/MichaelJackson. Zappa also mentions a "confinement loaf" in "Any Kind Of Pain" and "When The Lie's So Big". This is a bean by-product that is being administered to problematic prisoners. A ration of a troubled prisoner is a slice of confinement loaf and a glass of water. Apparently, this seems to mellow them down. After explaining this Zappa asks: "How long will it be before confinement loaf will find its way to US high schools?"
179	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Zappa absolutely annihilates Pat Robertson during a spoken-word interlude in “Jesus Thinks You’re a Jerk” (which was already a TakeThat toward televangelists in general.) For emphasis, each unsavory fact listed about Robertson is punctuated by a mechanical retching sound.
180	--> "Imagine, if you will, a multimillionaire TV evangelist [[DraftDodging saved from Korean combat duty]] [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections by his father, a U.S. senator]]; studied law, but not qualified to practice it; father of a love child who, in adulthood, [[{{Nepotism}} hosts the remnants of Papa’s religious propaganda program]]; [[FakeFaithHealer claims not to be a faith healer but has, in the past, dealt sternly with everything from hemorrhoids to hurricanes]]; [[ArmchairMilitary involved with funding for an undeclared war in Central America]], claiming Ronald Reagan and Oliver North as close friends; [[CorruptChurch involved in suspicious tax avoidance schemes under investigation for 16 months by the IRS]]; claims to be a MAN OF GOD, currently seeking the United States Presidency, hoping we will all follow him into... Franchise/TheTwilightZone."
181	* RecordProducer: Music/FrankZappa.
182	* SharpDressedMan: Zappa on the album cover.
183	* ShoutOut:
184	** "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" refers to Music/ElvisPresley's obesity, his bell-bottom jump-suit on stage and the fact that he gave away Cadillacs to people he just met. The line "so take down the foil from his hotel retreat" refers to the fact that Elvis slept during daytime and had aluminium foil covering the rooms of his walls to have complete darkness in his suite. The title itself is the famous ThatsAllFolks closing statement people would make to let the audience know that the concert was over.
185	** "Planet of the Baritone Women" provides a shout-out to "Walk Like an Egyptian" by Music/TheBangles:
186	--> ''And sometimes they walk''
187	--> ''Like an E-GYP-TIAN''
188	--> ''(Ah-ha-ha-ha-hah! Hey!)''
189	** "Rhymin' Man" musically quotes from the theme from ''Series/{{The Twilight Zone\|1959}}'', Music/FryderykChopin's "Funeral March", the theme from ''Series/MissionImpossible'', ''Series/TheUntouchables'', "Mississippi Mud", "Happy Days Are Here Again", "Entry of the Gladiators" by Julius Fucik (which Zappa quoted before during "America Drinks" on ''Music/AbsolutelyFree'' and "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" on ''Music/StudioTan''), "Hava Nagilah", "Hail to the Chief", "La cucaracha", "Frère Jacques", "My Sharona" and "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum".
190	** "What Kind of Girl?" borrows a line from Music/TheBeatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" from ''Music/MagicalMysteryTour'' and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".
191	** "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" quotes from "Louie Louie", "Rock of Ages", Franz von Suppé's "Light Cavalry Overture" and the theme from ''Series/{{The Twilight Zone\|1959}}''. The line "What's that hangin' from a neighbor's tree? Why, it looks like 'colored folks' to me" is a reference to Music/BillieHoliday's song "Strange Fruit", while "give me that old time religion" references "Moonlight on Vermont" on ''Music/TroutMaskReplica''. For some reason ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}} and CNN journalist Tom Braden are also namedropped.
192	** "When The Lie's So Big" quotes from Music/MauriceRavel's "Boléro".
193	** "Jezebel Boy" quotes "Jingle Bells".
194	** "Bacon Fat" and "Why Don't You Like Me?" both quote from "Billie Jean" by Music/MichaelJackson, from his album ''Music/{{Thriller}}''. The line "He's white, Jim" in "Why Don't You Like Me?" is a reference to "He's dead, Jim", a recurring phrase in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. The song also mentions Arnold Silvestri, Reagan's UN ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Franchise/{{Star Wars}} character Lando Calrissian.
195	** "Why Don't You Like Me?" is full with references to Music/MichaelJackson, including his songs "Bad" and "Dirty Diana" from ''Music/{{Bad}}'' and "Billie Jean" from ''Music/{{Thriller}}''. His changing skin color and smaller nose are addressed ("I thought he looked good -what happened to you?"), his troubling relationship with his parents ("I hate my mother, I hate my father"), his physical resemblance to his sisters [=LaToya=] and Music/JanetJackson ("I AM my sister"), brother Jermaine Jackson, the fact that he was raised a Jehovah's witness ("Please read this pamphlet"), Bubbles the chimpanzee and his llama, his Pepsi commercials and the UrbanLegend that he slept in an oxygen tank.
196	** "The Untouchables" mentions Rico and Youngblood, who are characters from the TV series ''Series/TheUntouchables''. National Security Advisor John Poindexter is told to "get back on ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' where you belong", a reference to the character Poindexter on that show. The line "Book 'em, Dano" is a reference to ''Series/HawaiiFiveO''. Robin Leach is a TV presenter from the show "Lives of the Rich and Famous". The line "take me to the bridge!" is a reference to Music/JamesBrown's classic call to his band.
197	* SingerNameDrop: Done during "The Untouchables".
198	* SpecialGuest: "Murder by Numbers" features an actual guest appearance by Music/{{Sting}}.
199	* StockSoundEffects: "Jezebel Boy" makes us of police sirens.
200	* TakeThat:
201	** "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" targets Music/ElvisPresley, whose death ten years earlier was commemorated in 1987, while "Why Don't You Like Me?" does the same with Music/MichaelJackson, easily Elvis' successor in terms of success and fame in the 1980s.
202	** "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk", "What Kind of Girl", "When the Lie's So Big", "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" and "Murder by Numbers" are all satirical attacks on the sex and corruption scandals revolving around televangelists at the time. Jim and Tammy Bakker were involved in an embezzlement scandal for which Jim was convicted. His secretary Jessica Hahn also accused him of rape. Pat Robertson, whose ties with the ultraconservative Christian fundamentalists in the Republican Party are highly controversial and his very difficult to believe claim that he is not a "faith healer" is referenced too. Jimmy Swaggart was caught with a prostitute twice, a fact referenced in "What Kind of Girl?" and would be satirized again on ''Music/TheBestBandYouNeverHeardInYourLife'' and ''Music/MakeAJazzNoiseHere''.
203	** Zappa references the Iran-Contra scandal in songs like "The Untouchables", "When the Lie's So Big", "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" and "What Kind of Girl" . The Iran-Contra scandal revolved around the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan administration secretly faciliating the sale of arms to Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo. The money was used to fund the Contra rebels in Nicaragua who tried the overthrow the socialist government there. Chief convicts and suspects in the case are namedropped in several of the lyrics, including President UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, vice president UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush, Ed Meese [[note]] US Attorney General (1985-1988), forced to resign [[/note]], John Poindexter [[note]] National Security Advisor (1985-1986) [[/note]], Oliver North [[note]] Lieutenant-colonel convicted for shredding thousands of government documents detailing transactions and defending these and other felonies in front of US Congress [[/note]], William J. Casey [[note]] Head of the C.I.A. (1981-1987) and Reagan's campaign manager. Died during the Congressional investigations and was used as a scapegoat by other suspects being questioned as a result [[/note]] and Michael Deaver and Lyn Nofziger [[note]] White House assistants, both convicted for trying to cover up the Iran-Contra scandal [[/note]].
204	** "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" also provides a take that towards Reagan's "trickled down" economics and the fact that he ate a lot of jellybeans.
205	--> ''They hope we will forget''
206	--> ''The misery of 'TRICKLE DOWN',''
207	--> ''An' jelly-bean etiquette''
208	** "Dickies's Such an Asshole" provides a TakeThat towards UsefulNotes/RichardNixon.
209	--> ''So you must have wanted me in office''
210	--> ''I've did you no harm''
211	--> ''I used to have twenty-five tapes'' [[note]] A reference to the Watergate affair [[/note]]
212	--> ''Now I only got ten''
213	--> ''Can't remember what happened to the rest''
214	--> ''Musta gave 'em to a friend''
215	--> ''Gave a couple to Bebe Rebozo'' [[note]] Bebe Rebozo (1912-1998) was an American businessman and close personal friend of Nixon. He was investigated for accepting large covert payments from Howard Hughes on behalf of Nixon. During 1976, Rebozo was the subject of a bank fraud investigation. The loan application filed with Hudson Valley National Bank (Yonkers, New York), stated that the loan was for real estate when it was actually used as a business loan. Rebozo repaid the loan with interest, and the bank did not file a complaint. [[/note]]
216	--> ''Gave a couple to Pat Boone'' [[note]] American singer and actor (1934), best known for covering black artists' songs and making them acceptable for white audiences. Later in life he became a vocal conservative political commentator. [[/note]]
217	--> ''Gave a couple to Ronald Reagan''
218	--> ''Gave a couple to the new vice-president''
219	--> ''He said he'd stick with me through thick and thin''
220	--> ''Even if I invaded Nicaragua'' [[note]] The Reagan administration supported the overthrow of the socialist government in Nicaragua [[/note]]
221	--> ''You know I'm not a crook''
222	--> ''You know I'm not a crook''
223	--> ''I just wanna lie about one more thing right now ....''
224	** "When the Lie's So Big" satirizes the American Republican Party. The line "ketchup is a vegetable" is a reference to UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, who made this infamous wrong statement in 1981.
225	--> ''When the lies get so big''
226	--> ''And the fog gets so thick''
227	--> ''And the facts disappear''
228	--> ''The Republican Trick''
229	--> ''Can be played out again''
230	--> ''People, please tell me when''
231	--> ''We'll be rid of these men?!''
232	** "Rhymin' Man" pokes fun at US preacher and Democratic politician Jesse Jackson, specifically his controversial statements that he supposedly wiped away the blood from Martin Luther King's shirt after he was assassinated. His friendship with notable antisemitic preacher Louis Farrakhan is also mentioned, as the fact that Jackson once called New York City "Hymie-Town" [[note]] A "hymie" is a racial slur directed at Jewish people [[/note]], all facts that cost him his bid for the US presidential elections. The song also mentioned PLO leader Yasser Arafat and UsefulNotes/FidelCastro. In a interview Zappa explained:
233	--> ''An article raised some questions about whether or not Martin Luther King actually died in Jesse's arms. There were reports that Jackson dipped his hands into King's blood or even used chicken blood and rubbed it on his shirt, which we wore for a few days afterward as he met the media. So I did this song about the idea of communicating through nursery rhymes, as Jackson is prone to do. It rubs me the wrong way. I'm not saying that all of Jesse's ideas are bad; I agree with some of them. But I'm not confident that Jesse Jackson would be the person I would look to to implement any of them. I don't want to see any religious people in public office because they're working for another boss.''
234	** "Promiscuous" attacks US surgeon general C. Everett Koop, whose lectures against anal sex and theories about AIDS and cigarette smoking were contested by Zappa at the time.
235	** "Murder by Numbers", sang by Music/{{Sting}} starts off with an intro by the singer claiming that televangelist Jimmy Swaggart called the song "Satanic". Sting retorts:
236	--> ''I wrote the fucking song, alright?''
237	* TimeMarchesOn: Many songs directly reference late 1980s politics and pop culture and are nowadays very dated, if not mostly incomprehensible to younger audiences.
238	* UpdatedRerelease: The album was originally released as a truncated 9-track LP in 1988; it was later reissued on CD in 1989 with 8 additional songs (just barely maxing out the 74-minute limit of a Redbook-standard CD) and a reordered tracklist.

Context Music / BroadwayTheHardWay