Frank Zappa “Sheik Yerbouti”

 

 

Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#539 in the Series) is Frank Zappa’s Sheik Yerbouti. (Zappa Records)

If you ask Frank Zappa fans which album of his is there favorite an I’ll guarantee, Sheik Yerbouti will get some votes. No It probably will not win, it might, but it will definitely be in the team picture.

It’s a double album. (Why Not, Zappa and the Mothers of Invention’s Freak Out! Was the first double album in Rock and Roll History)  Some songs are length, extended solo guitar pieces. Some songs are tight, shorter radio friendly hits. Well, for progressive stations that don’t mind a little twisted lyric here and there.

What are we referring to there?  How ‘bout classics like FZ’s take on the disco era “Dancin’ Fool”  or “Jewish Princess” or even “Bobby Brown  Goes  Down.”  OK, so maybe you won’t hear that one on the radio!

“Baby Snakes”  got a little airplay I believe. “Broken Hearts are For Assholes “ did not.

I think me favorite song on the album is found on side four.  It’s the 12+ minute song, “Yo Mama.”  It has tons of great guitar and the Zappa insaneness that we love.

The opening track on the album is a song titled,”I Have Been In You.”  This was Frank way of ridiculing Peter Frampton’s current album at the time,” I’m In You.”

I also loved the band that Frank had during this period.  He had the great Terry Bozzio on drums, Adrian Belew on guitar and vocals. (Make sure you check out his Bob Dylan impersonation) and Patrick O’Hearn on bass.

This was the first album released on Frank’s own “Zappa Records.”

— Larry Carta

 Track Listing

Side one

1. “I Have Been in You” – 3:33
2. “Flakes” – 6:41
3. “Broken Hearts Are for Assholes” – 3:42
4. “I’m So Cute” – 3:09 (1995 CD) 4:20 (Vinyl

Side two

1. “Jones Crusher” – 2:49
2. “What Ever Happened to All the Fun in the World” – 0:33
3. “Rat Tomago” – 5:17
4. “Wait a Minute” – 0:31
5. “Bobby Brown Goes Down” – 2:49 –
6. “Rubber Shirt” – 2:45
7. “The Sheik Yerbouti Tango” – 3:56

Side three

1. “Baby Snakes” – 1:50
2. “Tryin’ to Grow a Chin” – 3:31
3. “City of Tiny Lites” – 5:32
4. “Dancin’ Fool” – 3:43
5. “Jewish Princess” – 3:16

Side four

1. “Wild Love” – 4:09
2. “Yo’ Mama” – 12:36

Visit our write up on Frank Zappa Apostrophe(‘)

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