Absolutely Free is the second album by American rock band the Mothers of Invention, released on May 26, 1967, by Verve Records. Much like their 1966 debut Freak Out!, the album is a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of woodwinds player Bunk Gardner, keyboardistDon Preston, rhythm guitaristJim Fielder, and drummerBilly Mundi; Fielder quit the group before the album was released, and his name was removed from the album credits.
The album's emphasis is on interconnected movements, as each side of the original vinyl LP comprises a mini-suite. It also features one of the most famous songs of frontman Frank Zappa's early career, "Brown Shoes Don't Make It", a track which has been described as a "condensed two-hour musical".[attribution needed][15]
In the book Necessity Is..., former Mothers of Invention band member Ray Collins said that Absolutely Free is probably his favorite of the classic Mothers albums.[16]
Reissuesedit
The CD reissue adds, between sides one and two, two songs that were featured on a rare Verve single of the time. The songs from the single, "Why Dontcha Do Me Right?" (titled "Why Don't You Do Me Right" on the 45) and "Big Leg Emma", were both described as "an attempt to make dumb music to appeal to dumb teenagers".[17]
The UK-67 release (Verve VLP/SVLP 9174) came in a laminated flip-back cover, with a Mike Raven poem at the reverse that was not on any other issue.
"Plastic People" begins with a mock introduction of the President of the United States, who (along with his wife) can only recite the opening notes to "Louie, Louie". "Louie, Louie" is often interpolated in Zappa's compositions (other examples appear in the Uncle Meat and Yellow Shark albums, among others), and when Zappa first began performing "Plastic People" around 1965, the words were set to the tune of "Louie, Louie".
The title of "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" was inspired by an event covered by Time reporter Hugh Sidey in 1966. The reporter correctly guessed something was wrong when the fastidiously dressed President Lyndon B. Johnson made the fashion faux pas of wearing brown shoes with a gray suit. LBJ flew to Vietnam for a surprise public relations visit later that day.
In the songs "America Drinks" and "America Drinks and Goes Home", Zappa combines a silly tune with nightclub sound effects to parody his experiences playing with drunken lounge music bands during the early 1960s. Other songs recorded soon after that used the same kinds of ideas include "On with the Show" by the Rolling Stones (released in 1967), "My Friend" by Jimi Hendrix (recorded in 1968, released in 1971) and "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" by the Beatles (recorded in 1967 and 1969, released in 1970).
It is not unusual to find melodies or scores from other composers within the music of Frank Zappa. Absolutely Free is full of musical references to other compositions and artists, including Igor Stravinsky.[18]
For example, "Amnesia Vivace" begins with a collage of quotations from Stravinsky ballets: first, the band plays the "Ritual Action of the Ancestors" from The Rite of Spring, Part II; then harpsichord and chattering voices evoke the pounding Dance of the Adolescents in Part I, over which sax and Zappa's voice start quoting the bassoon melody at the very opening of the Rite and continue into the lyrical Berceuse (also for bassoon) at the end of Stravinsky's The Firebird. The opening sequence of Petrouchka is quoted in the middle section of "Status Back Baby". "Soft-Sell Conclusion" ends with a version of the trombone melody that opens Stravinsky's "Marche Royale" from The Soldier's Tale.
The "Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin", in the beginning of the saxophone solo (first cadence) quotes the trio directly from the fourth movement of Gustav Holst's The Planets, Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity.
The melody to "The Duke of Prunes" is the love theme from Zappa's own film score to Run Home Slow.
Track listingedit
All tracks are written by Frank Zappa
Side one: "Absolutely Free" (#1 in a Series of Underground Oratorios)
Herb Cohen – cash register machine sounds on "America Drinks & Goes Home"
Terry Gilliam, girlfriend and others – voices in "America Drinks & Goes Home"
Note
(Jim Sherwood was credited as a member of The Mothers on the album's original release, but he actually joined the band during the recording of We're Only in It for the Money, and he isn't featured on this album.)
^jimmy, praise (26 May 2013). "Review: The Mothers of Invention - Absolutely Free". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
^Cavanagh, David. . uncut.co.uk. Uncut. Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
^Christgau, Robert (20 December 1976). "Christgau's Consumer Guide to 1967". The Village Voice. New York. p. 69. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^Couture, François. "Brown Shoes Don't Make It - The Mothers of Invention,Frank Zappa | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
^James, Billy (2002). Necessity Is: The Early Years of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. p. 51. ISBN9780946719518.
^Keeley, Matt (3 December 2018). "Frank Zappa and the Mothers' 'Absolutely Free' Finds a Way Around the Sophomore Slump". Kittysneezes. from the original on 8 August 2020.
^Mandell, Allan (November 1973). "Frank Zappa likes Stravinsky: an interview".
External linksedit
Lyrics and information
Release details
December 15, 2023
absolutely, free, this, article, about, album, canadian, band, band, song, frank, zappa, song, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, possibly, . This article is about the album For the Canadian band see Absolutely Free band For the song by Frank Zappa see Absolutely Free song This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed April 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Absolutely Free news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Absolutely Free is the second album by American rock band the Mothers of Invention released on May 26 1967 by Verve Records Much like their 1966 debut Freak Out the album is a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire The band had been augmented since Freak Out by the addition of woodwinds player Bunk Gardner keyboardist Don Preston rhythm guitarist Jim Fielder and drummer Billy Mundi Fielder quit the group before the album was released and his name was removed from the album credits Absolutely FreeStudio album by the Mothers of InventionReleasedMay 26 1967 1967 05 26 RecordedNovember 15 18 1966March 6 1967 1 2 StudioTTG Studios Los AngelesGenreAvant garde rock 3 avant pop 4 Length38 29LabelVerveProducerTom WilsonFrank Zappa chronologyFreak Out 1966 Absolutely Free 1967 Lumpy Gravy 1967 The Mothers of Invention chronologyFreak Out 1966 Absolutely Free 1967 We re Only in It for the Money 1968 Singles from Absolutely Free Son of Suzy Creamcheese Released 1967Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 5 Encyclopedia of Popular Music 6 The Great Rock Discography8 10 7 Kerrang 8 MusicHound Rock The Essential Album Guide 9 OndaRock9 10 10 The Rolling Stone Album Guide 11 Sputnikmusic5 5 12 Uncut8 10 13 The Village VoiceB 14 Contents 1 Overview 2 Reissues 3 Music 4 Cultural references 5 Track listing 6 Personnel 7 Charts 8 References 9 External linksOverview editThe album s emphasis is on interconnected movements as each side of the original vinyl LP comprises a mini suite It also features one of the most famous songs of frontman Frank Zappa s early career Brown Shoes Don t Make It a track which has been described as a condensed two hour musical attribution needed 15 In the book Necessity Is former Mothers of Invention band member Ray Collins said that Absolutely Free is probably his favorite of the classic Mothers albums 16 Reissues editThe CD reissue adds between sides one and two two songs that were featured on a rare Verve single of the time The songs from the single Why Dontcha Do Me Right titled Why Don t You Do Me Right on the 45 and Big Leg Emma were both described as an attempt to make dumb music to appeal to dumb teenagers 17 The UK 67 release Verve VLP SVLP 9174 came in a laminated flip back cover with a Mike Raven poem at the reverse that was not on any other issue Music editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Plastic People begins with a mock introduction of the President of the United States who along with his wife can only recite the opening notes to Louie Louie Louie Louie is often interpolated in Zappa s compositions other examples appear in the Uncle Meat and Yellow Shark albums among others and when Zappa first began performing Plastic People around 1965 the words were set to the tune of Louie Louie The title of Brown Shoes Don t Make It was inspired by an event covered by Time reporter Hugh Sidey in 1966 The reporter correctly guessed something was wrong when the fastidiously dressed President Lyndon B Johnson made the fashion faux pas of wearing brown shoes with a gray suit LBJ flew to Vietnam for a surprise public relations visit later that day In the songs America Drinks and America Drinks and Goes Home Zappa combines a silly tune with nightclub sound effects to parody his experiences playing with drunken lounge music bands during the early 1960s Other songs recorded soon after that used the same kinds of ideas include On with the Show by the Rolling Stones released in 1967 My Friend by Jimi Hendrix recorded in 1968 released in 1971 and You Know My Name Look Up the Number by the Beatles recorded in 1967 and 1969 released in 1970 Cultural references editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message It is not unusual to find melodies or scores from other composers within the music of Frank Zappa Absolutely Free is full of musical references to other compositions and artists including Igor Stravinsky 18 For example Amnesia Vivace begins with a collage of quotations from Stravinsky ballets first the band plays the Ritual Action of the Ancestors from The Rite of Spring Part II then harpsichord and chattering voices evoke the pounding Dance of the Adolescents in Part I over which sax and Zappa s voice start quoting the bassoon melody at the very opening of the Rite and continue into the lyrical Berceuse also for bassoon at the end of Stravinsky s The Firebird The opening sequence of Petrouchka is quoted in the middle section of Status Back Baby Soft Sell Conclusion ends with a version of the trombone melody that opens Stravinsky s Marche Royale from The Soldier s Tale The Invocation amp Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin in the beginning of the saxophone solo first cadence quotes the trio directly from the fourth movement of Gustav Holst s The Planets Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity The melody to The Duke of Prunes is the love theme from Zappa s own film score to Run Home Slow Track listing editAll tracks are written by Frank ZappaSide one Absolutely Free 1 in a Series of Underground Oratorios No TitleLength1 Plastic People 3 402 The Duke of Prunes 2 123 Amnesia Vivace 1 014 The Duke Regains His Chops 1 455 Call Any Vegetable 2 196 Invocation amp Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin instrumental 6 577 Soft Sell Conclusion 1 40 Side two The M O I American Pageant 2 in a Series of Underground Oratorios No TitleLength1 America Drinks 1 522 Status Back Baby 2 523 Uncle Bernie s Farm 2 094 Son of Suzy Creamcheese 1 335 Brown Shoes Don t Make It 7 266 America Drinks amp Goes Home 2 43 2017 Reissue Bonus RecordNo TitleLength1 Absolutely Free Radio Ad 1 1 012 Why Don tcha Do Me Right 2 393 Big Leg Emma 2 324 Absolutely Free Radio Ad 2 1 015 Glutton for Punishment 0 246 America Drinks 1969 Re Mix 1 557 Brown Shoes Don t Make It 1969 Re Mix 7 278 America Drinks amp Go Home 1969 Re Mix 2 42 CD ReissueNo TitleLength1 Plastic People 3 422 The Duke of Prunes 2 133 Amnesia Vivace 1 014 The Duke Regains His Chops 1 525 Call Any Vegetable 2 156 Invocation amp Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin 7 007 Soft Sell Conclusion 1 408 Big Leg Emma 2 319 Why Don tcha Do Me Right 2 3710 America Drinks 1 5311 Status Back Baby 2 5412 Uncle Bernie s Farm 2 1013 Son of Suzy Creamcheese 1 3414 Brown Shoes Don t Make It 7 3015 America Drinks amp Goes Home 2 45Personnel editThe Mothers of Invention Frank Zappa guitar conductor vocals Jimmy Carl Black drums vocals Ray Collins vocals tambourine harmonica Roy Estrada bass vocals Billy Mundi drums percussion Don Preston keyboards Jim Fielder Uncredited guitar piano Bunk Gardner woodwindsAdditional musicians Suzy Creamcheese Lisa Cohen vocals on Brown Shoes Don t Make It John Balkin bass on Invocation amp Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin and America Drinks Jim Getzoff violin on Brown Shoes Don t Make It Marshall Sosson violin on Brown Shoes Don t Make It Alvin Dinkin viola on Brown Shoes Don t Make It Armand Kaproff cello on Brown Shoes Don t Make It Don Ellis trumpet on Brown Shoes Don t Make It John Rotella contrabass clarinet on Brown Shoes Don t Make It Herb Cohen cash register machine sounds on America Drinks amp Goes Home Terry Gilliam girlfriend and others voices in America Drinks amp Goes Home Note Jim Sherwood was credited as a member of The Mothers on the album s original release but he actually joined the band during the recording of We re Only in It for the Money and he isn t featured on this album Production Frank Zappa producer arranger layout design cover art collage liner notes Tom Wilson producer Val Valentin director of engineering Ami Hadani engineer David Greene remixing Doug Sax mastering Ferenc Dobronyi cover design Cal Schenkel cover design Alice Ochs cover photo artwork Jerry Deiter photographyCharts editYear Chart Position1967 Billboard 200 41References edit FZ Chronology 1965 69 Donlope 2001 Retrieved July 11 2023 Ulrich Charles May 13 2018 The Big Note A Guide to the Recordings of Frank Zappa New Star Books ISBN 1 554201 46 2 Reed Ryan 4 July 2020 Top 25 American Classic Rock Bands of the 60s Ultimate Classic Rock Retrieved 7 March 2021 Grimstad Paul September 2007 What is Avant Pop Brooklyn Rail Retrieved 1 October 2016 Huey Steve Absolutely Free The Mothers of Invention AllMusic Retrieved 26 June 2011 Larkin Colin 2002 Encyclopedia of Popular Music 4th ed Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0857125958 Strong Martin C 1998 The Great Rock Discography 1st ed Canongate Books ISBN 978 0 86241 827 4 Henderson Paul 28 January 1989 Slippery Customers Kerrang No 223 p 18 ISSN 0262 6624 Gary Graff ed 1996 MusicHound Rock The Essential Album Guide 1st ed London Visible Ink Press ISBN 978 0 7876 1037 1 Marchini Massimo Frank Zappa OndaRock in Italian Retrieved 7 March 2021 Sheffield Rob 2004 Frank Zappa In Brackett Nathan Hoard Christian eds The New Rolling Stone Album Guide 4th ed London Fireside Books ISBN 0 7432 0169 8 Retrieved October 24 2020 jimmy praise 26 May 2013 Review The Mothers of Invention Absolutely Free Sputnikmusic Retrieved 7 March 2021 Cavanagh David Frank Zappa The Mothers of Invention reissues uncut co uk Uncut Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 25 December 2016 Christgau Robert 20 December 1976 Christgau s Consumer Guide to 1967 The Village Voice New York p 69 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Couture Francois Brown Shoes Don t Make It The Mothers of Invention Frank Zappa Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic Retrieved 8 December 2013 James Billy 2002 Necessity Is The Early Years of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention p 51 ISBN 9780946719518 Keeley Matt 3 December 2018 Frank Zappa and the Mothers Absolutely Free Finds a Way Around the Sophomore Slump Kittysneezes Archived from the original on 8 August 2020 Mandell Allan November 1973 Frank Zappa likes Stravinsky an interview External links editLyrics and information Release details The Meaning of Cordovans reporter Hugh Sidey recalls the event when he saw Lyndon B Johnson wearing the wrong shoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Absolutely Free amp oldid 1180350540, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
