We're Only In It For The Money

I'm so confused. The first Mothers of Invention album I got made me so irrationally angry. But then I got "Hot Rats", and I found it one of the greatest things I'd ever heard. I thought I just liked Zappa instrumentally and that was it. But no, actuality, I really enjoyed the Mothers this time around. I feel like the jokes worked a lot better here. An acquired taste?

satire is cool

Hi i'm Jimmy Carl Black and I'm the Indian of the group Prefs: Who Needs The Peace Corps?, Concentration Moon, Mom & Dad, Bow Tie Daddy, Harry, You're a Beast, What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body?, Absolutely Free, Flower Punk, Let's Make the Water Turn Black, The Idiot Bastard Son, Lonely Little Girl, Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance, What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body (Reprise), Mother People Moins pref: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music

Review - much much better than the earlier Mothers of Invention album I had to listen to. Still not really my sort of thing, complex but a little boring. A few bits where I could see the influence on Serj Tankian very clearly. Score - 6/10 Need to listen? YES

So bizarre but I didn't hate it. 3/5

I like to believe that this was the pinnacle of psychedelic schizophrenic music in the 60’s

I swear to god I heard the Minions on this thing

Should this album be on this list? Absolutely! Will you ever need to listen to it again? No, not really.

It was fun and funky. Probably wouldn’t listen again, but I liked hearing some of the backstory from my dad

Okay

Much better than their other album that’s on the list

I feel like this album contained some of the most annoying songs I have ever heard, but it also had some quite cool and clearly innovative moments. That opening track sounded like ASMR and there were bits throughout with a lot of vision and excitement. Don't really know where that leaves me so will say 3

Delightfully weird but not sure I'll be listening regularly

not my fav zap

For 1968 this is really creative. Today it wouldn't be.

I'm generally a fan of Zappa, but wasn't too fond of this album. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace for it.

Aceitavel

Frank Zappa is *sui generis* (thank goodness? - lol). I was aware of him from a young age, because (of course!) Mombo & Granddad had a couple of his albums (I wonder who bought them? Probably Mombo? Maybe I'll ask Granddad -- Granddad told me that the connection might have been drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who played with Zappa, although not on this album - Dunbar was a judge at the Collegiate Jazz Festival when Granddad was the faculty sponsor there, and met Dunbar, which might somehow have led to the albums appearing at our house). I was mostly attracted (as a kid) by the funky cover art (still have the albums - might send a photo). I think I tried to listen to the music when I was a kid, but was . . . mystified? Not very interested? Both? And, I guess, I haven't shifted from that position too much. Mombo also gave me a "classical" album, Boulez Conducts Zappa, when I was in college (I think), so I guess Zappa was considered a (semi-)serious composer, in avant-garde classical circles. ANYWAY, I can't claim to particularly love or enjoy *this* album that we're now rating (which somehow feels less like music than . . . an experience, or a theatrical performance . . . or, I don't know what; like I said, sui generis). But very glad that it exists, if only as a time capsule window into a certain segment of 1968 avant-garde/hippiedom (with a small but memorable connection to my childhood), and a celebration of non-mainstream weirdo free expression. So, yeah, still have the albums; will try to remember to send a pic. And, oh yeah, 3 stars.

Fun upbeat lively spoof album, short songs with strong messages

I guess there weren't a lot of options other than the pride of Lancaster, California if you were into this kind of thing in 1968. My slight fascination with Frank Zappa as a person rather than a recording artist continues after listening to this. But godspeed to anyone who like really really digs this.

Album #102, The Mothers of Invention, We’re Only in It for the Money, ⭐⭐⭐ I’ve read a lot more about Frank Zappa than I’ve ever listened to him. I’ve seen interviews, read his views and listened to his opinions while having only ever really heard parts of Hot Rats and Apostrophe. His discography always felt quite dense and a little confusing to me. So this was my first full album of his and, as the title suggests, it’s one of the most cynical albums I’ve ever heard. It’s as cynical in its own way as something like The Downward Spiral. It’s a bleak, depressing album. The Mothers of Invention completely tear the flower power movement to shreds. Despite liking a lot of hippie-adjacent music, I don’t really care for the movement itself and would largely agree with Zappa’s take on it. I also feel a lot of the social commentary is sadly still very relevant today. That’s the politics out of the way, what about the music? I don’t love it, but I appreciate it more than I enjoy it. It’s very avant garde and eccentric and quite orchestral in places. There’s not a ton of what I’d call “songs” on it. There are loads of sound effects and bits of people talking over the phone and all sorts of weird little interruptions. There are beautiful passages of music in it too though, like the opening of Absolutely Free. I think it’s very cool and was probably hugely influential, but it’s not a listening experience I feel especially keen on returning to. I’m looking forward to more Zappa as the list goes on though, and hearing more of the music behind the man.

Fun, and some good lines. Insanely ahead of its time. A bit rough and ready though considering I knew Frank Zappa's stuff first, which is much more polished.

Нормас, но сложно что-то выделить

This is my gateway album to frank Zappa and so I feel unable to properly rate this

Quit funky but I enjoyed it. This describes what’s going on inside my head rn.

Sometimes it was a little *too* on the nose for me. He's not wrong that hippies were/are annoying, he's just also a little annoying in how he goes about it all. Let's not act like Frank wasn't a weirdo, too! Either way, the musicianship is great which is something you can say about anything from the Mothers.

Eccentric (purposefully) album - was actually a reasonable listen - feels a bit contrived, but quite good fun - sounds like minions in the background!

Frank Zappa is an interesting dude. I had to look this up to see if he was in the band or if just was photoshopped on. I did that because of Hendrix being on there but apparently they were tight. Balls to pull off a parody of the Beatles. This stuff is over my head admittedly. I just don’t connect. The lyrics are certainly interesting.

Too experimental to my taste. But it does sound like a great album.

Since he seems to be out to make anti-music, or at the very least, anti-pop, this is aurally fairly challenging to listen to. Credit for having the balls to do this in the first place, though I suspect this has not aged very well over the years.

Wacky, but enjoyed this.

Every time I see an album like this, I try to figure out who it was actually for. Late 60s, you’ve got the hippies on one side and the squares on the other. This clearly isn’t made for the hippies, they’re being mocked the entire time. But it’s not like a conservative in 1968 is throwing this on either. It’s too weird, too chaotic, too all over the place. So what you’re left with is this very small slice of people who don’t fit anywhere...not with the counterculture, not with the mainstream. People who are just kind of outside of everything which is a really, really tough audience to aim for. That’s what makes this album interesting to me. It’s not trying to connect, it’s not trying to sell you anything, it’s not even really trying to be liked. It’s trying to make fun of everything...culture, music, trends...and just kind of stand off to the side and laugh at all of it. And while I don’t love that approach, I can respect how hard it is to pull off. It’s one thing to make a great album that people love...It’s another thing entirely to make something this anti-mainstream, this weird, this intentionally difficult, and still have it land enough to be remembered and discussed decades later. In fact, I would argue that it's much, much more harder to do that. Musically, it’s not terrible. There are even some funny parts scattered throughout. But it’s inconsistent and I wanted to hear more of Zappa on guitar, less of the constant interruption and satire. It feels more like a concept than something I’d ever want to sit down and listen to again. So yeah, this isn’t for me. But I get it. And because I get it...and because of how hard it is to make something this outside the lines and still have it matter at all, I’m giving it a 3. Not for enjoyment, but for respect.

I love Zappa but

not my favorite zappa by any means. lyrically the topics are as prescient as ever. i prefer the more jazzy, rock output of zappa - not big on the humor overall, but this album does it well.

Not my favorite style of Zappa, too in-your-face, obnoxious, not enough focus on musicianship or composition.

3.1 2x

Escuchar este álbum es enfrentarse a un ejercicio de sátira radical que recuerda al humor ácido y fragmentado de Monty Python. Es una obra que se siente incómoda y, en partes, desagradable, reflejando una realidad verdadera pero cruda a través de recursos irreverentes como eructos y ruidos incidentales. Sin embargo, en este caso, el exceso termina tapando la calidad musical de Zappa; la genialidad compositiva queda a menudo sepultada bajo el peso de su propia provocación. Lo más rescatable es su humor negro y punzante, especialmente en pasajes donde la ironía sobre el aislamiento o la brutalidad policial resultan divertidos y realistas. Es un disco de contrastes: fascinante como documento histórico y crítica social. Es una experiencia de escucha única que, por su carga de cinismo y estridencia, solo se puede soportar una vez. Una pieza de colección necesaria para entender la contracultura, pero difícil de disfrutar en la cotidianidad.

First actual listen-through of a Frank Zappa affiliated album! I overall liked it.

Overtly bizarre and funny, sneakily well-crafted with top rate musicianship. Can’t say that I completely understand all aspects of the cultural point of view Zappa is expressing but I relate to the alienation and cynicism about left and right wing cultures. I wrote a paper in college about the production on the Mothers’ first record, Freak Out, and as impressive and avant garde as that album is, We’re Only In It For the Money is leagues ahead. The band’s ability to create a schizophrenic collage of sounds is a profound early example of the use of recording studio as musical instrument, pre-dating Eno’s articulation of the concept by several years.

Un álbum peculiar, no es malo, no me parece tan bueno, linda sátira, está bien

I found this enjoyable in a different way. Very funny and interesting. I laughed out loud several times and really appreciated my time with this album. That said - I don't really see it as a casual listen that I could find myself putting on for normal enjoyment. Overall quite a trip.

I have listened to frank zappa before but never really got his sense of humour or understood the satire, and this album is no exception. Maybe I am just a dumb millennial. This was bordering close to pretentiousness but I suppose I understand a little bit why it got good reviews. I might listen to other frank zappa albums though, such as Joe's Garage

very weird

Really interesting concept album.

This is like the soundtrack from a psychodelic movie crossed with Monty Python. All over the place and became tiresome to listen to a whole album of it. Despite this, I would think The Mothers of Invention deserve a spot in popular music history. But it hasn't aged well.

Sardonic and satirical, We're Only In It For The Money is Zappa doing what he does best. The question is whether you like that or not. I'm more in the camp of appreciating it for what it represents, and less for its musical merit.

Quite silly!

I’m still not sure if this is a joke band, but I guess I kind of like it.

Lyrics 5/5 interesting, music 2/5 hard to listen to and all over the map.

= to the Beatles Kinda obnoxious at times but also really funny. Of course Beatles fans are butt hurt about this one

Really interesting. It made me think of 'they're selling hippy wigs in Woolworths' in 'Withnail and I', or the bit in 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' about the wave of sixties optimism breaking and receding. Not the kind of thing I'm likely to listen to again, but I'm glad to have heard it.

Good and weird

A little too Avant Garde even for me

Ihan ok, ja kuunnellut tarpeeksi keskittyneesti. 2,75/5.

So much to listen to! Psychedelic to the max. There may be more spoken words than music.

Sometimes fun, sometimes annoying, sometimes amusing, sometimes pastiche, sometimes genuinely experimental, sometimes (I think) sincere. Never actually a great album, but I'd rather listen to this than Coldplay any day of the week.

Some clever, fun critique of hippies with interesting instrumentation, and plenty of eh.

its like white prog rock like its ok

Despite my dad always playing Zappa when I was growing up, I'd never heard this before. Fun listen

Super psychedelic and experimental. Serious social commentary even though the music is a bit of a goof. Groundbreaking sampling mixed with baroque pop. It takes a certain state of mind to really appreciate this art.

Brilliantly of it's time to the extent that the only way to fully appreciate it would be to listen whilst on an acid trip.

Pretty good

There is definitely such a thing as too much irony. Thankfully, the Mothers figured this out early, so we can enjoy bands like Ween today.

I expected weird. And it was weird. This is not a listen regularly kind of album, but it's surreally entertaining.

The Chads of Invention

60’a

Two Zappas in a row! The 1001 algorithm is broken! 😵‍💫 And I’m not enough of a Mothers fan to absorb two wacko pop and experimental—not to mention overstuffed—records in two days. (This one does have a higher ratio of catchy/ accessible tunes, though… if only there weren’t the silly voices and skits!)

Ahhh, Frank Zappa it all makes sense now. What a trip. Odd start but all together a cool little journey.

Not the best Frank Zappa, it felt like a Steve Martin comedy album, which I’m not exactly sad about I suppose

3/4

Yes, Zappa could make some pretty good parody statements about various 60s musical tends. But it all gets old. My man kind of just loved the 50s and 50s culture but also wanted to be edgy an alternative. Some songs and statements on this one made me chuckle but by the end his tongue is so firmly embedded in his cheek that it’s hard not to start rolling your eyes.

Hippie Dinge 68

This album is divisive on a personal level. Maybe one day I’ll “get it” or maybe I’ll decide it’s definitely just gimmicks. Idk man

I get the satire but it's not a great album

This was weird, but not bad. I really appreciated that most of the songs were short because I imagine if they were any longer it would have made me enjoy this a lot less. The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny is a great example of that.

Obviously this is pretty weird. I don't hate it. I'm super impressed by the production. For 1968 the sound is really crisp. All the little studio sounds really pop. You can tell before turning it on that it's going to be riffing on Sgt. Pepper's and I think that it does the studio stuff just as well. Listening on decent headphones I was struck by how good the stereo effect is. All-in-all feels ahead of it's time and a great illustration of Zappa's genius. First phone call skit that somehow became ubiquitous in 90's hip-hop?? I guess maybe Bob Newhart's comedy album. Two problems: 1. The satire has not aged all that well, as it often doesn't. No connection to the lyrics or stories being told. 2. It's cool, but it's barely music. Not something that I would just put on and listen to. Glad it's on the list but don't think I can go above 3 stars

Забава

Very.... unique

Blind album and artist. Definitely one of the albums I am so happy to try on the list. It was super interesting and cool with the sounds and the flow of these tracks, but this just isn't up there with some of the other avant-garde stuff on the list like trout mask.

Zappa is a genius, but this album didn’t really stick to me. It’s also a reflection of its time, which is a positive I feel!

Cheeky and funny... to an extent. Kind of like when ole Rick Gervais makes fun of Hollywood people, for being Hollywood people. With that said, I guess at the time, it was probably cutting edge material. I think I kept wanting more out of this, but the joke kinda of ran long. He supposedly played a lot with mustard gas as a child.

This album sounds like a stream of consciousness of a person taking an acid trip. There are repeat sections that pop up in different tracks, chatting about what is on their mind, snippets of phone conversations and overlapping chatter. The feel of the album moves from elation to paranoia with upbeat riffs moving into discordant musical phrases. I liked it, but you REALLY have to be in the right headspace to listen to this.

A great album but is a bit of a hard listen in some places

Psychedelic fever dream of experimenting with no worry about commercial success . Interesting album. Not something Id choose to listen to again, but I can see it being worth one listen

pretty nice

I liked it more than I thought I would! Weird and funny. It’s cool to think k if people being young and silly and rebellious

Really didn't like the first Frank Zappa record - the r&b/beat parody with soft mocking lyrics and self-satisfaction that the first record did (and that that this record sometimes goes to) doesn't really appeal to me. But at other times on this record it is basically The Residents or Devo a few years early and it is genuinely pretty woke throughout even if Zappa seems a bit full of himself at all times

Some weird shit

Just what I expected this to sound like, just fun and quirky satire that does a great job at not taking itself too seriously. Not the most coherent or complete product, but for an album like this you wouldn't exactly expect it to be.

Nachdem ich verstanden habe, dass das ein Satirealbum ist, kann ich es einigermaßen appreciaten für das, was es sein will. Interessant, was alles in dieser Liste so zu finden ist.

Zu Beginn fand ich es besser. Ist auf jeden Fall interessant, mit mehr Durchgängen könnte ich da bestimmt mehr geben. Stellenweise aber auch einfach nur anstrengend.

Quite a nice album. Yesterday I happened to read that humanity as a whole is experimenting less and less and that you have to go back years to find original things. That seems to be the case again now.

A strange and irreverent combination of soundscapes and 60s psychedelia only possible through the unique artistic weirdness of Frank Zappa.

It is just a weird and eclectic collection of noise. It is interesting to visit every once in a while but I've never really considered it essential listening.

Super weird, but I pretty much expected that with Frank Zappa involved. I don't know how much I would give this repeat listens but there's a few cool tunes in here. Favorite track: Absolutely Free

Ordentliche Beats der 70er ohne Supersongs.

Still a no from me - I just can't get into it. It is too much like experimental art - I can see the point but I just don't enjoy it.

Delightfully weird. That'll be fun when it comes up on the shuffle in the future

6.5 / 10

This feels more like an art installation than an album of music. Something you'd stumble across in a white room in a museum of modern art. You sit down on a cold, uncomfortable bench, and listen to the absolute utter madness of this patchwork blanket of dialogue, sound effects, skits and satire. People stroke their chins in contemplation, while sped up chipmunk vocals, coughing and telephone conversations play in the background. You really have to remind yourself that Zappa didn't do drugs. Which makes this collection of sounds even crazier. Scathing satirical takedown of hippy culture - well, more of the hypocrasy of "mainstream" hippy culture, and the phoniness of those wanting to portray the image of being a hippie. In "Who Needs the Peace Corps", he captures it perfectly in the lines: "First I'll buy some beads, and then perhaps a leather band to go around my head, some feathers and bells, and a book of Indian lore. I will ask the Chamber of Commerce how to get to Haight Street and smoke an awful lot of dope". All of this is set to genre-jumping music that sounds very familiar to anyone who listens to music from that cultural era (The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, etc.) It's a very interesting album. That's one thing you can say about it. It's absolutely batshit crazy. That's another. I love the concept, and the balls to release a whole album that doesn't care about music, but instead is 100% concerned on hitting you over the head repeatedly with its message. A tough one to listen to, but crazy enough to keep your attention at all times.

Avant garde

Super inventive, seriously virtuosic, and I legit laughed out loud several times. Never been into Frank Zappa, still not, but I can see the upside.

Daffy and kind of fun. I don’t think honestly I really understand what is going on here.

This one is a pretty listenable Zappa album. There are a lot of good tracks and the Mothers don't completely lose themselves in experimentation in this one. Tracks like "Let's Make the Water Turn Black" are great, and there are some other bangers in here. Their message comes together pretty well here too. I kind of prefer this to Freak Out! Though maybe not as good as Hot Rats. Somewhere between a 3 and 4, but I'll probably stick with 3.

Decent enough parody of the music at the time, but far from Zappa's best in my opinion. Still some decent tracks though.

Well Frank Zappa sure is weird, but not I bad way, at least on this album. Probably not worth listening to twice, but interesting to hear once.

This is weird. I like weird. Frank Zappa is such a creative curmudgeon. 3.5/5

Definitely enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but I'm so far away from the context that it's hard to make sense of this. Appreciate the experimentation and the raw musical and creative energy here though,

Panu album. I liked some of the songs and did not like the last one

POV you’ve just discovered a keyboard in a year 8 music lesson and added random adlibs from South Park characters with a hint of asmr

It got better as the album went along

I love stuff on the list that is different and not plain Edit Apr 2 2026: 4 --> 3

Maybe the single best skewering of the Summer of Love ever written. When it’s at its peak it flays open the hippies while hugging them for their sincere love and hope for peace - maybe. The band is bouncing off the walls a bit here and not always super focused which makes for an uneven experience. But this one is jam packed with the deconstruction of San Francisco music, like a bizarro Grateful Dead.

premda načelno dobro i na trenutke jako dobro, prevrckasto da bude ugodno za slušanje :/

I don't get why people complained about this album being noises and random voices. I saw it more like a collection of unrelated mini songs, but whatever.. liked it but one listen is not enough. Also, not being a native English speaker is a handicap with anything Zappa.

This album is a sharp, satirical snapshot of the late 60s counterculture, and it doesn’t pull its punches. Musically, it’s a whirlwind of short, fragmented tracks that bounce between psychedelic rock, avant-garde experimentation, and spoken interludes. The constant shifts in tone and style give it an unpredictable energy, though they can also make it feel disjointed at times. The album’s real strength lies in its wit. Frank Zappa and the band go after hippie idealism, mainstream culture, and everything in between with a mix of sarcasm and precision. Tracks like “Who Needs the Peace Corps?” and “Flower Punk” highlight the blend of pointed lyrics and chaotic sound that runs throughout the record. It’s biting, clever, and clearly built to provoke. That said, the relentless jumps and lack of traditional structure can make it a bit of a slog if you’re not fully on its wavelength. It’s an important and ambitious record, but one that’s easier to admire than to love. A fascinating piece of its era, even if not the smoothest listen.

No idea how to rate this album. It's Frank Zappa and the mother's - so a weird miah mash of everything. It's weird, not like most albums. It's decent I guess

For an album that's a piss take of the hippie culture in 1967 and poking fun of both the left and the right it's pretty good. The biggest issue is the smugness that just pours out of this records grooves. Will I listen to it again? Nope. Best Tracks: Mom & Dad; What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body? Flower Punk

zappaaaaa. ok mer mues richtig zuelose. who needs the peace corps super hippie satire. er bezeichnet eig alli als phonies super. irgendwie immerno relevant. mom & dad gad au jo hippies doof. telephone conversation checki nöd ganz. mega viel mega churzi songs haha. bow tie daddy weissi au nöd so ganz um wases goht. harry you're a beast checki au null haha. what's the ugliest part of your body bitz beatles parodie. haha it's your mind upsy. absolutely free check au nöd würkli haha was you lick your stamps? aso s isch fun irgendwie? und so cembalo? flower punk erinneret mi dra dass punk nonig es genre gsi isch haha. going out to frisco to join a psychedelic band hahaha. play my bongos in the dirt au funny. er schiint chli hässig gsi zsi irgendwie. ahaaa es isch meh oder weniger hey joe. au vode chords her. i see. is the song over? haha super. afoch en tubel wo am flirte isch weller inere band isch. das album isch etz huuuuere schnell verbigange. ahaa de letst song isch random 6 minute lang.

3 stars. I wish a woman was singing it. V weird which is fun ngl

Zappa is fun. Weird but fun.

Only in it for the Money- Super weird album to grow up with. I always liked how the songs are short and segue into each other. I used to like the satire of it and how really specific it is to that time and place

Il y a de bonnes choses, mais certains morceaux experimentaux sont inaudibles pour moi.

Good

crazy 68 music

Wacky.

I could not get into this. I usually like myself some Zappa, but this was not it for me. Today, anyway.

I don’t know why but when I saw this cover I thought it was Parliament Funkadelic. 😁 so I’m already operating on a surprise here. 😂 This makes me want to go back through the catalog. I’ve always know the musicianship of Frank and his band to be top notch. But lyrically he’s never pulled punches. He’s like weird Al where he makes fun of the pop culture at the time, but he’s not nice about it. There is no pulling punches here.

lol

hmmm not bad? sure there was some weird stuff, but it was expected plus i ended up liking a few of the songs… 2.75ish. i liked it more than Freak Out

Kooky album. Didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, some songs were goofy and fun. Very much like DEVO or Weird Al. 3/5

molto particolare, almeno dura poco, come sottofondo ci sta.

After listening to this album, I am unsure whether it was me who took acid or the band.

This is so much better than any of the other 60s psychedelic rock records on the list so far, which is funny, because it hates 60s psychedelic rock. I still don’t love it. But I like Zappa being mean, and I like that it answers the question, “What if there was a psychedelic album where the musicians didn’t stink?”, and those are both worth something.

Pretty good, not sure I'd listen to it regularly. It reminds of being on drugs.

Eh I mean the satire is prescient and Zappa saw right thru the commercialization of the hippie movement but this album seemed to go on forever and it was under an hour

man just listen to it once for the experience. I hated it but it was still kinda enjoyable, I was waiting to see just how strange it was going to get. Also it had a sketch! sorry rap albums of the 90's and 2000's, these guys beat you by decades.

Interesting listen but too experimental for my taste

Zapper

I think this probably makes sense in the context of its time. A few likable moments, but not really something I'd listen to for enjoyment.

I dunno what to think of this guy. Weird, but likeable. Much too innovative, creative, and avant-garde for my ears.

hella weird and eclectic but def a fun one time listen

never a dull moment with frank

Not as good as Zappa's solo stuff

Weird. Freaky. Out there. It’s a Zappa and Mothers album alright. I get why some hate it. I get why some love it. I stand purely in the middle.

Pretty funny. I love how the short track format of this album contrasts with Sgt. Pepper's tracks flowing into each other, it gives this album a fractured feel. Zappa shows off how many music genres we can excel at. It makes me wonder, had he lived past the early 90's, how crazier and more ecletic would his albums sound. Key tracks: What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body Let's Make the Water Turn Black

Interesting but not something to go back to often.

This was actually pretty interesting. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

I think this is very much a product of the time when it was created and perhaps it doesn't carry forward so well. I like FZ a lot but this was missing the interesting musicality that I expect from him along with the weirdness. It seems more performance art than an actual music album. Definitely needed more guitar.

Ah, Frank Zappa - mostly annoying but at times genius. I can definitely see how this would influence bands like Ween, Dead Milkmen, or even Butthole Surfers.

What a crazy trip. I enjoyed the first half of the record more. I liked the storytelling (if you can call it that) and imagery in "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" and "Mom & Dad". Getting into the latter half of the record, I wasn't really into the abstract tracks. Favourite Track(s): Who Needs the Peace Corps?, Mom & Dad, What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? Least Favourite Track(s): Nasal Retentive Calliope Music, The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny

I like the stranger things in life, like this record. The experimental mood, inconsistent sequencing and unexpected harmonies are cool with me. Albums like this pique my interest simply because of how zany and unpredictable it is, pushing the boundaries of music and humanity. Bring on the weird!

Weird but fun to listen to

hmmmm. i have to think that they weren't JUST in it for the money. my main issue with most 60's music is that i find it too bland, but this opens with just, idk how to describe noises, and that's awesome. not something i'd revisit but an album i'm glad to have listened to

straight up old school Frank Zappa psychedelic rock. Sounds like a mix of the Banana Splits meets early Sesame Street / HR Puffenstuff with an anti-capitalist/pro-communist agenda as performed by a serial killer. Not bad, but dated and not really for me though I can appreciate it.

3+

C'était certainement une expérience. J'aime bien cette remise en question de tous les poncifs, mais je ne le réécouterais pas juste pour le plaisir

Frank Zappa trying too hard to be funny

Bit too experimental?

listened to again lots of weird goofs, some great stuff

interesting

Trippy interludes. Old timey.

Think it will get better with repeat listens. It's a "bit much" at first.

Love Prog just not Zappa. I think he was a genius but it never clicked with me.

Interesting...

By this time of his short, eventually vastly productive long career, Frank Zappa had had enough of the zeitgeist. He had seen through the bullshit that had now permeated the Haight-Ashbury psych dream scene and the straight laced over thirty stiffs pointing their fingers derisively to the point of mimicry. All he had to do was infuse those feelings into the music that was already standoffish in approach and respect towards what was already around and out would come this mish-mash of skits and compositions. It may not be for everyone, it probably never was but what's for certain is that Frank had his pulse on things, in his own way; and whether or not it was for monetary gain, at the end of the day, the art is what matters. Favorites: Who Needs the Peace Corps?, Concentration Moon, Mom & Dad, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?, Absolutely Free, Let's Make the Water Turn Black, The Chrome Painted Megaphone of Destiny.

An album that encompasses Zappa to me. All over the place and like a bunch of talented kids left alone with a tape recorder.

3/5

Crazy experience. Glad to have heard this one but not something I’d revisit often.

This is classic commercial irreverence from The Mothers. Good on ya, lads. Good on ya.

I wanted to like this more, but the noise sections were just too much.

3.5

3.5

What an incredibly strange and erratic journey. I'm glad I was aware it was a satirical art piece before going in, or I would've been very, very confused. The music was discordant and intentionally bewildering, constructed to deliberately mess with your ears... and I liked it. I certainly wouldn't listen to this in regular rotation, but as an album it's a very fun journey that provides a very unique and more obscure perspective on a very iconic era in history (that is, anti-Hippy). I found it extremely creative, interesting and fun. It was like being in a museum about an era long past. I'm a big fan of "slice of life" stuff, and this felt a lot like that, aside from its pure artistic merit. I visited MONA in Hobart early last year and there was an exhibit by the artist Tamy Ben-Tor titled "My Name is Adolf Hitler" and listening to this album gives me similar vibes to that - absurd, surreal but ultimately historical as both the media and its subject are so far removed from present day. All that being said, if this album weren't so well-produced sonically, it wouldn't be have been a pleasurable listen. It's carefully and skillfully constructed unchaotic chaos. Favourite Track: Who Needs The Peace Corps and Flower Punk are probably tied, with What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? in close second.

quite a strange album, got it right after sgt pepper, probably designed to do that much is fun, songs were proper weird though, didn’t hate it, didn’t adore it

Not my style

Bit wacky but I dug the concept

What an experience to listen to this record. It starts with a song with weird samples that made me fear this would be a one star review. But then there are several really funny and cool songs. Not sure if I will listen to it again but this stuff is why I started this project, to open my mind to new stuff. Three stars.

Ah the anti-beatles album. I don't know the real story behind this but after the several listens over the years I decided Zappa used every Beatles "sound" of these and twisted them to use against them. Against them might be the wrong words.... There are other great Zappa albums I pick before this one. For the money is enjoyable to pick out what Beatles song he's satirizing though.

Admittedly didn't like it at the start but sort of grew on me. If your into psychedelic music I could appreciate why you would enjoy this 3*

Man, high school me thought this was the greatest thing ever! It was so great: pointed satire of the government, clueless adults and the hippie counterculture. I haven’t revisited in a very long time, and I have to say, aside from a nostalgic appreciation, it didn’t really hold up. The “satire” is pretty heavy handed and smug and in at least one case super misogynistic. There’s a couple of songs that still resonate (Absolutely Free and Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance) and I really dig the arrangements of most of these songs, Zappa was a fascinating composer. But there’s no sense of introspection here. It’s a lot of finger pointing, and the points aren’t wrong but it feels like a lecture set to avant-garde music. 3 stars, though I weirdly want to go 4.

Spess

Kind of strange 60s music but I like how it’s different

Classic Zappa cray-zee-messs Classy AF

Listen up you mothers... invent this! 🌹 🌻 🌷 🌿 🌵 🌾 🌼⁣ 👖 👖 👖 👖 👖 👖 👖 🐩💨

As Todd Snider says, it’s the counter culture to the counter culture. Not really listenable, but it’s funny, creative, and makes fun of the Beatles. Zappa is awesome

I get it. It must have been really far out there way back when. I never need to hear it again.

The Zappa I've heard of is on full display on this album. Well, personality-wise at least - musically, he's more renowned for his jazz-fusion stuff, I'd say, which is nowhere to be found here. While at times Zappa may come off as overly bitter toward the meaningless "stand for everything, stand for nothing" attitude of hipster culture at a time as precarious and uncertain as the Vietnam war and MLK's assasination ridden late '60s (especially on the opener 'Who Needs The Peace Corps'), I do think he means well at the end of the day, especially as the album rounds itself out thematically and he starts to point his fingers at the real enemies, the establishments, the cops, the regressiveness of past generations on a song like 'Mom & Dad'. Primarily, songs like 'Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance' and 'What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body (reprise)' show Zappa at his most compassionate and understanding - with these songs tackling the ineffectively superfluous and shallow aspects of a lot of those '60s movements he despised so much. Musically, it's interesting but very incoherent at times; everything feels like a splice, feels very fake with all these vocal effects, sound clips, and sudden cuts to other musical ideas. It fits the bill for the album, but as an experience, it wasn't something I really enjoyed on the first listen. I guess I more enjoyed the weird, experimental ambient antics of songs like 'The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny' and 'Nasal Retentive Clliope Music' - kind of the esoteric ahead-of-the-curve stuff I expect out of a Zappa record. The more straightforward "pop" cuts come off as parodical (kind of like this album cover), though some were still enjoyable. I really liked the opener 'Who Needs The Peace Corps?' and 'Let's Make The Water Turn Black' as standalone songs. Cool, important, and an interesting enough first listen, but I don't see myself re-visiting this one again for a while.

As weird as it was, I enjoyed it

To put it lightly It’s experimental And quite weirdly keen

There are better Zappa albums

Still confused by Zappa. Am I wasting his time or is he wasting mine?! Would he have been a court jester in another era? I still manage to listen to his albums all the way through though. Same for all Zappa albums for me. Zappa, in another life choose great musician, not mediocre comedian/musician! I suppose somebody had to inspire Weird Al, I hope that isn’t on this list.

Not for me. Psych rock just is not really music

I feel like I missed the joke by 60 years but it's so bonkers I kind of respect it.

Weeeeerd

You gotta respect it, but Zappa’s at his best when he’s doing crazy jazz shit and not this absurd, edgy, psych rock. I think this could be real great if it was 20% less grating, but I understand that goes against everything this album stands for.

This was very difficult to rate. At some points I wanted to give it a 5! And then I wanted to give it a 1! It has moments of both. So I'll compromise with a 3.

once again ... this 1001 albums list is forcing me to actually listen to the artists that i had been perfectly willing to accept as "important" and "influential" via received wisdom. i think it's important to have a frank zappa but maybe not important for *me* to listen to a frank zappa. nevertheless, i kinda hate-liked this album? like somehow very well crafted and catchy even though i don't really like what it was parodying. 3.5

да уж, не ожидал такого от битлов...

Psychadelic

Thought this had some funny moments in it, also didn't know that Frank Zappa was around this early. I thought he came around in the 70sish.

In a word, this is weird! It's weird, but I like it. There's a few parodies (including the obvious - the album cover!) and some "interesting" spoken word. There's some interesting messages that act as themes throughout, focused on superficiality (beauty, general thought). It's anti-hippie, which I'm guessing is the opposite of popular at the time.

So fittingly odd. Trying to make a point, but musically a little all over the place. Still not a bad album. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again

I don’t know that I can put a number to that. I’m typing this one right after finishing the album for the first time – not giving myself any time to reflect or really think about what I just spent the last 40 minutes on, and I am… sort of just lost. Not in a bad way, not in a good way, but in a way that just feels ethereal & liminal, and oddly discomfiting and perhaps a bit lonely. This is another one of Frank Zappa’s counter-culture “the 60s kinda suck and this whole hippie thing is bullshit” albums, but it’s done in such a way that lends no respect or credence to the material it mocks in the first place, save for maybe the Hendrix parody that I’ve never heard the original track of. This feels like a GTA radio station from hell, mixed with a TV show that I’ve seen/shown once before during the Thursday variety streams: it lasted one episode, from 1969, and it’s called Turn-On. The point of that show was just strange rapidfire, short form satirical comedy with an absurd bend, weird electronica fever dream music backing it, no time to breathe, think, or ponder, & it would ultimately just slap you in the face with whatever punchline it wanted to give – rinse and repeat in 30 second bursts for 28 minutes. It was cancelled promptly because nobody got it, shortform was scary, and the material was… very, very strange for 1969. It’s a show I respect even though I found it awkward to sit through, a little dated, and certainly a bit surreal. This album gives me that same feeling in musical form – maybe a bit more intentional & designed to elicit such a harsh and jarring response. It’s certainly more forceful than Turn-On is. As such, I have no idea if I can put a number to this. It’s not a 5 – it’s too avantgarde and I think some of the concepts / material within this album are a bit curmudgeonly, even as a satire of the 60s that Frank seemed to fucking despise. It’s not a 1 or 2, if only because I respect what this is going for, even if I tend to disagree at times. I guess I'm at a 3.5, but I don't know whether to bump it down to a 3 or up to a 4. Putting this on the same level as that Bill Callahan album we just got feels strange, wrong, and awkward, as with any album this might be compared to that I also gave a 3. Bumping it up to a 4 also feels weird to me, because I'm not sure it's that deserving of one, even for how much I admire this. All I know for sure (and I’m not even sure if I do know anything at this point) is that Frank Zappa succeeded at realizing some sort of vision on this album. I’m just not sure if it’s a vision that was worth realizing; this is, by far, the strangest album we’ve gotten so far. This classifies as music, and there are some good tracks here, but for the most part, I’m left with… something. I hesitate to bring up the “art gallery” comparison again, but I think it’s somewhat earned here: this feels like someone smashing a Banksy piece to bits and pieces just to try and paint over it and “fix” the art themselves. I feel like if that happened, most people would say the Banksy piece is a better, more technically sound piece of art, beloved to some degree. To smash it, however, provides a new canvas, perhaps uglier than the original, but one that might be appreciated all the same, if the attempt to “fix” it is good enough. I can’t say whether or not this album is “good enough” in the artistic sense – that’s for other people to mull about and debate over for years to come, but I do think it’s “good enough” in the sense that Frank Zappa got to make his art, regardless of opinion. It’s a 3.5 that, unfortunately, I'll bump down to a 3 for me – it's certainly worth listening to, but it just didn't strike me as well as it could have.

3.5

3+ obviously weird. Kind of fun, but I don’t feel the need to listen to it again

Very sarcastic and intentionally joking around. Using psyc rock to mock about psyc rock? Smart. I love it. The album cover is classy too. A 3-3.5/5 to me. Love this conceptually. I'm just so obsessed with weird stuffs, I guess.

Listening to it I felt as if I was on the same drugs they had been while recording the album

A bit of nostalgia.... For the time, innovative. Somewhat thought-provoking with lyrics and definitely meant to tweak established morals of the time.

Strange to say, but I've never listened to a proper studio album by Frank and the boys before. Every time I buy one it turns out to be live. It was very interesting listening, and much as I think Mr Zappa was a true musical genius I can only award it a high 3. It must have been an early one not quite the quality of their later stuff.

Musically a bit unconvinced. Sometimes a little too Beatles-lite and other times a bit too weird and taking Beatles sound too far! May be better on repeat listens when used to weirdness. Lyrically great tho (rare compliment for me) and highly amusing.

A bit strange but a bit interesting. I will give this a three

Frank Zappa is my favorite pretentious dickhead. Regardless of what I think of him, he does create some interesting music. It's not necessarily "good" music. But they don't care about making "good" music. They want to create strange and different music. I feel like he's more interested in creating unhinged song structure to express his discontent with society. I'm not exactly sure what his message is. Maybe he wrote a manifesto. I'm not sure. It was the 60's man. Frank and the Mothers were pioneers of the "counter culture" yet they were simultaneously too cool for school in a proto-hipster kind of way. "I will love the police as they kick the shit out of me on the street". He's just asking the hippie flower children, how deep is your love? I'm just going to set all of that brain junk aside and focus on the "music" of the album. This is actually one of his better albums because it's a little more "fun" than others. I especially like Bow Tie Daddy, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body I Think it's Your Mind, and Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance. Frank and the Mothers are the Fathers of psychedelic music that paved the way for other bands like Butthole Surfers, Ween, and the Residents. Stay weird & freak out.

I've been searching for a ruthless takedown of the Summer of Love hippie culture, commercialism, and the hypocrisy of both the establishment and counterculture. This is getting close.

all the general zaniness you would expect from an album with frank zappa. this one is a social commentary on such topics as commercialism and conformity as well as popular bands of the day like the beatles. fun and interesting listen.

This is a little too much Beefheart and not enough Zappa. The whole band was a little to zonked on acid for this one.

Weird as hell, but there was some good stuff in there too.

Weird and musically fun at the same time. Strangely don't remember the band. Being in the military might have had something to do with that. Not a bad album.

What in the actual fart did I just listen to?

Uff, was war denn das? Collage. Ziemlich experimentell. Nix zum täglich hören.

2.75 It's an experience, that's worth something.

As Lens 5th wife said. The mother of all invention are cock ups. The cock up she was talking about was her marriage to Len. It spawned some of his best hate rap. 2.4

If I had been born a male, I would have been named after Frank Zappa. And so I'll take it to my grave that this album didn't hit all my buttons. Sorry dad.

I forget the name of the last Zappa album I got (I think it was his debut), but I like this one a lot more. This is what I was expecting when I hear the name Frank Zappa. Very strange album, but honestly not that bad, and surprisingly flows together really well. I like all the weird experimental stuff, and I still think the more straightforward British invasion sounding parts are the worst and dated. It is crazy this album came out in 1968. Weird way to end the year. High 3.

It's certainly one of the albums of all time Ah fuck it it's a fun one

monet ei tajuu. eikä se haittaa jos ei ymmärrä. en mäkää tajunnu kvanttifysiikkaa 39 minuutissa en voi olettaa et keskiverto tallaaja heti nappaa mitä ihmeitä zappa tekee joka vitun sekuntti. joka vitun sekunttti niin häröä viisautta tulee hänen musiikista. heh tykkäsin sgt pepeprs lonel hearts club band sekä muistakin beatles tuotannoista joten joku tekee hauskaa eiii ei saa pilailla, en voi hahattaa ja samalla tykkää pakko olla vihanmielinen tämä on vihailua sotaa , TÄMÄ TIETÄÄ SOTAA... eeiiii olen beatles fani (actual good music fcking ashole fuck YOU!!! FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!) runkka runkkaa vittu ennen kun pää räjähtää.. lil pup wants to goon.. go ahead puppy boy... flower punk

Ok, not nearly as bad as I thought and expected after reading some of the comments. I like some of Frank Zappa's music, but I can't get into a lot of his stuff. In this respect, I feared much more shrillness. I understand the satirical aspect and it's funny. But in the end it's not music that I really listen to. 3/4

I love Zappa and he’s one of my all time favorites. But I am no fan of the Mothers era.

On another day I'd have found this excruciating but I had time, I was chilled out and I drifted through a musical experimentation with time signature and rhythm changes, mad psychedelic sections, babbling and enjoyed it. I think. I mean not enough that it changed my life but there's as strain of Zappa that changed the way people do music and that's OK. Maybe I've had a difficult week of albums this week, but I don't mind this at all.

I like Zappa but man that one is tough at times

I wish I didn't dislike Zappa so much as a person, it makes me biased against his music. Interesting that he had the take that the Beatles were disingenuous in making Sgt Pepper, seems like a pretty arrogant take for someone to have, which suits Zappa. Reading more into it, it kinda makes sense in that Sgt Peppers started a whole "fake" hippie movement that was basically just commercial. Makes sense to be annoyed by that... Zappa still just always has the "I'm the smartest guy in the room" thing about him that annoys me. The music in this is pretty interesting though, it's all over the place, pretty classic Zappa in that sense with super weird melodies and time signatures and stuff. Can't say many of the songs stand out to me as actually great songs though. Zappa also does the whisper narrator thing on a couple of other albums of his I've listened to and it's kind of annoying. I actually really like Mother People, it's proggy af. But then of course the album closes with a 6 minute dissonant nonsense piece of music.

Quite a wacky album and a scathing satire of hippie culture and psychedelic music of the '60s... but who would expect anything less from Frank Zappa? I tend to prefer his jazz fusion records, but this one is a fun listen as well. Highlights: -Who Needs The Peace Corps? -What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? -Let's Make The Water Turn Black Lowlights: -Nasal Retentive Calliope Music -The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny

Favorite Track: Who Needs The Peace Corps?

Yeh it’s meh! Sounds like Byrds man

Wow, 2 Zappa albums inside of a few days. Said it before but I've always avoided Zappa because his stuff was just a bit too weird for my tastes. Musically, this album definitely falls into that category. If I were rating on music alone, it'd probably get a 2. But I LOVE what he's doing here, thematically. It's hard to rate....

This album is super weird. And I appreciate it for its weirdness and creativity. But it's not the album I would pull out if I wanted to sit and enjoy myself.

it's fine, a little out there and not in a good way for me

That was strange but I can see what they were going for. It was just too much of an inside joke for a previous generation that’s a little lost to time

Well that was an experience. Once I found out it was made by Frank Zappa it made a lot more sense. Super weird, kinda fun, liked the shots at hippies, that was amusing. I think imma stick with a 3 but could be persuaded to give it a 4 if it just made a bit more sense. Overall weird mildly enjoyable listen.

my main complaint towards We're Only in It for the Money is one you've probably heard before: Zappa's critique of the flower power hippie is rendered toothless by his inherent arrogance towards the movement. maybe he was right about a lot of the hippies just being in it for Ass 'n' Grass and planning to ditch this and run a car dealership in San Bernardino, but goddammit, it's 1967. better things are supposed to at least look possible. in his mind, Frank Zappa is above this stupid flower power bullshit -- he's a composer, an artiste, he knows who fucking Stockhausen is, for God's sake. the tragedy is, Frank, that you are still selling to these flower power douchebags. they are buying your records, saying it's "far out" just like the Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead fuckheads do. you'll figure out that your fans are also assholes in 1971 when they set a casino on fire/push you into an orchestra pit. outside of the lyrical content (i dunno if you could call the songs with words actual songs rather than little pasted together collages of pop), i think the musique concrete experiments hold up, but if i never hear that engineer whispering in the booth again i'd die happy. shout out Jimmy Carl Black, the Indian of the group.

Intriguing but also very odd.

I had actually heard a few of these songs before - goofy and strange and funny but this didn't grab me as heard as Freak Out did.

Insane album. You either love Frank Zappa or hate him, and I kind of love him. I love when you can never tell where a song will go, just close your eyes and let Daddy Zapp take you on a cruise.

I had never listened to Frank Zappa before. I find this was basically the 1960’s idea of avant-garde, which has lost its novelty over the decades.

Interesting

I like some Zappa but this is a bit off kilter. Interesting lyrics, lots of short tracks. If psychedelic rock and freeform jazz had a baby? Not many toe tappers in the first half, but Mom & Dad is a good one. Absolutely Free is also something approaching a pop song. There is some weird stuff on here. Nasal Retentive Calliope Music is basically noise - great title though. There's some pretty moments in the second half, often interspersed with disturbing sounds. By the end I find myself entranced and wondering what's coming next. And it's a noisy 6 and a half minute ambient track with maniacal laughter. That's the end. I think this record might genuinely haunt me. ***

Having suffered through a countless number of psychedelic "masterpieces" of the 60s as part of this 1001 albums list, I heartily concur with Frank Zappa the whole music scene was sorely in need of parodic skewering, which he has rightly accomplished. And I applaud that; I would much rather listen to this than (checks notes) Quicksilver Messenger Service or 13th Floor Elevators or Incredible String Band (or any of the dozen or so other similar albums on this list). There are a million ideas here, with time signature changes, classical allusions, snippets of all kinds of different genres, musique concrete tapes, ambitious musicianship, which makes it dangerously close to proto-prog rock (hock, spit), saved from the excesses of that terrible genre by embracing the ridiculousness of it all. You can't accuse Frank Zappa of not having a sense of humour, even if he isn't actually particularly funny. Barret Hansen (a.k.a. Dr Demento) praised the album in an April 1968 review for Rolling Stone, but concluded that while the initial listening may be significantly profound, due to the reliance on shock, subsequent listening may be reduced in value. That really succinctly describes the problem with this record for me; it is an impressive and surprising series of jokes which all sound very intricate, profound and intellectual on first exposure, they don't actually stand up to repeated listening. It is _less_ than the sum of its parts and inferior to much of Zappa's catalogue. It's just a historical curiosity. 2.5 stars.

musical acid rock.

Interesting

Calling their most accessible (yet still not that accessible) album "We're Only In It For The Money" is a great bit

Listening to this Zappa led The Mothers Of Invention record I'm struck by a thought I can't shake right around the time that "Who Needs the Peace Corps" is winding down. This sounds so solidly and ready to be on Sebadoh's early albums. Frankly, yes I said FRANKLY, despite the attention span zig and zag this is one of the most enjoyable Zappa led recordings I've heard. It has better sound quality and songcraft than a track off of Weed Forestin' or The Freed Man but you can hear how and where they fit together in a way that I find delightful. This comparison is a complement in both directions to be clear.

Alright, innit

Kind of weird and disjointed. Almost a parody of other music.

You have to admire the creativity. Definite musical merit, but a challenging listen.

This is what you get when the only sober guy in the band is Frank Zappa — kind of funny at times, kind of beautiful at times, never really engaging the way I wish it was.

I obviously don’t know music. I’m not a fan.

avant-pop with political commentary

musical acid rock.

I’d love to see the music Zappa would have produced in the 2000s, such a visionary and artist in the truest sense. In saying that, this isn’t my favourite of his work.

Constant Craving is full on one of the best songs I've ever heard in my life. The rest of the album, solid wine bar songs sung by an S tier vocalist, but man, fucking Constant Craving will get ya every time

Arbitrary!

Classic Zappa making fun of everyone else with something so high concept they wouldn't understand and then laughing at them for not getting it. The man is a loon, but a musical genius. It makes his music often difficult to listen through, but this was a good 33 minutes of joking on hippies AND the right and 6 minutes of N O I S E

A trippy experience that outlined the strength of Zappa early in his career.

100% Frank.

I really like it to start but all the weird cuts didn’t show off all the musicianship of the band

Imagine a sixties rap album where it's only skits. Crossed with Sgt Pepper. Immense fun to listen to, but not one that I need to go back to.

This was trippy, and I guess it was supposed to be. There were many parts I just liked the music and the lyrics did not match the expectations perfectly. They’re like a 60s tenacious d but with a sound from the time. So many thoughts and I really can’t figure out what to rate so I guess I’m neutral.

3 love Zappa but he goes a bit overboard with the random noises

interesting lyrics

Decent psychedelic rock, but not for me.

Småkul platta. Inte jättebra låtar men det gör inget liksom.

Interesting for a one time listen - clever and impeccably sounding but the nature of experimental noise is that it’s normally too clever for its own good. It does a good parody of hippie culture and its scathing review of Zappa’s peers but that doesn’t make want to hear it again.

I've had this on CD for a long time, coupled with Lumpy Gravy. It has its moments but it's not something I throw on for sheer pleasure. More of an audiophile attraction. I would never recommend Mothers or Beefheart to general music lovers.

3/5. Honestly kind of hard to rate this one. I mean, I did enjoy but it's always hard to tell with Zappa. I have listened to this one before and I didn't necessarily like it but on a later listen, I am getting some of the energy and statements, especially the commercially charged hippie movement, that sometimes is even present today. As far as the songs, super weird. I don't think I'd listen to it often but I do respect the weirdness. Is it an album I would recommend? Probably never. It was funny sometimes and it will probably go up or down in rating depending the day. It wasn't bad, interesting for sure, not really an album though. The short songs usually take away from it. Best Song: Who Needs The Peace Corps?, What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?, Let's Make The Water Turn Black

Um disco interessante e experimental. No entanto, acho que Zappa produziu coisas mais complexas e melhores posteriormente.

very odd

It's a rather interesting album. Some of the tracks aren't actually songs. I like the experimentation by The Mothers of Invention. Frank Zappa is also good here. Parts of the album were too weird or boring for me. 3 stars for "We're Only in it for the Money".

I suppose I was pleasantly surprised by this. It probably lands closer to Beatles than to Beefheart, which was a relief. I did smile a few times but the joke wore thin pretty quickly. Still all a bit too weird for me to really enjoy but there are some decent bits of music hidden amongst the all that “invention”.

i don't know what to make of this

Really hot , not m'y favorite but really Nice

I'm a huge Zappa fan but prefer his middle era material vs. the early material with the Mothers and the later "Jazz from Hell" material. This record isn't bad, but it's a bit gimmicky and hasn't aged particularly well. My favorite record is "Joe's Garage" and I strongly recommend checking that out if you want a different Zappa experience.

creative aber anstrengend

This album is so unhinged and I'm fully on board. It's so weird, experimental and full of nonsense.

Very strange album but has a couple of stand out tracks

I get why it's influential, and I like zappa stuff, but this isn't the easiest thing to listen to with all the weird electronic noise

That was weirdly entertaining. 3 stars

Previously rated: Freak Out! (3/5) ********************* I'm glad I listened to this. It had its share of interesting moments - it got some chuckles out of me. Example: "There will come a time when you won't even be ashamed if you are fat." How prophetic! Some funny song titles too. And some words I didn't expect to hear from a 1968 album, including "kick the shit out of me" and "flower power sucks." The music, kind of all over the place. The last track was just random sounds, not very musical, and it was the longest track. Do I ever want or need to listen to it again? Probably not.

Again, never heard of these guys. This is very interesting. Very 60's, experimental rock, psychedelic rock. I dig it.

Good Album and funny to listen to again.

Satire that's of its time. I'm never going to listen to this again.

Some of the songs on here are unbearable. And others are enjoyable. Maybe I need to listen to this again. Overall I found this to be a bit too out there for me.

This album was so weird I loved it. From the album cover spoof on the beatles to the random 48 second interludes, this whole album was a wild journey that I'll probably never listen to again. Who needs the peace corp was definitely a standout

Funny and odd. Musical fringe style and not always easy to find pleasure in listening.

I love Zappa, struggled more with this than Freak Out or the slightly later stuff.

What *is* the ugliest part of your body?

I used to live them, but it hasnt aged well

A drug fueled 70s variety show, where instead of comedy skits, they sing about cop killings and how brainwashed we all are. I can see how that's influential to music, but not necessarily something I want to listen to.

This is early Zappa - the sarcasm is there, but the musical brilliance will develop in grand style as the years roll on. So much better styff coming!

I thought I would hate it based on the reviews, but I got decently into this album. Interesting parody.

Lmao