NR Essentials #24: The Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money

noisereductions · 07.30.2010, 01:11 PM

The Mothers Of Invention
We're Only In It For The Money
1968, Bizarre Records

For a long long time I assumed that Frank Zappa was somehow both too stuffy (due to his technical playing) and too silly for me (due to his humor-belongs-in-music phase). I have no idea what made me decide to even give him a fair chance. All I remember is that WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY was the only FZ album my library had, so that was the one I first heard. Since then I've become a total convert. I love a lot of his albums: HOT RATS, SHIP ARRIVING TOO LATE TO SAVE A DROWNING WITCH, PICANTIQUE, IMAGINARY DISEASES, etc. But this Mothers' album is the one that just blew me away. I'm not even sure what to say about it, but I'll try.

First of all it's a parody album, but not in a Weird Al kind of way. It pokes fun at the hippy idealism of the day while at the same time embracing the music of the scene. Which means, there are psychedelic hippy songs that would appeal to hippies but the songs are making fun of psychedelic hippy songs... and hippies. Sounds simple right? It's not. See FZ also seems to empathisize with certain aspects of hippy idealism and hits on serious subjects like police brutality. Let me run-down some of my favorite parts of this insane audio-experience:

"Who Needs The Peace Corps?" is briliant with it's visions of a "phony hippy" moving to San Francisco and getting Native American clothes, beads, the shit kicked out of him by the cops and the crabs just to fit in the with rest of the "phoney hippies." So awesome.

"Concentration Moon" sounds like it could've been from YELLOW SUBMARINE. About being happier in the alley than in the valley.

"Mom & Dad" is one of my all time favorite FZ songs EVER. It's sooooooo creepy sounding. A far more apt "protest song" than anything CSN&Y. And the simple bass part that seperates the verses is haunting.

"What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?" is a doo-wop track about ugly minds. Juxtaposes the old-music with the (then) new.

"Flower Punk" is BRILLIANT. OMG. Okay, so he takes the chord progression from "Hey Joe" and the same verse layout and writes a song about a punk heading down to Cisco. Whatever. But then so as not to get sued, he just speeds the tape up. What you have is the groundwork for Ween. It's so amazing sounding.

"Let's Make The Water Turn Black" is so gross. But I guess shows the really nasty side of embracing your body in its natural-ness. Awesome melody though.

Anyway these are just things that standout, but ther'es tons more. The guitar sounds in "Lonely Girl" or the creepy recorded phone call about a dude with a gun in the valley or ..... agh! Whateve. The whole album is crazy and awesome. Get it!

Derek · 07.30.2010, 01:29 PM

Yeah this album is amazing, one of my favourites (and one of the only Zappa albums I thoroughly enjoy).

Count Mecha · 07.30.2010, 01:49 PM

I heard this record for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. Extremely exhausting and incredible in scope, theme, and execution. Magnificent album.

demonrail666 · 07.30.2010, 01:57 PM

Yeah, It's a great album. It was the first Zappa album I heard and bought a load of stuff on the strength of it, but the only one I unreservedly liked was WOiiFtM.

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 07.30.2010, 02:06 PM

this I can recommend.

200 Motels is the single greatest musical film ever produced. I fucking ADORE The Mothers, solo Zappa a bit less, but the Mothers, that is some seriously good shit!

dasx · 07.30.2010, 03:21 PM

I like all Zappa's 60's albums except Cruising with Ruben & Jets. My favourite one's are Uncle Meat and Absolutely Free. There's quite weird stuff on both of those albums (for example, Nine Types of Industrial Pollution and Brown Shoes Don't Make It).

Rob Instigator · 07.30.2010, 03:36 PM

You guys can have it all!

SuperCreep · 07.30.2010, 03:52 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KWPxd9aTvg <3

atsonicpark · 07.30.2010, 04:27 PM

He is too stuffy, and too silly. But his albums with the Mothers are amazing, especially this one.

Also, 200 Motels is a mess but I love it.

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 07.30.2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

He is too stuffy, and too silly. But his albums with the Mothers are amazing, especially this one.

Also, 200 Motels is a mess but I love it.

perfect synopsis!

07.30.2010, 01:11 PM	#1
noisereductions invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New England, USA Posts: 16,210	The Mothers Of Invention We're Only In It For The Money 1968, Bizarre Records For a long long time I assumed that Frank Zappa was somehow both too stuffy (due to his technical playing) and too silly for me (due to his humor-belongs-in-music phase). I have no idea what made me decide to even give him a fair chance. All I remember is that WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY was the only FZ album my library had, so that was the one I first heard. Since then I've become a total convert. I love a lot of his albums: HOT RATS, SHIP ARRIVING TOO LATE TO SAVE A DROWNING WITCH, PICANTIQUE, IMAGINARY DISEASES, etc. But this Mothers' album is the one that just blew me away. I'm not even sure what to say about it, but I'll try. First of all it's a parody album, but not in a Weird Al kind of way. It pokes fun at the hippy idealism of the day while at the same time embracing the music of the scene. Which means, there are psychedelic hippy songs that would appeal to hippies but the songs are making fun of psychedelic hippy songs... and hippies. Sounds simple right? It's not. See FZ also seems to empathisize with certain aspects of hippy idealism and hits on serious subjects like police brutality. Let me run-down some of my favorite parts of this insane audio-experience: "Who Needs The Peace Corps?" is briliant with it's visions of a "phony hippy" moving to San Francisco and getting Native American clothes, beads, the shit kicked out of him by the cops and the crabs just to fit in the with rest of the "phoney hippies." So awesome. "Concentration Moon" sounds like it could've been from YELLOW SUBMARINE. About being happier in the alley than in the valley. "Mom & Dad" is one of my all time favorite FZ songs EVER. It's sooooooo creepy sounding. A far more apt "protest song" than anything CSN&Y. And the simple bass part that seperates the verses is haunting. "What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?" is a doo-wop track about ugly minds. Juxtaposes the old-music with the (then) new. "Flower Punk" is BRILLIANT. OMG. Okay, so he takes the chord progression from "Hey Joe" and the same verse layout and writes a song about a punk heading down to Cisco. Whatever. But then so as not to get sued, he just speeds the tape up. What you have is the groundwork for Ween. It's so amazing sounding. "Let's Make The Water Turn Black" is so gross. But I guess shows the really nasty side of embracing your body in its natural-ness. Awesome melody though. Anyway these are just things that standout, but ther'es tons more. The guitar sounds in "Lonely Girl" or the creepy recorded phone call about a dude with a gun in the valley or ..... agh! Whateve. The whole album is crazy and awesome. Get it! __________________ noisereduxinstalled.weebly.com
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07.30.2010, 01:49 PM	#3
Count Mecha 100% Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ky Posts: 749	I heard this record for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. Extremely exhausting and incredible in scope, theme, and execution. Magnificent album. __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.30.2010, 01:57 PM	#4
demonrail666 invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 18,510	Yeah, It's a great album. It was the first Zappa album I heard and bought a load of stuff on the strength of it, but the only one I unreservedly liked was WOiiFtM.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.30.2010, 02:06 PM	#5
SuchFriendsAreDangerous invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: fucking Los Angeles Posts: 14,801	this I can recommend. 200 Motels is the single greatest musical film ever produced. I fucking ADORE The Mothers, solo Zappa a bit less, but the Mothers, that is some seriously good shit! __________________ Today Rap music is the Lakers
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07.30.2010, 03:21 PM	#6
dasx children of satan Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 307	I like all Zappa's 60's albums except Cruising with Ruben & Jets. My favourite one's are *Uncle Meat* and *Absolutely Free. There's quite weird stuff on both of those albums (for example, Nine Types of Industrial Pollution* and Brown Shoes Don't Make It). __________________ www.soundcloud.com/black-spy www.soundcloud.com/haikala
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07.30.2010, 01:29 PM	#2
Derek invito al cielo Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8,095	Yeah this album is amazing, one of my favourites (and one of the only Zappa albums I thoroughly enjoy).
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07.30.2010, 03:36 PM	#7
Rob Instigator invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In the land of the Instigator Posts: 27,969	You guys can have it all! __________________ RXTT's Intellectual Journey - my new blog where I talk about all the books I read.
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07.30.2010, 03:52 PM	#8
SuperCreep expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: brooklyn Posts: 2,281	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KWPxd9aTvg <3 __________________
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07.30.2010, 04:27 PM	#9
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	He is too stuffy, and too silly. But his albums with the Mothers are amazing, especially this one. Also, 200 Motels is a mess but I love it. __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|