Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow

The Zoo Crew is spinning the wild and whimsical "Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow" by Frank Zappa, a track from his 1974 album Apostrophe ('), and the Zoo Freaks are surely loving the bizarre ride. This song, part of a four-track suite that includes "Nanook Rubs It," "St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast," and "Father O’Blivion," tells a surreal story inspired by a dream Zappa had about an Eskimo named Nanook. The suite, loosely connected by musical transitions, follows Nanook’s absurd adventure involving a fur trapper, a seal, and, of course, the infamous yellow snow. In a 1989 interview with Goldmine, Zappa credited the song’s chart success—peaking at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100—to a Pittsburgh DJ, Dennis Waters, who edited the 10-minute suite into a three-minute single, sparking its unexpected popularity on East Coast radio stations. Zappa noted he was touring Europe at the time and had no plans to release it as a single until the DJ’s edit took off, calling it a happy accident that led to his first gold record.

Another quirky tidbit comes from the song’s social satire. The lyrics poke fun at the 1970s animal rights movement, particularly the focus on saving baby seals, with Nanook blinding a fur trapper by rubbing "husky wee wee" into his eyes. Zappa’s book, The Real Frank Zappa Book, reveals he saw songs like this as a way to fund his more ambitious orchestral projects, showing his knack for blending humor with sharp commentary. Fans on Songfacts have shared their love for the song’s humor, with one recalling a personal connection to Zappa changing a friend’s green snow story from a ski trip into the iconic yellow snow lyric. The suite’s live performance, captured on You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1, recorded in 1979 at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, even featured audience participation, adding to its cult status among Zappa devotees.

Frank Zappa, born December 21, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland, began his musical journey as a self-taught artist with a passion for the unconventional. By age 12, he was experimenting with percussion, inspired by avant-garde composers like Edgard Varèse, whose album Zappa bought after reading about it in LOOK magazine. His teenage years saw him writing string quartets, one of which became the basis for a later Mothers of Invention track. Influenced by 1950s doo-wop, blues artists like Johnny Guitar Watson, and modern classical music, Zappa’s eclectic taste shaped his genre-defying career. In the early 1960s, he started recording and producing for local acts in California, eventually forming The Mothers of Invention in 1964. Their debut album, Freak Out! (1966), was a groundbreaking blend of rock, satire, and experimental sounds, establishing Zappa as a musical maverick.

Zappa’s official online presence lives on through zappa.com, where fans can explore his discography and merchandise. His legacy is active on social media, with the Frank Zappa Facebook page sharing updates, the Frank Zappa Instagram posting archival gems, and the Zappa X account celebrating milestones like Apostrophe (')’s anniversaries with posts about artifacts like the original acetate and master tapes. Fan communities thrive online, with sites like Dweezil Zappa’s website, run by his son, offering insights into Zappa’s music, including live performances of the Apostrophe (') album. The Zappa Wiki Jawaka is a treasure trove of fan-curated details, and MusicAndWhatnots2 on groups.io hosts discussions where Zoo Freaks might feel right at home sharing their love for Zappa’s wild genius.