Frank Zappa Song By Song Thread (1966-96)*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Zoot Marimba, Aug 21, 2018.

  1. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    To be fair this is very much Ray’s album. At least in spirit.
     
    Rne likes this.
  2. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    It even has a number credited solely to him ("Anything").
     
  3. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    It seems that of the original Mothers, Ray was possibly the only one that was in any way Frank’s equal. Maybe Ian, but even Ian was more a lieutenant than an equal.
     
    ajsmith likes this.
  4. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    I think that Frank had a deep respect for Ray (as he had it for Ian too) but I wouldn't use the word "equal" in this case. It was Frank's band, he was the indisputable leader. In fact, I remember Ray's introduction at the Fillmore East: "and here's Mother Superior Frank Zappa".
     
    ajsmith and Zoot Marimba like this.
  5. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Right that’s possibly too strong a word, but what I mean is he seemed to get a little more leeway than most others. Part of that being his talent and also I think the fact that Ray brought him into the group played into that.
     
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2018
    ajsmith and Rne like this.
  6. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    I agree. And I think that the fact that Ray was a very funny guy that could make Frank laugh was important too.
    I've just remembered another credit he got: "Prune: Ray Collins" (on the back cover of Absolutely Free). Perhaps, he just demanded what was his!
     
    mcchocchoc and Zoot Marimba like this.
  7. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    When all other methods of staying on Frank’s good side fails, make ’im laugh!
     
    Jazzmonkie and Rne like this.
  8. mcchocchoc

    mcchocchoc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    That was Ray's suggestion for him making up lyrics on the spot while tracking The Duke Of Prunes.
     
    Zoot Marimba likes this.
  9. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    “No No No”:

    No No No, with Frank once again handling all instruments (guitar,piano,bass,drums) and singing lead.
    Overall, the piano gives me a very Boogie woogie/Berry feel to it, and there’s some strong vocal harmonies on here and a good strong driving beat.
    A fun song overall, I dig it.
     
    Rne, mark winstanley and mcchocchoc like this.
  10. mcchocchoc

    mcchocchoc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    Great, catchy number. It's got a good beat and I can dance to it.

    Here's a longer edit.

     
    mark winstanley, Rne and Zoot Marimba like this.
  11. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    Great babe-you-gonna-pay song, one of my favorite in the album. "Three gold teeth and one glass eye..." :laugh:
    Frank could play nice drum parts.
     
    mcchocchoc and Zoot Marimba like this.
  12. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    I remember being fairly impressed after finding out he played all the instruments.

    And also, damn Of all the songs Jimmy could have been replaced on, it ended up being two of the easiest ones.:laugh:
     
  13. mcchocchoc

    mcchocchoc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    Oh yeah. Very cool drumming.

    [​IMG]
     
    marmalade166, Rne and Zoot Marimba like this.
  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    I don't know if anyone posted it yet, but this is something that always tickled me
     
    Fastnbulbous and Zoot Marimba like this.
  15. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    I was possibly going to post it while covering The Lost Episodes.
     
    Fastnbulbous and mark winstanley like this.
  16. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    sorry mate, it just came to mind
     
    Zoot Marimba likes this.
  17. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Totally fine, it’s still an awesome video and shows you that the man had a mad genius even that early on.
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  18. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    It's funny seeing him without his signature facial hair lol
     
    Zoot Marimba likes this.
  19. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    I know right?
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  20. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    The original 1963 version of 'Fountain of Love' with fuzz bass:



    In his 1988 autobio, Zappa described some of the lyrics of CWRATJ as 'sub-mongoloid', quoting by example the middle 8 of 'Fountain of Love' and commenting:

    'Give me a ****ing break! Is this song about a douche bag or what? Some people take that kind of lyric seriously!'

    before going on to outline his distaste for love lyrics in general as a leading cause of 'bad mental health' in America and climaxing with:

    'It's a subconscious training that creates a desire for an imaginary situation that will never exist for you. People who buy into that kind of mythology go through life feeling that they go cheated out of something'.

    Pretty harsh eh? And yet definitively representative of Zappa's worldview. The brutality of Zappa's take on this song and the anti-romantic manifesto he highlighted it to illustrate always come to my mind when I hear it. And yet I can still enjoy it as an evocation of a dreamy romantic maltshop idyll and not just an 'isn't this stupid' parody. I wonder what (co writer) Ray Collins take on the track was.
     
    Zoot Marimba likes this.
  21. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

  22. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

  23. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Stuff Up The Cracks:

    We conclude the record with Stuff Up The Cracks.
    Another great vocal by Ray, sweet little saxophone solo by I think Motorhead, hilarious lyrics by Frank, Roy,Art, and Jimmy are holding the fort down, and also, the one guitar solo on here, and this to me feels like the Frank we all know and love on guitar, tonally it’s fatter than the first three records, and it’s a cool ass solo.
    And that is Stuff Up The Cracks, a strong closer to this record.

    Cruising With Ruben And The Jets, a fun record to listen to once in a while, even if it’s my least favorite of the Mothers’ records, but the Mothers rule so that’s not saying much. You have Ray Colllins at his absolute best, delivering some swell vocals and writing to this album. There’s the horns-Bunk, Ian, and Motorhead, who capture the feeling of that era so well despite the fact that Bunk and Ian could give a s*** less about doo wop. Art makes a good first impression, although he defintely has better to show later on both with Frank and with Beefheart, and Roy and Jimmy hold the fort down quite well, demonstrating a good feel for the music and while not having the same technical fitneese as Frank’s later rhythm sections, were still tighter than a nun’s ass by most any other standard, which goes for this band as a whole. Don, he and Ian the keyboardist don’t get as much to do here, but they’ll have their time to shine on the next record. Overall, some good clean fun for all your hungry freaks (and well fed squares).
     
  24. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    I think this is one of my favourite songs off the album,it contains that sarcastic wit that resonates with me so much. It is actually a really nice melodic structure and arrangement that steps slightly outside the general feel of the rest of the album
     
    kendo and Zoot Marimba like this.
  25. Rne

    Rne weltschmerz

    Location:
    Malaver
    A great closing track. I just love when Ray harmonizes with himself. The fine, fine super-fine guitar solo is the first one on record with Frank using the wah-wah pedal.
    The remix feature the original tracks but with more horns, double-tracked drums and the guitar solo starts earlier.

    The alternate mix on Greasy Love Songs is a great addition. It's two minutes longer and features a much extended guitar solo (almost two minutes longer than the one on the album).

    It's not a baritone saxophone, it's a tenor, so it must have been Bunk.
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine