Bobby Brown (song): Difference between revisions

"Bobby Brown"
"Bobby Brown"
Single by Frank Zappa
from the album Sheik Yerbouti
Released	March 3, 1979
Recorded	1978
Length	2:49
Label	CBS Records
Songwriter(s)	Frank Zappa
Producer(s)	Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa singles chronology

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 12:43, 6 May 2019

"Bobby Brown (Goes Down)" ( (song sample, 600Kb)) is a song by Frank Zappa released on his album Sheik Yerbouti in 1979. One of his best known songs, it was hugely successful in Europe. It was a number-one-hit in Norway and Sweden and placed at number 4 in the German charts, where it sold more than 250,000 units. This song was more successful in Europe than America (the song's pervasive sexual content made it unfit for broadcast on U.S. radio) and this is why it is only featured on the vinyl and European CD version of Zappa's best of compilation, Strictly Commercial.^[1]^[2]

Synopsis

The song describes a wealthy, misogynistic student named Bobby Brown, "the cutest boy in town," whose life is the archetypical American Dream until a traumatic sexual encounter with "Freddie," a dyke involved in the women's liberation movement, leaves him questioning his sexuality. Bobby transforms into a leisure suit-wearing closeted homosexual working in radio promotions; by the end of the song, he and "a friend" (later implied to be his boss, as he will "do anything to get ahead," which also has a double meaning, i.e. getting a head) have become self-described "sexual spastic(s)" involved in golden showers and S&M, for which he thanks Freddie.

Track listing

Version 1:

A."Bobby Brown" – 2:43^[3]
B."Baby Snakes" – 1:50

Version 2:

A."Bobby Brown" – 2:43^[4]
B."Stick It Out" – 4:33

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–1991)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[5]	2
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS	4
Norway (VG-lista)^[6]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[7]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[8]	5

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)^[9]	Gold	50,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[10]	Gold	0^{^}
Norway (IFPI Norway)^[11]	Gold	50 000^*
Sweden (GLF)^[12]	Gold	50 000^{^}
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[13]	Gold	50,000^{^}
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "Sheik Yerbouti". globalia.net. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
^ "Zappa interviews". home.swipnet.se. Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 27 April 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Bobby Brown at Discogs (list of releases)
^ Frank-Zappa-Bobby-Brown at Discogs (list of releases)
^ "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". VG-lista. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "Austrian single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down (Si)" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "German single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Norwegian single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
^ "Swedish single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in Swedish). Swedish Recording Industry Association. Search for "Frank Zappa", then press "Sök" to see the search results. Select "Bobby Brown Download" and press "Visa" to see the charting positions and certification awards. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Swiss single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1] "Sheik Yerbouti". globalia.net. Retrieved 27 April 2013.

[2] "Zappa interviews". home.swipnet.se. Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 27 April 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[3] Bobby Brown at Discogs (list of releases)

[4] Frank-Zappa-Bobby-Brown at Discogs (list of releases)

[sc_Austria_Frank_Zappa-5] "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[sc_Norway_Frank_Zappa-6] "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". VG-lista. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[sc_Sweden_Frank_Zappa-7] "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[sc_Switzerland_Frank_Zappa-8] "Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[AustriaFrank_ZappaBobby_Brown_Goes_Down_(Si)singleCertRef-9] "Austrian single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down (Si)" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[10] "German single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[NorwayFrank_ZappaBobby_Brown_Goes_DownsingleCertRef-11] "Norwegian single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

[12] "Swedish single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in Swedish). Swedish Recording Industry Association. Search for "Frank Zappa", then press "Sök" to see the search results. Select "Bobby Brown Download" and press "Visa" to see the charting positions and certification awards. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[13] "Swiss single certifications – Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown" (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 | next_year  = 1979
 }}
-"'''Bobby Brown (Goes Down)'''" ([[Image:sound-icon.png|20px]] [[Media:Zappa BobbyBrown.ogg|(song sample, 600Kb)]]) is a song by [[Frank Zappa]] released on his album ''[[Sheik Yerbouti]]'' in 1979. One of his best known songs, it was hugely successful in [[Europe]]. It was a number-one-hit in Norway and Sweden and placed at number 4 in the German charts, where it sold more than 250,000 units.
+"'''Bobby Brown (Goes Down)'''" ([[Image:sound-icon.png|20px]] [[Media:Zappa BobbyBrown.ogg|(song sample, 600Kb)]]) is a song by [[Frank Zappa]] released on his album ''[[Sheik Yerbouti]]'' in 1979. One of his best known songs, it was hugely successful in [[Europe]]. It was a number-one-hit in Norway and Sweden and placed at number 4 in the German charts, where it sold more than 250,000 units. This song was more successful in Europe than America (the song's pervasive sexual content made it unfit for broadcast on U.S. radio) and this is why it is only featured on the vinyl and European CD version of Zappa's best of compilation, ''[[Strictly Commercial]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Sheik_Yerbouti.html#Bobby |title=Sheik Yerbouti |first= |last= |work=globalia.net |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.swipnet.se/bengt-jonsson/zappaint.htm#Bobby|title=Zappa interviews|first=|last=|work=home.swipnet.se|accessdate=27 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509080303/http://home.swipnet.se/bengt-jonsson/zappaint.htm#Bobby#Bobby|archive-date=2013-05-09|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref>
+==Synopsis==
-The song describes a wealthy, [[misogynistic]] student named Bobby Brown, "the cutest boy in town," whose life is the archetypical [[American Dream]] until a traumatic sexual encounter with "Freddie," a [[lesbian]] involved in the [[women's liberation movement]], leaves him questioning his sexuality. Bobby transforms into a [[leisure suit]]-wearing [[closeted]] [[homosexuality|homosexual]] working in radio promotions; by the end of the song, he and "a friend" (later implied to be his boss, as he will "[[Casting couch|do anything to get ahead]]," which also has a double meaning, i.e. [[oral sex|getting a head]]) have become self-described "sexual spastic(s)" involved in [[urolagnia|golden showers]] and [[sadomasochism|S&M]], for which he thanks his "friend," Freddie. This song was more successful in Europe than America (the song's pervasive sexual content made it unfit for broadcast on U.S. radio) and this is why it is only featured on the vinyl and European CD version of Zappa's best of compilation, ''[[Strictly Commercial]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Sheik_Yerbouti.html#Bobby |title=Sheik Yerbouti |first= |last= |work=globalia.net |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.swipnet.se/bengt-jonsson/zappaint.htm#Bobby|title=Zappa interviews|first=|last=|work=home.swipnet.se|accessdate=27 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509080303/http://home.swipnet.se/bengt-jonsson/zappaint.htm#Bobby#Bobby|archive-date=2013-05-09|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref>
+The song describes a wealthy, [[misogynistic]] student named Bobby Brown, "the cutest boy in town," whose life is the archetypical [[American Dream]] until a traumatic sexual encounter with "Freddie," a [[dyke (slang)|dyke]] involved in the [[women's liberation movement]], leaves him questioning his sexuality. Bobby transforms into a [[leisure suit]]-wearing [[closeted]] [[homosexuality|homosexual]] working in radio promotions; by the end of the song, he and "a friend" (later implied to be his boss, as he will "[[Casting couch|do anything to get ahead]]," which also has a double meaning, i.e. [[oral sex|getting a head]]) have become self-described "sexual spastic(s)" involved in [[urolagnia|golden showers]] and [[sadomasochism|S&M]], for which he thanks Freddie.
 ==Track listing==