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Awesoreno View Drop Down
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    Posted: May 07 2020 at 13:09
Zappa is a polarizing character, on and off this site. I personally went from a minor fan to a major fanatic. Since he has many different kinds of tunes, I wanted to see what people like and don't like, and maybe if there's a consensus. I hope to take some of these results and make two polls (for favorites and least favorites).

So please, send your favorite and/or least favorite compositions, 5 at the most for each (don't want to flood this thing). It may be difficult to narrow it down if you really like/don't like his work (I personally find it too hard, so I will abstain, if not to also remain unbiased for the polls). 

Please also specify what version of that composition you like/dislike the most. As you may know, he has adapted many of his compositions over the years, which is one of my favorite things about his performances. For instance, I'm not much of a fan of the original Pound for a Brown recording off of Uncle Meat because I don't really enjoy the recording techniques used during that first Mothers line-up (with the pitched-up winds), but I much prefer later versions, like the one off of Live at the Hammersmith, released posthumously. I want to know the ultimate/worst version of this piece. Everything is on the table, including his exclusively classical compositions.
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CarbonCassette View Drop Down
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I don't know a lot of Zappa either, but I will say "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" is a hilarious song haha.
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Mirakaze View Drop Down
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I actually love the original Pound For A Brown; I actually rank a different version of it on the same album ("The Legend Of The Golden Arches") as one of my favourite Zappa tracks. Off the top of my head, "Inca Roads" , "Echidna's Arf", "The Dog Breath Variations" and "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" are four other compositions of his that I absolutely adore.

On the other hand, I also find a depressing amount of his music from the late 70s and early 80s to be so vile and embittered as to be virtually unlistenable. If he has ever written a song that's worse than "Jewish Princess" then I'd really hate to hear it...


Edited by Mirakaze - May 07 2020 at 17:01
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Least favorite is easy for me...really another off of Cruisin' With Ruben & The Jets. I'll just choose five songs at random from that: Jelly Roll Gum Drop, Love Of My Life, Anything, Fountain Of Love, Cheap Thrills.

Most favorite is definitely much more difficult. I'll attempt with the following: G-Spot Tornado, Inca Roads, Didja Get Any Onya?, When Yuppies Go To Hell, Eat That Question
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Manuel View Drop Down
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Since his discography is quite large, it is hard to point out likes or dislikes, specially since some songs are quite different in studio albums and live albums. I will have to think really hard on this one before I can make a list.   
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Favorites
Inca Roads
The Grand Wazoo
Zomby Woof
Alien Orifice
Black Napkins

I don't like 50% of his stuff...First six albums, 200 Motels, The Man from Utopia, Ship arriving..., Thing Fish, Jazz From Hell, etc.

What is good is fierce, otherwise not good.
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YESESIS View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Awesoreno Awesoreno wrote:

Zappa is a polarizing character, on and off this site. I personally went from a minor fan to a major fanatic. Since he has many different kinds of tunes, I wanted to see what people like and don't like, and maybe if there's a consensus. I hope to take some of these results and make two polls (for favorites and least favorites).

So please, send your favorite and/or least favorite compositions, 5 at the most for each (don't want to flood this thing). It may be difficult to narrow it down if you really like/don't like his work (I personally find it too hard, so I will abstain, if not to also remain unbiased for the polls). 

Please also specify what version of that composition you like/dislike the most. As you may know, he has adapted many of his compositions over the years, which is one of my favorite things about his performances. For instance, I'm not much of a fan of the original Pound for a Brown recording off of Uncle Meat because I don't really enjoy the recording techniques used during that first Mothers line-up (with the pitched-up winds), but I much prefer later versions, like the one off of Live at the Hammersmith, released posthumously. I want to know the ultimate/worst version of this piece. Everything is on the table, including his exclusively classical compositions.


Haha, same. Real easy to do with that guy no?

Ok, I listed some favorites already here.. (3rd post down)

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=122690


For least favorite I'll go with the whole album of Thing-Fish.
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Favorites:

The Black Page #2 (Zappa in New York)
Echidna's Arf (of you) (Roxy)
Sinister Footwear II (Them or Us)
Keep it Greasy (Joe's Garage 2)
Watermelon in Easter Hay (Joe's Garage 2)

Not favored:

All of Freak Out
Bobby Brown Goes down (Sheik Yerboutu)
Elvis Has Just Left the Building (Broadway the Hardway)
I Don't Even Care (Mothers of Prevention)
Jumbo Go Away (U R ? U Iz)


Edited by Tapfret - May 07 2020 at 18:20

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siLLy puPPy View Drop Down
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Favorite: Valley Girl
Least Favorite: Anything off Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar

Big smile

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Most:

Little Umbrellas
Uncle Meat: Main Title Theme
King Kong I-VI
Strictly Genteel
Beat the Reaper
Shut Up and..

Least:

Billy the Mountain
Playground Psychotics (most of it)
Thing-Fish (all of it)
Sheik and Joe's have some great but plenty of bad stuff also.
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Barbu View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Man With Hat Man With Hat wrote:

Least favorite is easy for me...really another off of Cruisin' With Ruben & The Jets. I'll just choose five songs at random from that: Jelly Roll Gum Drop, Love Of My Life, Anything, Fountain Of Love, Cheap Thrills.

Come on, Hat, that stuff is completely hilarious (the singing, backing vox and lyrics).

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YESESIS View Drop Down
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I just want to add that my very favorite Frank stuff is when he just basically goes into a trance-like state playing the guitar for a long period of time.. and I could just listen to that for hours. Really no other music artist that has quite the same effect on me.
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Barbu View Drop Down
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^ couldn't agree more.
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Originally posted by Manuel Manuel wrote:

Since his discography is quite large, it is hard to point out likes or dislikes, specially since some songs are quite different in studio albums and live albums. I will have to think really hard on this one before I can make a list.   

I actually chose this for this topic BECAUSE it could be quite difficult. It also might give his listenership a boost. Some people might read this and really despise him, but could change their mind after they hear some tracks or versions they've never heard before. Or maybe a fan of only one period will expand their horizons a bit. Who knows what could happen?
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Originally posted by Barbu Barbu wrote:

Originally posted by Man With Hat Man With Hat wrote:

Least favorite is easy for me...really another off of Cruisin' With Ruben & The Jets. I'll just choose five songs at random from that: Jelly Roll Gum Drop, Love Of My Life, Anything, Fountain Of Love, Cheap Thrills.

Come on, Hat, that stuff is completely hilarious (the singing, backing vox and lyrics).

 

Haha...I guess the joke is just lost on me. I don't get any humor in it...it plays much more like an homage than a parody to my ears. I also find the lyrics just to be dull and if meant as a joke play much too close to actual lyrics of the time period for me to find them funny (they don't come off as ironic to my ears, for example). 
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Awesoreno View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Favorites
Inca Roads
The Grand Wazoo
Zomby Woof
Alien Orifice
Black Napkins

I don't like 50% of his stuff...First six albums, 200 Motels, The Man from Utopia, Ship arriving..., Thing Fish, Jazz From Hell, etc.

What is good is fierce, otherwise not good.


Not big on Utopia, but Ship Arriving actually has some good stuff on it. Specifically Envelopes and Drowning Witch. The latter is one of his most complicated pieces, similar to the dense stuff on Alien Orifice (I like that one too, great pick). It's goofy, but I really admire it when he combines compositional craziness with some tongue-in-cheek stuff. Helps remind us to never take anything too seriously. Another couple of tracks that do that are The Blue Light and Tinseltown Rebellion (the former transitions to the latter). I used to be kind of bored by these, but it took a couple listens for me to actually pay attention and hear the impressive stuff.
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Originally posted by siLLy puPPy siLLy puPPy wrote:

Favorite: Valley Girl
Least Favorite: Anything off Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar

Big smile
 

This is interesting. 

Do you dislike the other guitar oriented albums as well or is there something just about Shut up that doesn't do it for you?
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Tendiwa View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Mirakaze Mirakaze wrote:

[...] If he has ever written a song that's worse than "Jewish Princess" then I'd really hate to hear it...
No man, that's a fun song!

Some favourites in extra random order: Lemme That You To The Beach, Stink Foot, Why Does It Hurt When I Pee, The Illinois Enema Bandit, Tell Me You Love Me, Flakes, Trouble Every Day, I'm The Slime, Cheepnis, Po-Jama People, Dangerous Kitchen, Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel... I can go on for ever.

I don't really like Sharleena though!


Edited by Tendiwa - May 09 2020 at 10:09
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Favorite: Camarillo Brillo

Least: I don't really have any least favorites just ones that I don't want to hear at the time.
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I guess my favourite is "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny" (an uncanny piece of musique concrete at the end of We're Only in It for the Money). Usually I find his early work with the Mothers of Invention the most interesting.

Least favourite: "Sharleena" I guess (in the version found on the outtakes compilation The Lost Episodes, mainly because it is too long, and I think it lacks the compositionaly creativity of his best work). Apart from that, I admit I do have some issues with a classic like "Bobby Brown", and that is mainly because of the lyrics. I like it musically though.


Edited by The Anders - May 08 2020 at 06:42
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