Toad-O-Line

Album: Joe's Garage (1979)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is another very fine instrumental from Zappa's three volume concept album Joe's Garage. Re-issued for the CD as "On the Bus," it is immediately preceded by "Wet T-Shirt Nite." Running to 4 minutes 19 seconds, along with the slower "Watermelon In Easter Hay," Joe's final imaginary guitar solo, it shows the late great Frank Zappa at his finest doing what he did best, in his own words, "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar."

    The track's name comes from Toad-O, the band Mary saw before becoming a groupie. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 1

  • Mkap from PhillyActually, that's TOTO, not Toad-0, although the song was originally titled Toad-o-line. This is a clear dig at TOTO, and their terrible song, "Tow the Line", in a kind of double wordplay, and the amazing guitar solo is based on the first LINE of TOTO's song "Tow the Line", which is repeated maybe three different times in the solo. A very clever put-down of a very terrible band of undeniably good musicians making undeniably bad music.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.