Catholic Girls

Album: Joe's Garage (1979)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • It is quite likely Zappa wrote this particular song as a riposte to "Jewish Princess," which the ADL sought to have banned but succeeded only in generating publicity for. If one accepts the unlikely proposition that "Jewish Princess" is anti-Semitic, then "Catholic Girls" should have seen Zappa burned at the stake. It may be that the Church decided to treat it with contempt, or ignore it, or perhaps they genuinely didn't notice.

    Mary's transition on this triple concept album from Catholic girl to crew slut, to the rather sad contestant in a wet T-shirt contest is rapid, so perhaps Zappa was making a social point. Then again, perhaps he was just sticking up two fingers up to the world as he often did. "Catholic Girls" runs to 4 minutes 26 seconds. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 2

  • Gerald Fnord from Palos Verdes,ca.The line 'Kinda young, kinda wow!' was taken from a stupid, contemporaneous, television advertisement for a perfume called 'Charlie'.
  • Dan from North Haven, CtI grew up on frank's music and when I went to a catholic high school (class of 85) i was criticized by the head brother/principal/priest for wearing a zappa pin on my jacket (that's right folks, I started that fad in 1980) and he told me zappa was no good cuz he wrote a song about catholic girls going to CYO and were learning to give head there (paraphrasing). I was too much of a green horn to argue with him so I took the button off. If I was older and wiser I would have let him kow that I got my first ****job on a bus on a cyo field trip............thanks frank for all you gave us RIP
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues

Justin Hayward of The Moody BluesSongwriter Interviews

Justin wrote the classic "Nights In White Satin," but his fondest musical memories are from a different decade.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Yacht Rock!

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.