# Frank Zappa - World's Greatest Composer **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 20, 2000, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289 "2000-04-20T14:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/1 "2000-04-20T14:03:00Z")
Who besides me thinks this is true? I have about 200 cd’s including the bootlegs and a HUGE amount of video. I’ve also heard him called nothing but a good arranger that steals all the goos ideas from his band members but who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/2 "2000-04-20T15:02:00Z")
I gotta 'gree (for the most part)… He is as creative and inventive as Stravinsky or Varese, yet he has the relevance and energy of the blues/rock crowd. I am constantly amazed at his abilities, And I think 200 years from now, he will be as regarded and respected as Ellington, Lennon/McCartney, and Stravinsky. ## Sweet Basil [SRB](http://www.selfrighteousbrothers.com) will get you girls!! ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/3 "2000-04-20T15:08:00Z")
I’m with ya. Weird but brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/4 "2000-04-20T15:57:00Z")
He rocked. * * * Yer pal, Satan [http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif](http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif) _I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: One week, four days, 13 hours, 56 minutes and 53 seconds. 463 cigarettes not smoked, saving $57.90. Life saved: 1 day, 14 hours, 35 minutes._ ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/5 "2000-04-20T19:07:00Z")
Frank was unique. I enjoyed all but the “Valley Girl” album. * * * Take care. ---
**Author:** ![SaxFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SaxFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaxFace)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/6 "2000-04-20T19:17:00Z")
I loooooove Frank Zappa. My current favorite album is “Bongo Fury”. My most valuable album of his is the German release of “The Best of the Mothers of Invention”. I wish I could have seen him live. Has anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/7 "2000-04-20T19:31:00Z")
I have the strongest desire to hear “Catholic Girls” right now. Gotta find “Joe’s Garage” Keith * * * “I’m tired of being an object of ridicule. I wanna be a figure of fear, respect, and SEX!” -Radar O’Reilly ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/8 "2000-04-20T19:53:00Z")
Maybe. But especially pre-1971. **Hot Rats** remains unmatched. IIRC, **Uncle Meat** was one of the first (maybe the first) to use multiple recording tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/9 "2000-04-20T19:53:00Z")
Oh definitely. “Fembot in a Wet T-shirt” just speaks to me. * * * This post is made of 100% recycled electrons ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/10 "2000-04-21T03:59:00Z")
Zappa’s great! * * * …ebius sig. This is a moebius sig. This is a mo… (sig line courtesy of WallyM7) ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/11 "2000-04-21T04:06:00Z")
Frankie _defined_ me. Billy the Mountain …Squeee! Ethel, his wife, a tree on his shoulder… ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/12 "2000-04-22T07:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by SaxFace: > **I wish I could have seen him live. Has anyone?** I’ve seen him five times here in Michigan and four times in Germany while I was stationed there. In every case except one it was GREAT! The one exception was when some asshole through something and it hit Frank and he stopped everything and said “Okay, I just felt something hit me. Maybe you’ll learn next time” and then left! Bummer… ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/13 "2000-04-22T18:58:00Z")
Zappa was a genius. ---
**Author:** ![tethys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@tethys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tethys)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/14 "2000-04-23T00:58:00Z")
I wish Frank hadn’t died so young,I need a consultant for my dental floss ranch ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/15 "2000-04-23T09:13:00Z")
Mmmmm…I think Zappa was a deep, talented musician/writer, but as a producer he was as much of an SOB as any other. * * * “Hush, village idiot!” ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/16 "2000-04-23T09:32:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Frank Zappa - World’s Greatest Composer Oh, fer sure, dood. He rulez! Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart and all those other wise guys whose name I can’t spell, were a little bit okay too, though. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. World’s greatest composer. It boggles the mind. ---
**Author:** ![tethys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@tethys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tethys)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/17 "2000-04-23T11:11:00Z")
I wonder if that shoud be “world’s greatest decomposer”? (or is that an old thread?) * * * What if there were no hypothetical situations? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/18 "2000-04-23T20:13:00Z")
Wally, I’m with you. Fer Sure, dood! I am not terribly familiar with Zappa’s work. I’m sure he’s magnificent. But—there are A LOT of composers out there, from centuries, competing for such a title. Frankly, I’d vote for Sibelius. His 4th Symphony speaks to me. So, gotta beg to differ with you, bro. Sibelius is the World’s Greatest Composer. Because I said so! * * * ## **He was a lot older than I, but he was rich, so I married the old geyser.** Authentic Sig line by Wally! _Polydactyl Cats Unlimited “A Cat Cannot Have Too Many Toes”_ ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/19 "2000-04-23T20:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by yosemitebabe: > \*\*I am not terribly familiar with Zappa’s work. \*\* 'Nuff said. Sweet Basil * * * [SRB](http://www.selfrighteousbrothers.com) will get you girls!! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289/20 "2000-04-23T20:35:00Z")
Geez, guys, I think we can allow **xplorer** a LITTLE room for hyperbole, can’t we? Would anyone be responding if he called his thread “Frank Zappa - Greatest Composer/Guitarist/Lyricist in the Rock/Satire Idiom of the period 1966-199whenever Frank Zappa Died” ? Sax: I heard Zappa in Cleveland around 1977. It was very nice. No one threw anything and he did not walk off the stage. Yup. I think he’s the world’s greatest composer, too. "There will come a time when you can take your clothes off when you dance… * * * Uke [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frank-zappa-worlds-greatest-composer/16289.md?page=2)