Thanks everyone for leading me down the YouTube Zappa rabbit hole. You can tell Gail Zappa is dead because everything is posted and available. For a long time she made sure everything was shut down.
Surprised it took 19 posts before “Freak Out” was mentioned.
Classic numbers, like “Hungry Freaks, Daddy”, “Motherly Love”, “Help I’m a Rock”, “Who Are the Brain Police?” No wonder McCartney called “Sergeant Pepper’s” the Beatles’ “Freak Out”.
I like the line up in “One Size Fits All”, featuring George Duke on keys and Chester Thompson on drums, and nicely rounded out by Napoleon Murphy Brock on bass and Ruth Underwood on vibes/various percussion. The opening track, “Inca Roads” is a majestic barn-burner of a tune that would be a top five FZ tune for me, and “Florentine Pogen”, “Andy” and the powerful instrumental “Sofa no. 2” are also of note.
“Sheik Yurbouti” album has the wonderful number “Broken Hearts Are For Assholes”, which is also a top 5’er, and other fine numbers like “Flakes”, “Wild Love”, and even the “radio hits” like “Dancin Fool” and “Jewish Princess” are fun. I like the driving groove that propels “Baby Snakes”, and “City of Tiny Lights” is a good platform the venerable, the inestimable, Mr. Adrian Belew, Esq. One of my favourite FZ solos - good and dirty - is in “Rat Tobago”.
Not sure if “Fillmore East '71” has been mentioned yet - I think it at least deserves mention for the “Mud Shark” story alone, and (I’ll bet some FZ fans’ll hate this) but I was all thumbs up when they broke into “Happy Together”.
I think I was in 8th grade when a classmate gave me Absolutely Free and I got hooked. I moved on after 200 Motels. I think “Hot Rats” was his best album of that period. I still think he was one of the few guitarists of that period who used a wah wah pedal well.
The first season of SNL, Howard Shore would have the band play “Peaches en Regalia” before commercial breaks.
Aside from a lot of the favourites already mentioned here, I really enjoy ‘Läther’, which had an odd history, and is a little controversial among Zappa fans. Much of it ended up on records like ‘Zappa in New York’ and ‘Studio Tan’, but for me it works better on this gargantuan release.
Yeah, that’s a great line up, almost the same as on Roxy And Elswhere. Listening to it right now, and it’s fantastic. Ruth Underwood is an incredible percussionist, you gotta hear it to believe it.
I meant to mention “Freak Out” in my earlier post. It’s a fun album even if some of it sounds dated. But for me the stand-out track is “Trouble Every Day”, which I pull out and listen to whenever we have events like the Ferguson MO protests/riots. That song is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.
BONGO FURY, the 1975 Beefheart collaboration, is another top item for me. Depends on your tolerance for Beefheart.
“Debra Kadabra” – with the off-kilter rendition of “Mr. Tambourine Man” – kicks it off, followed by the pretty “Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy.” And it closes with the classic “Muffin Man.”
You guys don’t LIKE “The Torture Never Stops?” You guys are total lightweights. I would eat a steaming pig with the Evil Prince anytime.
I love the Mothers of Invention, esp Ray Collins singing. Freak out until Weasels.
I also want to mention: King Kong - Jean Luc Ponty plays the music of Frank Zappa. You might like it.
Hot Rats for me too.
I’d vote for Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation. I have a few other Zappa CDs but this one is easier to digest for new fans.
PS. What’s the scoop on Thingfish? I heard it when I was much younger and I wasn’t a Zappa fan. A buddy of mine was and he played that all the time…however I think it isn’t considered a good album by other Zappa heads. What do you think?
My favorite Zappa album is Apostrophe (’). And Lumpy Gravy is my second favorite.
It’s unfortunate not many people have heard Lumpy Gravy. It’s a great album.
My favorite Mothers album is We’re Only in It for the Money. It’s pure genius.
Apostrophe, but love the cover on “Weasels”.
Where that cover came from: (SFW)
You’re welcome.
huh!
cool! thanks!
That and “Hot Rats” are definitely his coolest-looking covers. Despite me being the most gigantic Captain Beefheart fan here, I’ll bet - not crazy about “Willie the Pimp”.
If OP may allow me to slightly hijack this thread with anyone’s accounts of FZ’s live performances…saw him in '84 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. Couldn’t have asked for better seats - in the middle, twelve rows up. Just before he got under way, I went to the can and was blinded/waylayed by the thickest fog of pot smoke I’d seen in a space that size. Like, fucking limited visibility - the room was seriously getting hot-boxed. I awkwardly refused tokes at the urinal and by the time I got back to my seat it was one of the few times when I somehow kinda felt uncomfortably high, like my circulation was zipping around too much, antsy as all get out, wanting bad to just flee, feeling suddenly way too claustrophobic and agoraphobic at the same time.
Luckily I got it together enough to stick around and enjoy one of the finest performances I’ve seen, with multiple encores. With the highly entertaining Ray White on guitar, and beyond-superlative Chad Wackerman on drums (he was scary good to watch) - an absolute pleasure taking it all in in a venue (and view) six trillion times nicer than anything I’d been in previously. (I guess with the exclusion of seeing XTC in '79 in The University of Victoria’s acoustically high-rated main auditorium.)
Great between-song impromptu Culture Club tribute too.
Cool if anyone here saw an early Mothers line-up, like seeing freaky Mr. Estrada up on stage, or (a bit later) the great Howard Kaylan and Mark Vollman. Or later yet - Terry Bozzio wailing away, or Adrian Belew.
Both times I’ve tried to watch “200 Motels” I couldn’t make it past that interminable close-up of Ringo Starr’s face, trying to put on the “diabolical” look or something.
Kinda pissed at FZ for not sticking to just music when he guested SNL. His band’s performances - sure, awesome, but in the sketches he completely sucked half-assed ass. Totally dialing it in.:mad:
I’ll add You Are What You Is. I absolutely loved a bunch of the songs on that one, especially Dumb All Over. But my favorite has always been Joe’s Garage.
Another vote here for Joe’s Garage although I’m convinced Apostrophe is really the better album and the one I use to introduce Zappa to people. The song Apostrophe itself is stunning.
But, Joe’s Garage is a story album with a conceptional continutiy that Apostrophe is missing. I had always enjoyed Frank before I encountered this Album, this is the one that I fell in love with. I’ve been a huge fan since then and I do rate him as my favorite musician off our time ( that I’ ve heard ).
Wow, no one said Roxy and Elsewhere yet. Well, I’ll say it. Roxy and Elsewhere. Frank’s solo on Son of Orange County is one of his very finest.
Horrible Eddie: I caught Zappa at the Cleveland Civic Center when I was in high school, in '76 or '77. I enjoyed the show very much, but don’t remember details, as there was some VERY strong weed going through Cleveland in those days.
The OP said his favorite is Roxy and Elsewhere. Which is a rock solid pick, of course.
For the OP, here’s how I rate the CDs I actually bought in stores back in the day. If your taste is similar to mine you may find some hidden gems. I’ve excluded his later live compilations, like You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore and The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life. These lists are mainly the original albums.
Absolute Favorites
Hot Rats
Just Another Band from LA
Roxy & Elsewhere
Love
Apostrophe (')
Fillmore East, 1971
Joe’s Garage
One Size Fits All
Over-Nite Sensation
Them or Us
You Are What You Is
Like
Absolutely Free
Baby Snakes
Chunga’s Revenge
Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (Fair warning: It’s all or mostly doo-wop)
Läther
Sheik Yerbouti
The Grand Wazoo
The Man from Utopia
Tinsel Town Rebellion
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
We’re Only In It for the Money
Zappa in New York
Zoot Allures
Hit or Miss
Freak Out
FZ Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Jazz from Hell
Make a Jazz Noise Here
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
Uncle Meat
Don’t Like
Broadway the Hard Way
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Guitar
Sleep Dirt
Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
Waka Jawaka
Hate
Bongo Fury*
Lumpy Gravy
Studio Tan
Thing Fish**
*Bongo Fury does boast excellent live versions of Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy, Advance Romance, and a transcendent Muffin Man. Muffin Man alone makes it a true must-have, but not a fan of the album itself. I hate pretty much everything on it except those three tracks.
**Similar to Bongo Fury, I actively dislike much/most of Thingfish. However, Artificial Rhonda rocks, No Not Now / Won ton On are both fun and it’s a clever idea, and this version of Brown Moses is one of my all-time favorite Zappa tracks.
Long ago I ripped all my CDs to mp3 and gathered my favorite Zappa tracks into one folder, which ended up being 132 tracks. (Not all the songs I like; just my favorites!) A few minutes with google and Excel and here’s a list of those tracks, first by title then by album:
Title Album
----- -----
200 Motels Finale You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
A Little Green Rosetta Läther
A Token Of My Extreme (single version) Joe's Garage
Andy One Size Fits All
Apostrophe' Apostrophe (')
Artificial Rhonda Thing-Fish
Baby Snakes Baby Snakes
Baby, Take Your Teeth Out Them Or Us
Be In My Video You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Bobby Brown Goes Down Sheik Yerbouti
Broken Hearts Are For Assholes Sheik Yerbouti
Brown Moses Thing-Fish
Bwana Dik Fillmore East, June 1971
Call Any Vegetable Just Another Band From LA
Camarillo Brillo Over-Nite Sensation
Can't Afford No Shoes One Size Fits All
Carol, You Fool You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy Bongo Fury
Catholic Girls Joe's Garage
Chana In De Bushwop You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Charlie's Enormous Mouth You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Cheepnis (single version) Roxy & Elsewhere
Chunga's Revenge Chunga's Revenge
Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus The Grand Wazoo
Cocaine Decisions The Man From Utopia
Dancin' Fool Sheik Yerbouti
Dinah Moe Humm Baby Snakes
Dirty Love You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Disco Boy You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Dog Breath Just Another Band From LA
Dong Work For Yuda (single version) Joe's Garage
Don't Eat the Yellow Snow Apostrophe (')
Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Doreen You Are What You Is
Drafted Again You Are What You Is
Drowning Witch (single version) Ship arriving too late to save a drowning witch
Duck Duck Goose (single version) Läther
Eat That Question The Grand Wazoo
Echidna's Arf (Of You) Roxy & Elsewhere
Electric Aunt Jemima Uncle Meat
Excentrifugal Forz Apostrophe (')
Father O'Blivion Apostrophe (')
Fifty-Fifty Over-Nite Sensation
Find Her Finer Zoot Allures
Five-Five-Five Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
Flakes Sheik Yerbouti
Florentine Pogen You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Flower Punk We're Only In It For The Money
For The Young Sophisticate Läther
Frogs With Dirty Little Lips Them Or Us
G-Spot Tornado The Yellow Shark
Harder Than Your Husband You Are What You Is
Help, I'm A Rock! Ahead Of Their Time
He's So Gay You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
How Could I Be Such a Fool? Mystery Disc
I Ain't Got No Heart Tinsel Town Rebellion
I'm So Cute Sheik Yerbouti
I'm The Slime Zappa In New York
In France Them Or Us
Inca Roads You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin Absolutely Free
Jewish Princess Sheik Yerbouti
Joe's Garage Joe's Garage
King Kong I Uncle Meat
Latex Solar Beef Fillmore East, June 1971
Lemme Take You to the Beach Studio Tan
Let's Make The Orange County Lumber Truck You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Let's Make The Water Turn Black We're Only In It For The Money
Little Girl of Mine You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Little House I Used to Live In Fillmore East, June 1971
Luigi & The Wise Guys The Man From Utopia
Magic Fingers You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Moggio You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 5
Montana Over-Nite Sensation
More Trouble Every Day Roxy & Elsewhere
Mother People We're Only In It For The Money
Muffin Man (single version) Bongo Fury
Nig Biz You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
No, No Cherry You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Packard Goose Joe's Garage
Peaches En Regalia Fillmore East, June 1971
Penguin In Bondage (single version) Roxy & Elsewhere
Planet Of My Dreams Them Or Us
Plastic People (single version) You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Po-jama People One Size Fits All
Pygmy Twylyte You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
RDNZL You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Ride My Face to Chicago You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
San Ber'dino One Size Fits All
Sex The Man From Utopia
Sharleena Playground Psychotics
Shove It Right In You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Sleeping In A Jar Playground Psychotics
Society Pages You Are What You Is
Sofa Zappa In New York
Son of Mr. Green Genes Hot Rats
Son Of Orange County Roxy & Elsewhere
Son Of Suzy Creamcheese Absolutely Free
St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast Apostrophe (')
Stevie's Spanking Them Or Us
Stick It Out Joe's Garage
Stick Together The Man From Utopia
Stink-Foot Apostrophe (')
Teen-Age Prostitute Ship arriving too late to save a drowning witch
Tell Me You Love Me Chunga's Revenge
The Booger Man You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
The Florida Airport Tape You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
The Gumbo Variation (single version) Hot Rats
The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou The Man From Utopia
The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution Läther
The Orange County Lumber Truck Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Thirteen You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Tinsel Town Rebellion Tinsel Town Rebellion
T'mershi Duween You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Transylvania Boogie Chunga's Revenge
Tryin' to Grow a Chin Sheik Yerbouti
Uncle Remus Apostrophe (')
Village of the Sun You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Wedding Dress Song Mystery Disc
We're Turning Again You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
What's New in Baltimore? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 5
Whippin' Post Them Or Us
Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Willie the Pimp Hot Rats
Willie the Pimp - Part One Fillmore East, June 1971
Wind Up Workin' In a Gas Station You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Wonderful Wino The Lost Episodes
Would You Go All The Way? Chunga's Revenge
WPLJ Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Ya Hozna Them Or Us
You Are What You Is You Are What You Is
Zomby Woof Over-Nite Sensation
Title Album
----- -----
Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin Absolutely Free
Son Of Suzy Creamcheese Absolutely Free
Help, I'm A Rock! Ahead Of Their Time
Apostrophe' Apostrophe (')
Don't Eat the Yellow Snow Apostrophe (')
Excentrifugal Forz Apostrophe (')
Father O'Blivion Apostrophe (')
St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast Apostrophe (')
Stink-Foot Apostrophe (')
Uncle Remus Apostrophe (')
Baby Snakes Baby Snakes
Dinah Moe Humm Baby Snakes
Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy Bongo Fury
Muffin Man (single version) Bongo Fury
WPLJ Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Chunga's Revenge Chunga's Revenge
Tell Me You Love Me Chunga's Revenge
Transylvania Boogie Chunga's Revenge
Would You Go All The Way? Chunga's Revenge
Bwana Dik Fillmore East, June 1971
Latex Solar Beef Fillmore East, June 1971
Little House I Used to Live In Fillmore East, June 1971
Peaches En Regalia Fillmore East, June 1971
Willie the Pimp - Part One Fillmore East, June 1971
Son of Mr. Green Genes Hot Rats
The Gumbo Variation (single version) Hot Rats
Willie the Pimp Hot Rats
A Token Of My Extreme (single version) Joe's Garage
Catholic Girls Joe's Garage
Dong Work For Yuda (single version) Joe's Garage
Joe's Garage Joe's Garage
Packard Goose Joe's Garage
Stick It Out Joe's Garage
Call Any Vegetable Just Another Band From LA
Dog Breath Just Another Band From LA
A Little Green Rosetta Läther
Duck Duck Goose (single version) Läther
For The Young Sophisticate Läther
The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution Läther
How Could I Be Such a Fool? Mystery Disc
Wedding Dress Song Mystery Disc
Andy One Size Fits All
Can't Afford No Shoes One Size Fits All
Po-jama People One Size Fits All
San Ber'dino One Size Fits All
Camarillo Brillo Over-Nite Sensation
Fifty-Fifty Over-Nite Sensation
Montana Over-Nite Sensation
Zomby Woof Over-Nite Sensation
Sharleena Playground Psychotics
Sleeping In A Jar Playground Psychotics
Cheepnis (single version) Roxy & Elsewhere
Echidna's Arf (Of You) Roxy & Elsewhere
More Trouble Every Day Roxy & Elsewhere
Penguin In Bondage (single version) Roxy & Elsewhere
Son Of Orange County Roxy & Elsewhere
Bobby Brown Goes Down Sheik Yerbouti
Broken Hearts Are For Assholes Sheik Yerbouti
Dancin' Fool Sheik Yerbouti
Flakes Sheik Yerbouti
I'm So Cute Sheik Yerbouti
Jewish Princess Sheik Yerbouti
Tryin' to Grow a Chin Sheik Yerbouti
Drowning Witch (single version) Ship arriving too late to save a drowning witch
Teen-Age Prostitute Ship arriving too late to save a drowning witch
Five-Five-Five Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
Lemme Take You to the Beach Studio Tan
Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus The Grand Wazoo
Eat That Question The Grand Wazoo
Wonderful Wino The Lost Episodes
Cocaine Decisions The Man From Utopia
Luigi & The Wise Guys The Man From Utopia
Sex The Man From Utopia
Stick Together The Man From Utopia
The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou The Man From Utopia
G-Spot Tornado The Yellow Shark
Baby, Take Your Teeth Out Them Or Us
Frogs With Dirty Little Lips Them Or Us
In France Them Or Us
Planet Of My Dreams Them Or Us
Stevie's Spanking Them Or Us
Whippin' Post Them Or Us
Ya Hozna Them Or Us
Artificial Rhonda Thing-Fish
Brown Moses Thing-Fish
I Ain't Got No Heart Tinsel Town Rebellion
Tinsel Town Rebellion Tinsel Town Rebellion
Electric Aunt Jemima Uncle Meat
King Kong I Uncle Meat
The Orange County Lumber Truck Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Flower Punk We're Only In It For The Money
Let's Make The Water Turn Black We're Only In It For The Money
Mother People We're Only In It For The Money
Doreen You Are What You Is
Drafted Again You Are What You Is
Harder Than Your Husband You Are What You Is
Society Pages You Are What You Is
You Are What You Is You Are What You Is
Be In My Video You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Let's Make The Orange County Lumber Truck You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Plastic People (single version) You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
The Florida Airport Tape You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 1
Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Inca Roads You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Pygmy Twylyte You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
RDNZL You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
T'mershi Duween You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Village of the Sun You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2
Carol, You Fool You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Chana In De Bushwop You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Charlie's Enormous Mouth You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Nig Biz You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Ride My Face to Chicago You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 3
Disco Boy You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Florentine Pogen You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Little Girl of Mine You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
No, No Cherry You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
The Booger Man You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 4
Moggio You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 5
What's New in Baltimore? You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 5
200 Motels Finale You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Dirty Love You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
He's So Gay You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Magic Fingers You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Shove It Right In You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Thirteen You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
We're Turning Again You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
Wind Up Workin' In a Gas Station You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 6
I'm The Slime Zappa In New York
Sofa Zappa In New York
Find Her Finer Zoot Allures
Any time a track says (single version) it means I personally went in and edited the mp3 to remove intro talking. In rare cases I actually cut off the song early. (Drowning Witch and Duck Duck Goose are the only two like that, I think.)
Now that this thread has me going through and listening to some of these tracks again, a few thoughts:
Wonderful Wino from the Lost Episodes is so goddamn good I can’t stand it. It’s done in the style of Tell Me You Love Me from Chunga’s Revenge – which I also love – which gives it a radically different feel compared to the version on Zoot Allures.
I always found A Little Green Rosetta from Läther to be melancholy, but that’s possibly just because it was released shortly after his death.
To me, Just Another Band From LA is a masterpiece, and as such I almost exclusively listen to it as an album. I did still include a couple tracks in my favorites folder, but I can’t really hear Billy the Mountain or Magdalena without immediately wanting to hear the entire album.
As much as I love, love, love Pygmy Twylyte from Roxy & Elsewhere, I think the Helsinki Tapes version (You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore 2) blows it out of the water: Half the tempo, quadruple the intensity.
Similarly, if opposite, again I dearly love the Roxy & Elsewhere version of Village of the Sun, but again prefer the Helsinki Tapes version. This time the tempo is doubled, and it feels so much lighter and more fun.