| "Willie the Pimp" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Frank Zappa | |
| from the album Hot Rats | |
| Released | October 10, 1969 |
| Recorded | July–August 1969[1] |
| Genre | |
| Length | 9:25 |
| Label | Bizarre/Rykodisc |
| Songwriter | Frank Zappa |
| Producer | Frank Zappa |
"Willie the Pimp" is a song from Frank Zappa's 1969 album Hot Rats. It features an idiosyncratic Captain Beefheart vocal and one of Zappa's classic guitar solos. It is the only track that is not instrumental on the album,[5] though the track features a long guitar solo.
The song appeared as an instrumental on Zappa's Fillmore East – June 1971, originally split as the last track on side one (2:50) and continued on the first track on side two (1:54) of the LP. Another short version from the 1984 tour appeared on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 as a 2'06" segue between "My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama" and "Montana".
The album title Hot Rats comes from a lyric of Willie the Pimp. The origin of the song was explained in a conversation Zappa recorded in 1969. This interview recording was later released as "The Story of Willie the Pimp" on the Zappa album Mystery Disc.[6]
The song was ranked number 75 on the list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" of Rolling Stone.[7]
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band (1964–1982)
The Magic Band (2003–2017)
| |
| Studio albums | |
| EPs | |
| Live albums | |
| Compilations | |
| Singles | |
| Other songs | |
| Related articles | |
