1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #135. Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money (1968)

Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money (1968)

Label – Verve
Producer – Frank Zappa
Art Direction – Cal Schenkel
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 39:04
Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Are You Hung Up
2. Who Needs The Peace Corps
3. Concentration Moon
4. Mom And Dad
5. Bow Tie Daddy
6. Harry You're A Beast
7. What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body
8. Absolutely Free
9. Flower Punk
10. Hot Poop
11. Nasal Retentive Caliope Music
12. Mother People

Another record by Mr Frank Zappa. As I mentioned the other day about the Van Morrison record, perhaps Frank Zappa’s music falls under that category of me just not “getting it.” That said, I know what I like, I know what I feel is good music, and the out of tune ramblings and ever changing rhythms of this music just isn’t very good. So does that mean I don’t get it?? Perhaps it does.
“We're Only in It for the Money” is a experimental rock satirical piece. The album satirizes many aspects of 1960s culture, lampooning the hippies, the conservative establishment, and everything in between. Essentially it is broken up into two halves. The first “side” devoted to satire, and the second “side” to presenting alternatives. The instruments and most of the vocals have been manipulated to produce odd textures and cartoon type voices. The songs are abbreviated, segue into others through edited snippets of music and dialogue, or are broken into fragments by more snippets, consistently interrupting the album's continuity. In short – it’s a mess! Nothing really stood out to me to ever want to hear again, therefore I did not select any tracks as standing out.
First released in 1968 on Verve Records, it was re-released by Rykodisc in 1986 with newly recorded bass and percussion tracks. Parts censored from the original release were also restored. However, subsequent fan demand for the original Verve recording led to its restoration on Rykodisc's 1995 releases and onwards.
The front cover Zappa originally intended to use for the album mimics the cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Zappa's record company decided to put the Sgt. Pepper parody on the inside and a picture of the band on the outside. CD’s featured the original photo restored to the front cover.
The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200. The album was included in Q magazine's list of the "Best Psychedelic Albums of All Time." In 2003, the album was ranked number 296 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
It is not recommended.


You can purchase the CD here

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH 9
Robin Trower, formerly with Procol Harum, is 65;

ON THIS DATE
1974 Bad Company play their first show ever in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
1987 The Joshua Tree by U2 is released
1995 Oasis make their U.S. network T.V. debut on Late Night With David Letterman
2007 Brad Delp of Boston is found dead in his home in Atkinson, New Hampshire. He was 55. His family later stated that Delp had committed suicide. That same day Gene Simmons and Tommy Thayer from Kiss play at Camp Pendleton in California
2010 Valleys Of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix is released

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