San Ber'dino

Album: One Size Fits All (1975)
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Songfacts®:

  • Portions of this song refer to a character named Bobby who spends time in Tank C in San Bernardino jail. In the early 1960s Zappa spent 10 days in San Bernardino county jail on a trumped up obscenity charge. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Matthew - Amherst, NY
  • This is included on Zappa's compilation album Strictly Commercial.

Comments: 24

  • Mike Rodgers from Melbournem, FloridaI love the comment from Richard from San Bernardino about his grandfather. This is the stuff of real American Pop-History and Culture. I was never really a big Zappa fan in the 70s. But friends of mine from that era said, "Try Hot Rats. It's Zappa for people who don't like Zappa". That changed everything for me. He screwed around with humor and mocking so much, people miss what an INCREDIBLE guitar player and composer Zappa was. I classify him as a Jazz artist if not a Jazz-Rock Fusion artist. Black Napkins, Inca Roads, and Little Umbrellas are all tunes everyone should try, at least one time. I also had occasion to live in the Mojave Desert of California. It was an engineering job near Edwards Airforce Base. Yep. Mojave itself. But I didn't live in a Winnebago like Bobby. I did live later outside of Mojave Ca in Tehachapi, CA. Still the Mojave Desert but up on the mountain. All of it was wild and beautiful. I thought I was going to hate the desert. But it was at once empty and beautiful all at the same time. While I lived there, this song ran thru my head every time I drove thru that desert. It all is still a big part of my memories. FYI, I grew up in Philadelphia. I've lived in Atlanta, San Diego, LA, Seattle, and Connecticut. I now live in Florda's Space Coast. Each of those was a beautiful experience I would not trade for anything. But the Mojave desert was an experience like no other, and in ways I never expected. Certainly good ways. I never would have thought it. The desert is at once a desperate place, empty, solemn, and beautiful all at the same time. You get a perspective there you don't get anywhere else.
  • Richard from San Bernardino, CaMy Grandpa bought Zulch Auto Works in the late 60's and he did tow Zappa's destroyed car. I believe he hit a parked car then crashed into a house. I think thats what Zappa said. Every crashed car by movie stars and rockstars who crashed going to or back from Vegas. It was a lot of people and even had to tow the car Sammy Davis Jr. lost his eyeball in(crazy). Grandpa was a descent guitar player but didnt care for Rock n Roll, a country n western guy. so he didnt care about the song although it brought him alot of business. They have just takin down the Big Z and Zulch signs and painted that beautiful brick building gloss white. Its horrific. It should have been preserved as a historical site but the city council would rather just sell the whole city off to line thier pockets. Theres a lot of history in that old town, i pray it all doent disappear
  • Fred from Victorville I stayed in R tank for 30 days , didn’t know mr Zappa was in C tank !
  • AnonymousBorn in Bryn Mawr, raised in Redlands, later moved to Berdoo. Some used San Berdoo, but we just called it Berdoo. Old Hell Angel colors bottom rockers used Berdoo. I did a month in tank b in '71, just before judge let me join the Marines. 9 cells, 4 bunks (36 beds), there were 104 of us crammed in there, just scalding hot water in the shower. You got sent to c tank if you f--ked up. Lotta sexual assaults back then. One of my best times in jail. Roll 'em up for release! Sweetest words ever uttered
  • Thomas from Wellington, New ZealandYou're simply wrong about that, Stevarino from Quincy, Ca. I'm actually from San Bernardino - I lived there from 1965 to 1971, not to mention other places around the high desert and the L.A. Basin. "San Berdoo" was used by pretty much everybody, from college profs to suburban housewives to blue collar workers to grade school kids. I actually knew a few bikers in Southern California and I cannot recall a single one of them saying "San Berdoo." Maybe your experience differs, but mine tells me that the nickname was pretty common back in the day.
  • Steve from Detroit Mi, UsaThis song is about Robert Hopper. He worked at the Rodeo and lived with his girlfriend in a winnibago in Mojave. He wanted to be a Car Mechanic and in fact did end up as one. He hated this song. He died in a house fire in Detroit in 2002.
  • Stevarino from Quincy, CaThe song is on the album "one size fits all" from 1975.
    "San Berdoo" is actually biker slang, more urban legend than local.
    The 1970's San Bernadino Co. jail actually had a moat around it.
    I lived in a former cabin resort where Frank or his cohorts drew caveman cartoons on the walls;
    and there were some characters in his Mothers songs inspired by the Russian emigres who owned the place.
    He was at (the old) Chaffey Jr. college back then and had a 'studio' in Cucamonga where the SB sheriff's "busted" him.
    he writes about his early life in a book that I can read at my local coffee house...
    && there was a guy named 'Andy' living there but he was a deadhead and emigrated to "Humboldt".
  • Bob from Colorado Springs, CoListen to "Three Hours Past Midnight" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson and you can plainly hear where Frank picked up his early guitar riffs. Alex, to get into Zappa's music get his first 4 or 5 five albums and listen in chronological order. Then pick up the next ones and you can hear the music evolve plus lyrical references from the past albums are evoked.
  • Thegripester from Wellington, New ZealandThe local nickname is actually "San Berdoo," but I still like the song.
  • Mike from Matawan, NjHey Alex. All good suggestions by Chuck and Erik. I'll throw in with "Joe's Garage" some GREAT tunes on that. Also, "Zappa in New York". The guitar work on 'Sofa #2' from that disk will make your ball hair tingle. If you're feelin' frisky, give "Uncle Meat" a listen as well. Kinda out there, but....what of Zappa's wasn't?
  • Joe from Bellingham, Wazappa is a saint. easily my 3rd favorite song by the guy.
  • Frank from Cambridge, MaCorrection: That's 'One Size Fits All' (1975), "Inca roads" is the first song on that and probably my favorite cut.
  • Frank from Cambridge, MaHey Steve - you got that right. His music is over most people's heads. I will say that I haven't met one musician that has listened to him a lot that doesn't recognize his genious. It's tough to pick out the best recordings from everything he did. A lot of it comes down to taste. I guess some of my favorites that give you some diversity would be "Inca Roads", "Live at the Roxy", "Broadway the Hardway", "Just another band from LA (the one with Billy the Mountain)", "You can't do that on stage vol. 4". It think it's hard to go wrong with those. Hope that helps.
  • Erik from Bloomfield Hills, MiIn response to Alex:

    His early albums with the Mothers are probably the funniest, and the best imo. Apostrophe, Hot Rats and Sheik Yerbouti also tend to be favorites among fans.
  • Chuck from C-ville, VaThe album this comes from, 'One Size Fits All' (1975), is one of his best, imo.

    Hot Rats (1969), Overnight Sensation (1973), Apostrophe (1974) are also good starting places.
  • Mischa from Winnipegalex, i like the mothermania album, hot rats is good mostly instrumental, sheik yerbouti is good, and the grand wazoo also try some of those out
  • Alex from Fort Mill, ScYeah, Zappa fans I need serious help. I really want to get into Zappa but I have no idea where to start, this guy has over 60 albums! Can someone please recommend Zappa's magnus opus, his Dark Side of the Moon or Sgt. Pepper so to speak, please?!
  • Mike from Warwick, Ri"Zulch, is the auto works" actually exists and is "that's where they take all the cars that they hurt.." - its a junk yard . "He got slobbering drunk at the Palomino...gave him 30 days in San Ber'dino.".... "I want to spend the rest of my life in San Ber'dino." Awesome song!
  • Phil from Borrego Springs, CaLove Zappa. Try the Hot Rats CD. Great guitar work.
  • Rain from Glen Rock, PaThe bluesy singing at the end of this song was done by the blues guitarist/singer, Johnny "Guitar" Watson. He was a great influence of Frank Zappa.
  • Mark from Falls Church, VaNot talking 'bout REDLANDS - where I used to live...
  • Mark from Falls Church, VaThat's actually SAN BERNARDINO...
  • Steve from Ashland, KyFrank Zappa is the most intelligent and most talented musician ever,and the best guitarest! Way underrated. His music is over most peoples heads!
  • Eddie from Lachine, MiZappa grew up in the San Berdino, California area.
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