Bobby Brown (song)

"Bobby Brown (Goes Down)" is a song by American musician Frank Zappa released on his double album Sheik Yerbouti (1979). The song was successful in Europe, where it was a number-one-hit in Norway and Sweden, number 4 in Germany, and was featured on the vinyl and European CD version of Zappa's best of compilation, Strictly Commercial (1995).^[2]

"Bobby Brown"
Single by Frank Zappa
from the album Sheik Yerbouti
Released	March 3, 1979
Recorded	1978
Genre	Comedy rock experimental[1]
Length	2:49
Label	CBS
Songwriter(s)	Frank Zappa
Producer(s)	Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa singles chronology
"Dancin' Fool" (1979) "Bobby Brown" (1979) "Joe's Garage" (1979)
Audio sample
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Plot

The song centers on Bobby Brown, a college age student whose life is the archetypical American Dream until a traumatic encounter with Freddie, a dyke from the women's liberation movement, transforms him into a leisure suit-wearing, closeted homosexual who works in radio promotions and engages in S&M.^[3]

Zappa was astounded by the song's surprise success in Europe given its pervasive vulgarity, and in an interview with Swedish radio, he remarked that he once suggested to his record label that they should hire an anthropologist to find out how and why it became so popular there.^[3]

Track listing

Version 1:

A. "Bobby Brown" – 2:43^[4]

B. "Baby Snakes" – 1:50

Version 2:

A. "Bobby Brown" – 2:43^[5]

B. "Stick It Out" – 4:33

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–1991)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6]	2
Norway (VG-lista)[7]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[8]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9]	5
West Germany (GfK)[10]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Position
West Germany (Official German Charts)[11]	6

Chart (1991)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12]	7

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13]	34

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[14]	Gold	50,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[15]	Gold	5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[16]	Gold	25,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[17]	Gold	25,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.