Top 5 Frank Zappa Album Discussion/ The "Big Song" - Music

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Wow - thanks all for the info on Zappa. Ignorance probably is my biggest issue with his music. I mean somethings were already clear (hot rats being rock jazz, etc.), but still quite insightful information from a lot of different view points (what worked for others also struggling, why people respect his work, and the playlist).

Winning! But this time for real.

AAL2014

I'm currently playing One Size Fits All for the first time. Definitely another great showing of Frank being Frank and one of his best records where accessibility meets musicality, maybe second only to Overnite Sensation out of the records I've listened to. Some amazing cohesion on some of these tracks like Andy and Inca Roads.

And holy shit,...he's singing in German.
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Attention all planets of the solar federation: We have assumed control.

AAL2014

sethmadsen wrote:

Wow - thanks all for the info on Zappa. Ignorance probably is my biggest issue with his music. I mean somethings were already clear (hot rats being rock jazz, etc.), but still quite insightful information from a lot of different view points (what worked for others also struggling, why people respect his work, and the playlist).

Winning! But this time for real.

Agree with you on all of that.
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Attention all planets of the solar federation: We have assumed control.

RichardSauce

1. Hot Rats
2. Waka/Jawaka
3. Weasels Ripped My Flesh
4. Freak Out
5. One Size Fits All

Jazzy Zappa was always my favorite Zappa, though I did enjoy the mothers taking the piss out of hippies. In regards to what others have already said about his humor, I would agree that it's become much more of a detriment than a plus. Some of it has aged really poorly, particularly from the Sheik Your Booty/Joe's Garage era.

Fischman
RockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMaster

Gender: Male
Location: Land of Enchantment

While I think very highly of Frank Zappa, I also cannot claim to have a complete knowledge of his output. And while at his' best, he's undeniably brilliant, he could also go a bit off the deep end as well.

But at his best, he's a spectacular combination of unique, challenging, and compelling. My top five:

1. Hot Rats
2. Apostrophe
3. Sheik Yerbouti
4. Over-Nite Sensation
5. We're Only In It For the Money

brent13

Gender: Male
Age: 48
Location: Oakland, CA

I never understood the dislike for humor in music. That is like saying humor doesn't belong in love.

My current top 5.

1. Joe's Garage - Act I, II & III
2. You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol 2 - The Helsinki Concert
3. Apostrophe!
4. Hot Rats
5. The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life

RichardSauce

brent13 wrote:

I never understood the dislike for humor in music. That is like saying humor doesn't belong in love.

Oh, I like a lot of humorous music. Just not his. Usually.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

brent13 wrote:

I never understood the dislike for humor in music. That is like saying humor doesn't belong in love.

Humor totally belongs in music.

It's the type of humor. Fart jokes aren't really that funny.

I find the quirkiness or Maxwell's Silver Hammer or this lyric from Paul Simon much more funny, clever. I haven't evaluated everything Mr. Zappa did, but from what I did listen to, it just seemed more like scatological humor, which has it's place and in rare instances I find funny too, but meh, most of the time that's something I left when I left middle school.

"All my life, I've been a wanderer... (dramatic singing)
Not really, I've mostly lived in my parents home."
- Paul Simon.

brent13

Gender: Male
Age: 48
Location: Oakland, CA

Quote:

I haven't evaluated everything Mr. Zappa did, but from what I did listen to, it just seemed more like scatological humor

I'd consider it to be satirical more than scatological. Zappa satirizes hippies, televangelists, Scientology, rock groupies, disc jockeys, rock music writers, President Nixon, and a host of others. Yes, he can be raunchy when joking about bodily fluids and sexual devices, but I think it is far more absurdist than juvenile and compliments the often absurd music. "I can take about an hour on the Tower of Power as long as I gets a little golden shower" is too clever for kids. I'll admit that I have to be in the right mood to listen to Zappa, but when I do I am rarely disappointed.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

brent13 wrote:

Quote:

I haven't evaluated everything Mr. Zappa did, but from what I did listen to, it just seemed more like scatological humor

I'd consider it to be satirical more than scatological. Zappa satirizes hippies, televangelists, Scientology, rock groupies, disc jockeys, rock music writers, President Nixon, and a host of others. Yes, he can be raunchy when joking about bodily fluids and sexual devices, but I think it is far more absurdist than juvenile and compliments the often absurd music. "I can take about an hour on the Tower of Power as long as I gets a little golden shower" is too clever for kids. I'll admit that I have to be in the right mood to listen to Zappa, but when I do I am rarely disappointed.

I've gathered that from his interviews, but have yet to hear it in the music, any examples?