Released 1966 (1966) Label Verve | Length 5:50 Writer(s) Frank Zappa | |
A-side "Who Are the Brain Police?" Genre Electric blues, talking blues | ||
"Trouble Every Day" (labeled in early prints as "Trouble Comin' Every Day") is a song by The Mothers of Invention, released on their 1966 debut album Freak Out!
Frank Zappa wrote the song in 1965 at 1819 Bellevue Avenue, Echo Park, Los Angeles residence of a methamphetamine chemist referred to by Zappa as "Wild Bill the Mannequin-Fucker" after watching news coverage of the Watts Riots. Originally dubbed "The Watts Riot Song", its primary lyrical themes are racial violence, social injustice, and sensationalist journalism. The musical style—featuring multiple guitar tracks and a harmonica—much more closely resembles electric blues than mainstream rock and roll.
Producer Tom Wilson of MGM Records signed the Mothers to a record deal on March 1, 1966, having heard only this song and believing them to be a "white blues band". Together, they released "Trouble Every Day" as a single with B-side "Who Are the Brain Police?"
A re-arranged version appeared on the Mothers' 1974 live album Roxy & Elsewhere (and on the 1991 live album The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life) as "More Trouble Every Day". These subsequent versions were more up-tempo and usually featured a strong horn intro and punctuation.
The UK underground artist Mick Farren covered the song on his album Vampires Stole My Lunch Money (1978). Australian stoner rock band Tumbleweed covered the song as a B-side on their 1993 single Daddy Long Legs. The Frank Zappa tribute band Trouble Every Day named itself after this song. French filmmaker Claire Denis named her 2001 film Trouble Every Day after the song.