Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
Frank Zappa
is a unique figure in contemporary music. Both offensive and appealing,
his work merges such seemingly opposite elements as classical music,
avant-garde jazz, 1950s doo-wop, and underground rock with bitterly
satirical, outlandish lyrics into what is an unarguably original style.
Through his band, the Mothers of Invention, he has utilized a
purposeful bizarreness to point up the absurdity of contemporary
society. The intensity and intellectual complexity of Zappa's work is
undercut by ribald, tongue-in-cheek humor, which has helped to make him
especially popular with young people. Zappa began his career by
composing orchestral works and chamber music. Until he was twenty-one
he listened exclusively to classical pieces and the works of such
twentieth century composers as Igor Stravinsky and Edgar Varèse, his
biggest influence. It was not until Zappa discovered rhythm and blues
that he began developing his songwriting. In 1964 he formed the first
in a series of Mothers, and in 1967 they released Freak Out, a double
album which both represented and defined the developing counterculture.
His other early albums were also iconoclastic: We're Only in It for the
Money parodied the Beatles's celebrated Sgt. Pepper; and he released
Ruben and the Jets as a classical exercise in doo-wop during the height
of psychedelia. Zappa and the Mothers were the first to effectively
blend rock with theater, making dadaist statements on drugs, war, the
business world, and, especially, sex. In their concerts they encouraged
involvement between band and audience. Zappa used a free-form format,
which often included grotesque elements, to shock his audience into
understanding the depth of their emotions. In 1969 he disbanded the
group due to a combination of expense and public apathy. After the
breakup of the Mothers, Zappa concentrated on record production and
film work. Uncle Meat, his first film, was never released, although it
did yield a soundtrack album. He also began releasing solo albums such
as the instrumental Lumpy Gravy and Hot Rats, which are often
considered his best work. In 1970 Zappa formed a new Mothers to play
the score for his film 200 Motels, a saga of life on the road. The film
received a mixed critical reception, but was awarded cult status by
many young people. Zappa also performed with conductor Zubin Mehta and
the Los Angeles Philharmonic in an effort to combine rock and symphony
material. Recently Zappa has been criticized for his lack of fresh
ideas, especially on Joe's Garage, a fantasy about the rise and fall of
a rock band, and for his overuse of perversity and sophomoric
silliness, as in his film Baby Snakes. For many of his critics, Zappa's
notorious image has transcended his musical efforts; some, however,
have called him a genius who is ahead of his time. Young people have
always been Zappa's most faithful advocates, and have recognized the
imagination he has consistently brought to his work. "My dreams," he
has said, "are limited only by the size of my bank account."- enotes.com
COMPOSITIONS Zappa Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Zappa on Zappa
Alphabetical List
A Vicious Circle (track 5 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
Almost Chinese (track 7 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Amen (track 3 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
Another Pickup (track 11 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
At The Gas Station (track 10 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Aybe Sea (track 11 from “Strickly Genteel”) (2:46)
Aybe Sea (track 7 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (2:46)
Bit Of Nostalgia (track 4 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Bob in Dacron, first movement (track 14 from “Strickly Genteel”) (5:36)
Bob in Dacron (track 2 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2”) (12:12)
Bogus Pomp (track 1 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2”) (24:32)
Bogus Pomp (track 5 from “Orchestral Favorites”) (13:28) (w/material previously found on 200 MOTELS)
Bored Out 90 Over (track 6 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Dog Breath Variations (track 16 from “Strickly Genteel”) (2:06)
Drums Are Too Noisy (track 7 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
Duke of Prunes (track 4 from “Orchestral Favorites”) (4:20) (older version on 1967's ABSOLUTELY FREE)
Duke of Prunes [rock orchestral] (track 10 from “Strickly Genteel”) (4:20)
Duodenum (track 2 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Dupree’s Paradise (track 8 from “Strickly Genteel”) (7:53)
Dupree's Paradise (track 4 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (7:54)
Dwarf Nebula Procession [neo-classic pop + electro-acoustic] (track 7 from “Strickly Genteel”) (2:12)
Envelopes (track 3 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (4:11)
Envelopes The Bath Tub (track 9 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
G-Spot Tornado [progressive rock] (track 13 from “Strickly Genteel”) (3:17)
The Girl in the Magnesium Dress (track 3 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (3:13)
Holiday In Berlin, Full-Blown (track 6 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (6:24)
I Don't Know If I Can Go Through This Again (track 12 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Igor's Boogie, Phase One (track 2 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (0:36)
Igor's Boogie, Phase Two (track 5 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (0:36)
It's From Kansas (track 5 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Jonestown (track 7 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (5:27)
Just One More Time (track 4 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
Kangaroos (track 8 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
King Kong (track 6 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
The Little House I Used To Live In (track 8 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (18:41)
Little Umbrellas [jazz band] (track 5 from “Strickly Genteel”) (3:03)
Love Story (track 5 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (0:59)
Mo 'n Herb's Vacation, First Movement (track 4 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (4:50)
Mo 'n Herb's Vacation, Second Movement (track 5 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (10:05)
Mo 'n Herb's Vacation, Third Movement (track 6 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (12:56)
Naval Aviation Art (track 12 from “Strickly Genteel”) (2:42)
Naval Aviation in Art? (track 2 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (2:45)
Naval Aviation In Art? (track 3 from “Orchestral Favorites”) (1:22)
Oh No (track 3 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Oh No Again (track 9 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Opus 1, No. 4, 2nd movement [baroque/Switched on Bach] (track 15 from “Strickly Genteel”) (3:01)
Opus 1, No. 3, 2 movements [baroque/Switched on Bach] (track 9 from “Strickly Genteel”) (1:50)
Outrage at Valdez (track 4from “Strickly Genteel”) (3:09)
Outside Now Again (track 6 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (4:06)
Overture To A Holiday In Berlin (track 3 from “Burnt Weenie Sandwich”) (1:27)
Pedro’s Dowry (track 3 from “Strickly Genteel”) (7:41)
Pedro's Dowry (track 2 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (10:26)
Pedro's Dowry (track 2 from “Orchestral Favorites”) (7:41)
Penis Dimension (from “200 Motels”) (4:37)
The Perfect Stranger (track 1 from “The Perfect Stranger”) (12:44)
Regyption Strut (track 2 from “Strickly Genteel”) (4:13)
Run Home Slow Theme (track 6 from “Strickly Genteel”) (1:25)
Sad Jane (track 1 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (10:05)
Semi-Fradulent / Direct-From-Hollywood Overture (from “200 Motels” (2:01)
Sinister Footwear, ballet (premiere, 1984) (25:00)
Strictly Genteel (track 1 from “Orchestral Favorites”) (7:03) (older version on 1971's 200 MOTELS)
Strictly Genteel (track 3 from “London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1”) (6:53)
Strictly Genteel [orchestral pop/rock] (track track 18 from “Strickly Genteel”) (6:57)
Switching Girls (track 8 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
Take Your Clothes Off (track 10 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
Uncle Meat - neo-tonal (track 17 from “Strickly Genteel”) (2:51)
Uncle Meat: Main Title (track 1 from “Strickly Genteel”) (1:55)
Very Distraughtening (track 1 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
The Way I See It, Barry (track 1 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 1)
White Ugliness (track 2 from “Lumpy Gravy, Part 2)
The Yellow Shark Overture (1992) (9:30)
"Classical" Discography
Lumpy Gravy (1968)
- Lumpy Gravy, Part One (15:48)
- The Way I See It, Barry
- Duodenum
- Oh No
- Bit Of Nostalgia
- It's From Kansas
- Bored Out 90 Over
- Almost Chinese
- Switching Girls
- Oh No Again
- At The Gas Station
- Another Pickup
- I Don't Know If I Can Go Through This Again
- Lumpy Gravy, Part Two (15:51)
- Very Distraughtening
- White Ugliness
- Amen
- Just One More Time
- A Vicious Circle
- King Kong
- Drums Are Too Noisy
- Kangaroos
- Envelops The Bath Tub
- Take Your Clothes Off
The Capitol version of this album had these titles:
Side One:
Tableaux
I Sink Trap
II Gum Joy
III Up and Down
IV Local Butcher
Side Two
Tableaux
V Gypsy Airs
VI Hunchy Punchy
VII Foamy Soaky
VIII Let's Eat Out
IX Teen-age Grand Finale
Burnt Weenie Sandwich (1969)
- WPLJ (2:52)
- Igor's Boogie, Phase One (0:36)
- Overture To A Holiday In Berlin (1:27)
- Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich (4:32)
- Igor's Boogie, Phase Two (0:36)
- Holiday In Berlin, Full-Blown (6:24)
- Aybe Sea (2:46)
- The Little House I Used To Live In (18:41)
- Valarie (3:15)
200 Motels (1971)
Disc One:
- Semi-Fradulent / Direct-From-Hollywood Overture (2:01)
- Mystery Roach (2:32)
- Dance of the Rock & Roll Interviewers (0:48)
- This Town is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich (prologue) (0:55)
- Tuna Fish Promenade (2:29)
- Dance of the Just Plain Folks (4:40)
- This Town is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich (reprise) (0:58)
- The Sealed Tuna Bolero (1:40)
- Lonesome Cowboy Burt (3:54)
- Touring Can Make You Crazy (2:54)
- Would You Like a Snack? (1:23)
- Redneck Eats (3:02)
- Centerville (2:31)
- She Painted Up Her Face (1:41)
- Janet's Big Dance Number (1:18)
- Half a Dozen Provocative Squats (1:57)
- Mysterioso (0:48)
- Shove it Right In (2:32)
- Lucy's Seduction of a Bored Violinist & Postlude (4:01)
Disc Two:
- I'm Stealing the Towels (2:15)
- Dental Hygiene Dilemma (5:11)
- Does This Kind of Life Look Interesting To You? (2:59)
- Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (3:11)
- Penis Dimension (4:37)
- What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (3:29)
- A Nun Suite Painted On Some Old Boxes (1:08)
- Magic Fingers (3:53)
- Motorhead's Midnight Ranch (1:28)
- Dew On The Newts We Got (1:09)
- The Lad Searches the Night for his Newts (0:41)
- The Girl Wants to Fix Him Some Broth (1:10)
- The Girl's Dream (0:54)
- Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce (1:00)
- Strictly Genteel (the finale) (11:08)
Orchestral Favorites (1979)
- Stricktly Genteel (7:04)
- Pedro's Dowry (7:41)
- Naval Aviation In Art (1:22)
- Duke Of Prunes (4:20)
- Bogus Pomp (13:27)
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1 (1983)
- Sad Jane (10:05)
- Pedro's Dowry (10:26)
- Envelopes (4:11)
- Mo 'n Herb's Vacation
- First Movement (4:50)
- Second Movement (10:05)
- Third Movement (12:56)
The Perfect Stranger (1984) ["Boulez Conducts Zappa"]
- The Perfect Stranger (12:44)
- Naval Aviation in Art? (2:45)
- The Girl in the Magnesium Dress (3:13)
- Dupree's Paradise (7:54)
- Love Story (0:59)
- Outside Now Again (4:06)
- Jonestown (5:27)
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2 (1987)
- Bogus Pomp (24:32)
- Bob in Dacron (12:12)
- Strictly Genteel (6:53)
The Yellow Shark (1993)
- Intro (1:43)
- Dog Breath Variations (2:06)
- Uncle Meat (3:24)
- Outrage At Valdez (3:27)
- Times Beach II (7:30)
- III Revisited (1:44)
- The Girl In The Magnesium Dress (4:33)
- Be-Bop Tango (3:43)
- Ruth Is Sleeping (6:06)
- None Of The Above (2:06)
- Pentagon Afternoon (2:27)
- Questi Cazzi Di Piccione (3:02)
- Times Beach III (4:25)
- Food Gathering In Post Undustrial America, 1992 (2:48)
- Welcome To The United States (6:41)
- Pound For A Brown (3:41)
- Exercise # 4 (1:37)
- Get Whitey (7:00)
- G-Spot Tornado (3:20)
Strictly Genteel (1997)
- Uncle Meat (1:55)
- Regyption Strut (4:13)
- Pedro’s Dowry (7:41)
- Outrage at Valdez (3:09)
- Little Umbrellas (3:03)
- Run Home Slow Theme (1:25)
- Dwarf Nebula Procession (2:12)
- Dupree’s Paradise (7:53)
- Opus 1, No. 3, 2 movements (1:50)
- Duke of Prunes (4:20)
- Aybe Sea (2:46)
- Naval Aviation Art (2:42)
- G-Spot Tornado (3:17)
- Bob in Dacron, first movement (5:36)
- Opus 1, No. 4, 2nd movement (3:01)
- Dog Breath Variations (2:06)
- Uncle Meat (2:51)
- Strictly Genteel (6:57)
WORKS BY GENRE Zappa Links ~ ~ ~ Zappa on Zappa ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Dramatic/Theater
Orchestra
Band
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Chorus w/Orchestra
Choral
Chamber
Solo Instrument
Piano
Vocal
Incidental/Film
Electronic
ZAPPA LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Zappa on Zappa ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Composer's website . . . inquire about Frank Zappa:
Zappa @ Wikipedia
Zappa @ Answers.com
Zappa @ Classical Archives
Zappa @ Classical Composers Database
Zappa @ ClassicsToday
Zappa @ composition:today
Zappa @ Dilettante Music
Zappa @ Facebook (1)
Zappa @ Facebook (2)
Zappa @ Facebook (3)
Zappa @ Frank Zappa's Musical Language
Zappa @ hotshotdigital
Zappa @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Zappa @ InstantEncore
Zappa @ MusicWeb International
Zappa @ musicianguide.com
Zappa @ MySpaceMusic
Zappa @ Naxos
Zappa @ The New York Times
Zappa @ NNDB
Publisher
Zappa @ Frank Zappa Music/Munchkin Music Co. [Barfko-Swill, distributor]
Zappa @ Hal Leonard
Zappa @ Music Sales
Streaming Audio
Zappa @ Classical Archives
Zappa @ last.fm
Zappa @ MySpaceMusic
Zappa @ NPRmusic
Zappa @ PRX (Public Radio Exchange)
Zappa @ Rhapsody
Recordings
Zappa @ ArkivMusic
Zappa @ ClassicsOnline
Zappa @ Discogs
Video
Zappa @ YouTube
Zappa @ Google Video
Zappa @ Vimeo
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Zappa on Zappa: Radio Interview 1972 (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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