• Song:

    Mr Green Genes

  • Artist:

    Frank Zappa

Mr Green Genes is a really easy tune to play, and it is 
also a good one to illustrate basic elements of harmony
and melody. Here is my arrangement, kind of a composite
of the _Best Band You Never heard.._ and _Hot Rats_ versions. 

Here are the main chords....I have used many different voicings
of these chords....

Dm7 - G - Dm7 - G - Dm7 - G - Dm7 - G 

Cmaj7 - Am7 - Cmaj7 - Am7

F - G - Am - Bb

Then it repeats again and again until the end, where it goes

F - G - Am - Bb - C - Dm - Dbm - Dm

Now the melody is like this......after doing the above once 
(based on the _Hot Rats_ version).
   Dm7                         G		(4x)
1----------------------------------------------------
2----------------------------------------------------
3--7--9-10 10 10 10--9 7----7--4-4-4-4-4-5-4----------
4------------------------10------------------5--------
         
	 Cmaj7     Am7	(2x)	
2---------------5-6--8-----
3---------4-5-5-----------
4--5-5-5-7---------------

then the F - G - Am - Bb part goes like this.

Play any chord voicings you want!! Frank plays many.
The soloing is based on the C major scale, all positions.
Play the _Uncle Meat_ version, and the _Hot Rats_ version, and 
also the _Best Band_ version... and you will be styling!


now here are the words with the chords....notice how the
above transcribed melody fits beautifully with the words. 
I love this song!!

Dm7       G                        Dm7        G 
Eat your greens, don't forget your beans, and celery
                Dm7        G
Don't forget to bring your fake I.D.
               Dm7    G
Eat a bunch of these MAGNIFICENT.
     Cmaj7
With sauerkraut
Am7
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Cmaj7             Am7
Mouldy sauerkraut
F             G             Am    
Eat a grape a fig a crumpet too
      Am - Abm - Am   Bb   
You'll pump 'em right through

Dm7      G                       Dm7 
Eat your shoes, don't forget the strings
    G                 Dm7      G
and sox. Even eat the box, you bought 'em in
                Dm7         G 
you can eat the truck, that brought 'em in.
Cmaj7 
Garbage truck
Am7
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMouldy
Cmaj7               Am7 
Garbage truck.
F                 G              Am - Abm - Am 
Eat the truck the driver and his gloves,
Bb
NUTRITIOUSNESS    
C
DELICIOUSNESS
Dm7-Dbm7-Dm7
WORTHLESSNESS

A final flourish on Dm7:

3-----7-9-10-9-7-9--7--7--7--7--7---
4-----------------10--7--7--7--7--7-- 

Enjoy it... I always do.....

Nabeel Kandah
zappa@email.unc.edu
Show more