"Inca Roads" uses such time signatures as: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 3/8, 7/8, 3/16, 5/16, 7/16, 11/16, and quite possibly others. The tune begins with prominent vocals, drums, and marimba, however soon the electric guitar and bass take over for most of the the song. Towards the end the vocals return, but the guitar continue to keeps its dominancy. After a short marimba solo "Inca Roads" is back to the starting feel of the song. The song finishes with the lyrics "On Ruth, on Ruth, that's Ruth!" acknowledging Underwood for her leading on the marimba.In an interview performer and keyboard player George Duke declared that Zappa pushed for him to sing on "Inca Roads" and that beforehand Duke had no intentions of singing expertly and was only there to play keyboards. He went on to explain how Zappa had purchased him a synthesizer (an instrument which Duke had disliked) and told him he could dig into it if he wanted. This led to Duke playing the synth part on "Inca Roads" as well.
 |
| Lesson: Inca Roads |
The song in most cases explores the stereotypes of aliens encountering the Incan civilization. These themes, like the album cover of One Size Fits All seem to parody the spirituality of numerous progressive rock albums around the same era.
The Inca road system (called Capaq Ñan or Gran Ruta Inca) was a really important part of the success of the Inca Empire. Including an estimated 40.000 kilometers in its extent, the Inca road was developed for use in all kinds of climate, and meant to move people and goods--and armies when needed--across the length and breadth of the empire.
Tab:
quartal scale
--15---14---12---10---8-7--------------||-------------------------------|
--15---13---12---10---8-7-10---8-------||-------------------------------|
--14---12---11---9----7-5-9----7-------||-------------------------------|
--14---12---10---9----7-5-9----7-------||-------------------------------|
--------------------------9----7-------||-------------------------------|
---------------------------------------||-------------------------------|
Now, here's the opening bassline, and the chord stabs over it.
--------------------------------------------|---------------||----------|
--------------------------------------------|---7-5---7-5---||----------|
--------------------------------------------|---7-5---7-5---||----------|
--------------------------------------------|---7-5---7-5---||----------|
3-3---3-3-----3-5-----3-3---3-3-----3-5-----|---------------||----------|
----------5-3-------------------5-3---------|---------------||----------|
bass line
----6---4---------------------------------||----------------------------|
----7---5---7---5-------------------------||----------------------------|
----7---5---7---5-------------------------||----------------------------|
------------8---6-------------------------||----------------------------|
------------------------------------------||----------------------------|
------------------------------------------||----------------------------|
Melody
Did a vehicle come from somewhere out there just to
----------------------------5-------------5---------------8-----7-------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--4---7-5-4-----------7-----------7-----------7-------------------------|
------------7---5-------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
land in the Andes was it round and did it have a motor
5---------8---7-5-------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------8-------------------8-------------------------|
------7-----------------------------------7-----------------7-----------|
------------------------------9---7---------------9---7-------10-9------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
or was it something di-if'rent very fast bit
--------------3-----3-------3-------------|-----------------------|-----|
------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----|
----------5-----------------------5-------|-----------------------|-----|
--5---3-------------------------5---------|-----------------------|-----|
------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----|
------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----|
did a vehicle did a vehicle did a vehicle fly
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------7-5-7-5---------------------------------7-----------|
----4---7---5-4-----7-5-7-5---4-----7-5-4-------4-----7-5-4-7---4-------|
----------------7-------------------------7-----------------7-----------|
----2---5---3-2---------------------------------------------------------|
----------------5-------------------------------------------------------|
along the mountain and find a place to park it se-e-lf
--------------10-----5---4-----6-3-------4---------3--------------------|
------7---8----------------------------------6--------------------------|
7-5----------------------------------------------------4-7-5-4---4------|
---------------------------------------------------------------7--------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
park it se-e-lf
----------------------------3-------------------------------------------|
----------------------6-------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------4-7-5-4---4-----------------------------|
----6-------6---------------------------7-----10-7---9-7---7-7-10-7-9---|
---------------------------------------------------7--------------------|
--4---4---4---4-4-4-----------------------------------------------------|
park it park it or did someone build a place
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------8---------8---6---------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------8-5-----------|
7-------1-----------1-----------5-------5-------------------------------|
--------------2-----------2---------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
to leave a space for such a thing to land
-----------------------------------11-----10---8-----||-----------------|
------------8-----------8--------8-------------------||-----------------|
----------------------------10-----------------------||-----------------|
5---8---------9--------------------------------------||-----------------|
-----------------------------------------------------||-----------------|
-----------------------------------------------------||-----------------|
flute line 4x
-------------------------------------------------14-10----------------||
-13-15-12-13----------------------------------------------------------||
-------------14-12-------14-------------------14-------11------------*||
----------------------14----------------14-12-------------14-12------*||
-------------------15-------15-12-14-15-------------------------14-12-||
----------------------------------------------------------------------||
Fill over flute line guitar solo
----||-------------||---------------------------------------------------|
----||--5-7---5-7--||---------------------------------------------------|
----||--5-7---5-7--||---------------------------------------------------|
----||-------------||---------------------------------------------------|
----||-------------||---------------------------------------------------|
----||-------------||---------------------------------------------------|
Here's the vocal melody that brings us out of the guitar solo. The melody is the top
the other two are the harmonies.
------------------------------------------10-------------|--------------|
7---8---10-----7---8-10-----7-8-7---5-----12---10---10---|--------------|
7---9---11-----7---9-11-----7-9-7---5---7-12---11---11---|--------------|
7---9---10-----7---9-10-----7-9-7---5---9------12---12---|--------------|
----------------------------------------9----------------|--------------|
---------------------------------------------------------|--------------|
------------------------------------------------------------||----------|
--7---8---10-----7---8-10-----7---8-7---5---3--5------------||----------|
--7---9---11-----7---9-11-----7---9-7---5---4--5--5---2---2-||----------|
--7---9---10-----7---9-10-----7---9-7---5---4--5--7---4---4-||----------|
--------------------------------------------------7---3---3-||----------|
------------------------------------------------------------||----------|
The Middle Section.
did a vehicle come from somewhere out there did a vehicle
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------6-----4-------7-------------------------------|
3---5-4-3-----------6-----------------------8-------3---5-4-3-----------|
----------5---x-----------------------------------------------5---------|
come
----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
--------x-x---x-x-----x-x-----x-x-|-------------------------------------|
--------x-x---x-x-----x-x-----x-x-|-------------------------------------|
4-------x-x---x-x-----x-x-----x-x-|-------------------------------------|
come from somewhere out there did the indians first on the
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------3-------------------3---------|
----------------------------------------------5-3-----------------3-----|
x-----x-----x-----x-------x---x-------3-----------5---3-----------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
bill carve up her hill
------------------------------11----8---------------------------|-------|
--------------3------------------11---8----11-------------------|-------|
5-----------------3---5-----------------10----8-----------------|-------|
------3-----------------------------------------8-10------------|-------|
-----------------------------------------------------10-8-------|-------|
----------------------------------------------------------8-10--|-------|
--------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
---------------------------15---||--------------------------------------|
-12---12-12-12---12--------16---||--------------------------------------|
-12---12-12-12---12---12---17---||--------------------------------------|
-12---12-12-12---12---12--------||--------------------------------------|
----------------------15---17---||--------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------10----10----13-12-10----13-12---10-------------------|
------------------------------------------------------12---------12-----|
9-12-10-9-------12----12----12----------12---------------9----12----9---|
----------12-10--------------------------------------------12-----------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------12-10-12-10------------------------------------------|
---12-10-9------10---------------9-12-10-9----9-12-10-9----9-12-10-9----|
12---------10-8----------------------------12-----------12--------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------10---------------------------------------------------|
----------------------10-9-11-8-9----8-----8---8--------------8---9-----|
-------------10-12----------------10-------------10-8-------------------|
-----9-12-10---------------------------9-8---8--------10----8---9-------|
12-------------------------------------------------------11-------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------11-9-8-|----------------------------------------------------------|
---11--------|----------------------------------------------------------|
10-----------|----------------------------------------------------------|
-------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
-------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
-------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
This is the same melody that is played before and after the guitar solo, but twice as
It ain't easy...
-------------------------------------------------14-10----------------||
-13-15-12-13----------------------------------------------------------||
-------------14-12-------14-------------------14-------11-------------||
----------------------14----------------14-12-------------14-12-------||
-------------------15-------15-12-14-15-------------------------14-12-||
----------------------------------------------------------------------||
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------10----10-------------------------10----10-------13---|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
9-12-10-9-------12----12----12---9-12-10-9-------12----12----12-11------|
----------12-10----------------------------12-10------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------11---------13-11------------|-------------------------------|
11-------------11-13---------13-11-13---|-------------------------------|
---13-12-10-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
11----8---------------------------------------------------------||------|
---11---8----11----------------------------------------------15-||------|
----------10----8------------------12---12-12-12---12--------16-||------|
------------------8-10-------------12---12-12-12---12---12---17-||------|
-----------------------10-8--------12---12-12-12---12---12------||------|
----------------------------8-10------------------------15---17-||------|
7/16
-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|---------|
----------------10-|-12-10---------------|--------------------|---------|
--------9-10-12----|-------13-9----------|---------------9-10-|---------|
9-10-12------------|------------12-11----|-------9-10-12------|---------|
-------------------|------------------12-|-10-12--------------|---------|
-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|---------|
-----------9------|---------------------|-----------------9-|-----------|
---9-10-12---10---|---------------------|-----------10-12---|-----------|
11--------------9-|----12-10-9----------|------9-11---------|-----------|
------------------|-12---------10-12----|-9-11--------------|-----------|
------------------|------------------12-|-------------------|-----------|
------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-----------|
--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|-------|
13-12-10------------|-----------------12-|----------------------|-------|
---------12-10-9----|------11-9-13-11----|-14-12-11-------------|-------|
-----------------12-|-11-9---------------|----------14-12-11----|-------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------12-|-------|
--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|-------|
---------------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
------------------12-|-13-15----13----------|-------------------|-------|
------------11-13----|-------14----12-14----|-11-14-9-11----9---|-------|
------11-13----------|-------------------14-|------------11---9-|-------|
11-14----------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
---------------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
-------9-8-----|----------11-10-------|------------10-12-13-|-----------|
-----9-----9---|-------11-------11----|---------13----------|-----------|
-------------8-|-------------------10-|-9-10-12-------------|-----------|
10-8-----------|-12-10----------------|---------------------|-----------|
---------------|----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
---------------|----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
12-10---------------|-----------|---------||----------------------------|
------10------------|-----------|---8-8---||----------------------------|
---------12-11------|---7-7-----|-5-------||----------------------------|
---------------12-9-|-7---------|---------||----------------------------|
--------------------|-----------|---------||----------------------------|
--------------------|-----------|---------||----------------------------|
3/4
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------10--------|
------14----14--------------12----12------------10---10----------9------|
---12----12----12-11-----10----10----10-9-----8----8----8-7--------10---|
10---------------------8--------------------6---------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------12-----------12-----------12---12-----------||--------------|
------------13-----------13----------------13-----------||--------------|
------12-14-12-----12-14-12-----12-14------12-----------||--------------|
9-8-----------------------------------------------------||--------------|
------------13-----------13----------------13-----------||--------------|
--------------------------------------------------------||--------------|
To solo (keyboard or sax)
And then this bit, which is the same as before except (you guessed it) twice as fast. Urrgghh.
---------------------|---------------------|--------------------|-------|
------------------10-|-12-10---------------|--------------------|-------|
----------9-10-12----|-------13-9----------|---------------9-10-|-------|
--9-10-12------------|------------12-11----|-------9-10-12------|-------|
---------------------|------------------12-|-10-12--------------|-------|
---------------------|---------------------|--------------------|-------|
-----------9------|---------------------|-----------------9-|-----------|
---9-10-12---10---|---------------------|-----------10-12---|-----------|
11--------------9-|----12-10-9----------|------9-11---------|-----------|
------------------|-12---------10-12----|-9-11--------------|-----------|
------------------|------------------12-|-------------------|-----------|
------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-----------|
--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|-------|
13-12-10------------|-----------------12-|----------------------|-------|
---------12-10-9----|------11-9-13-11----|-14-12-11-------------|-------|
-----------------12-|-11-9---------------|----------14-12-11----|-------|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------------12-|-------|
--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|-------|
---------------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
------------------12-|-13-15----13----------|-------------------|-------|
------------11-13----|-------14----12-14----|-11-14-9-11----9---|-------|
------11-13----------|-------------------14-|------------11---9-|-------|
11-14----------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
---------------------|----------------------|-------------------|-------|
-------9-8-----|----------11-10-------|------------10-12-13-|-----------|
-----9-----9---|-------11-------11----|---------13----------|-----------|
-------------8-|-------------------10-|-9-10-12-------------|-----------|
10-8-----------|-12-10----------------|---------------------|-----------|
---------------|----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
---------------|----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
12-10---------------|----------------------------------|----------------|
------10------------|--------------------------10-12---|----------------|
---------12-11------|---7-7------------9-10-12---------|----------------|
---------------12-9-|-7---------9---12-----------------|----------------|
--------------------|----------------------------------|----------------|
--------------------|----------------------------------|----------------|
(Best Band version)
----------19-14-19-14-19-14-19-||---------------------------------------|
--8-8--------------------------||---------------------------------------|
5------------------------------||---------------------------------------|
-------------------------------||---------------------------------------|
-------------------------------||---------------------------------------|
-------------------------------||---------------------------------------|
did a booger bear come from somewhere out there just to land
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------10----------10----------13---12-10-------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
9-----12-10-9-------------12--------12----------12----------------------|
----------------12---10-------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
in the Andes was it round and did it have a motor or was
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---13---12-10-----------------------------------------------------------|
--------------12-------------------12-----------------------------------|
12-----------------9----------12--------9--------12-10-9----------------|
-----------------------12-------------------12-------------10-8---------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
it something diff'rent guacamole queen guacamole queen
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---12---10-----12---10--------------------------------------------------|
10---------------------------9-12-10-9--------9-12-10-9-----------------|
---------------------------------------12---------------12--------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
guacamole queen at the arm-a-dillo in Austin Texas her aura or
-------------------------------------10---------------------------------|
----------------------------------------10-9-11---8-9--------8----------|
-------------------------------10-12--------------------10--------------|
9-12-10-9----------9---12---10---------------------------------9---8----|
----------12------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
did someone clear the place and leave a space for
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--8---------8--------------------------------------8-----------9--------|
------------------10-----8----------------------------------------------|
--------8----------------------10----------8-----------9----------------|
--------------------------------------11--------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Chester's thing to land
------------11-----9---8-|----------------------------------------------|
-----11------------------|----------------------------------------------|
10-----------------------|----------------------------------------------|
-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
(lyrics are from memory - apologies if they're not right)
-------------------------------------------------14-10----------------||
-13-15-12-13----------------------------------------------------------||
-------------14-12-------14-------------------14-------11-------------||
----------------------14----------------14-12-------------14-12-------||
-------------------15-------15-12-14-15-------------------------14-12-||
----------------------------------------------------------------------||
did a booger bear come from somewhere out there did a booger
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------10----------10---------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
9-----12-10-9-------------12--------12----------12-11-9-----12-10-9-----|
----------------12---10-------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
bear come from somewhere out there did the in-di-ans first
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------10----------10-----------------13---11-------------------|
------------------------------------------------------13-12---10--------|
----------12--------12----------12-------11-----------------------------|
12---10-----------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|
on the bill carve up her hill
--11-----------13-----11-----------|-|----------------------------------|
-----11---13-------------11---13---|-|----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------|-|----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------|-|----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------|-|----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------|-|----------------------------------|
11----8------------------------------------------------0-----4-----3----|
---11---8----11----------------------8---8---8---8-8---3-----4-----3----|
----------10----8--------------------7---7---7---7-7-7-4-----6-----5----|
------------------8-10---------------7---7---7---7-7-7-5-----6-----5----|
-----------------------10-8--------------------------5-0-----4-----3----|
----------------------------8-10----------------------------------------|
on ruth on ruth ha ha that's ruth
|-------------------------------------3---------------------||----------|
|---------------------------0-2-4-0-------5---5-------------||----------|
|-----------------3---4-----------------------------------5-||----------|
|-----5-----6-----5---6-------------------------------------||----------|
|---4-----------4-------------------------------------------||----------|
|---4-----------4-----------0-2-4-0-------------------------||----------|
Lesson:Inca Roads
Reviewed by
frank zappa newspaper
on
03:44
Rating:
Reviewed by
frank zappa newspaper
on
03:44
Rating:
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