Meaning of "Drowning Witch" by Frank Zappa

"Drowning Witch" can be interpreted as a satirical commentary on environmental pollution and the consequences of human disregard for nature. The witch's fate serves as a symbol for the destruction and contamination caused by human activities, such as dumping waste into water bodies. The description of her potential mutation into a monstrous creature highlights the idea of irreversible damage caused by pollution and the fear of the unknown consequences of harming the environment. The reference to a ritual sacrifice at the end can be seen as a dark twist on the concept of a scapegoat, blaming the witch for the consequences of humanity's actions.

The imagery of sardines in her eyebrows and lobsters on her forehead, grotesquely enlarged due to radiation exposure, underscores the catastrophic effects of pollution on living beings. The mention of cars crashing as people in Hawaiian shirts look up in horror at the mutated witch emphasizes the absurdity of the situation and the ultimate outcome of environmental negligence. Overall, the lyrics of "Drowning Witch" paint a vivid picture of ecological disaster and serve as a warning about the potential consequences of not safeguarding the planet.