This 1982 recording was recorded as a parody of spoiled young people living in certain wealthy suburbs of Los Angeles. The success of this single record generated new idioms in the English language, new characters in television and movies, and even new cl

In 1982, avant-garde musician Frank Zappa teamed up with his 14-year-old daughter, Moon Unit, to create an unlikely hit single. The song was built around a semi-improvised monologue by Moon Unit, who perfectly mimicked the unique slang and vocal affectations of her affluent classmates in California's San Fernando Valley. Frank Zappa composed the driving rock track as a backdrop for his daughter's satirical portrayal of a subculture obsessed with shopping malls, parties, and social status.

What was intended as a parody quickly became a national phenomenon. The song was Zappa's only Top 40 hit in the United States and it launched the "Valspeak" dialect into the mainstream. Phrases like "gag me with a spoon," "fer sure," and "grody to the max" became part of the national lexicon. The stereotypical "Valley Girl" character, once a local caricature, became a staple in popular culture, influencing fashion and inspiring characters in movies and television for years to come, most notably in the 1983 film of the same name.