Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up

Album: Joe's Garage (1979)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • There are two ways one can appreciate this song, a laid-back reggae number about a broken romance performed by a black vocalist - Ike Willis - or the Zappa way. The former needs no explaining, it's a nice number sung beautifully. The latter sees the beauty marred somewhat.
  • Ike Willis also played guitar with Zappa; a fine guitarist in his own right, his outstanding qualities are his loyalty and commitment to Zappa's music; he was still playing in Zappa tribute bands more than a decade and a half after Zappa's death from prostate cancer in December 1993.
  • "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" is the eighth track on the triple concept album Joe's Garage, and it isn't only Joe's mind that Lucille has messed up; the previous song, "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" makes that clear. On balance, most people would probably prefer this as a stand alone love song, but "Lucille..." - which runs to 5 minutes 43 seconds - segues into "Scrutinizer Postlude" in which the Central Scrutinizer explains what Joe does next.

    On the original vinyl release, the two were indexed as one track. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3

Comments: 1

  • Dan Burnette from Chicago, IlThis was originally the title track off Jeff Simons 1970 Bizarre/Straight Records release. Zappa cowrite the track, but under a pseudonym.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."