I think Bongo Fury is a great album without a minute wasted. President Václav Havel of the Czech Republic (who met with FZ) told Frank it was his favorite album. It's very earthy, funny and with Beefheart, sufficiently bizarre. Great band of course. Most of it is live. Two studio cuts, 200 Years Old and Cucamonga are studio takes with the intro to Muffin Man being a studio take as well. "200 Years Old" is actually a lot longer than what is on this album. Zappa did an excellent manual razor tape splicing on it probably for fidelity reasons (keep the time to less than 20 minutes a side on vinyl). Anyway, it's sad that the unedited version was never officially released on CD. In case you want to hear that version of 200 Years Old, featuring some great George Duke piano playing and more FZ guitar, here is the link on my channel. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6-cST46oFU4.html
200 years old. The bicentennial. I saw Zappa at what was then the L.A. Forum on New Years Eve, '75-'76. So, I rang in the bicentennial year with Zappa AND Beefheart, who was the second of three bands, and who also performed with Frank, playing most of this album. At one point they were sharing the stage with a ten-foot tall stuffed poodle. You'll really enjoy "Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy". The whole album is a unique gem in the Zappa archive. Together again with Captain Beefheart, who much earlier did "Willie The Pimp" with him. Blessings.
“She's 200 years old So mean, she couldn't grow no lips She's 200 years old So mean, she couldn't grow no lips (Boy, she'd be in trouble if she tried to grow a mustache) She's 200 years old Squatting down And poppin' up in front of the juke box Like she had true religion, boy She's 200 years old Squattin' down Poppin' up front o' the juke box Just like she'd had true religion, boy Boy, boy, it's 200 years Half of this, none of that Was 50, oh squat, yeah, oh, now She got religion now, boy Oh, she's 200 years old Oh, she told me She just, she just can't grow no lips Squat down So mean she can't grow no lips 200 years old, whaddya mean she can't grow no lips…” ;)
Don Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) on vocals and harp. CB was on this FZ tour. Just imagine - the two major figures to appear in the context of rock music in the same line-up! Unbelievable!
"She's 200 years old, so mean, she couldn't grow no meaner". Also, it's always all about the "little hoods, little goods, little doo-dads from the woods"...
Love! Full thank for your presence & mind thinking about the genius Monsieur Zappa. You'll love me forever cause soon soon soon I will buy 2 t-shirts & an album of yours. Love.
Frank was essentially a walking public service announcement. I'll. Enema Bandit, Why does it Hurt when I Pee, etc. Frank was always looking out for us.
Excellent! You done any Beefheart yet? Trout Mask Replica was produced by Frank and is something "else." I recommend it, ha ha... Title cut, Ant Man Bee, Sugar and Spikes. Man, I can't wait, I know it will happen! Bongo Fury, another great album for sure from a great Zappa era, very appreciated! Thanks as always...
As long as you have stopped by "Bongo Fury," stick around long enough to take in "Advance Romance," which has the saddest opening line of any Zappa tune, as well as "Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy" which will introduce you to a kink you've probably never heard of. Keep going, it's all good. After all, this is the album that gave us "Muffin Man," so you know there are more tasty nuggets to be found within.
Haha Zappa unhinged by the Beefheart presence is about right I reckon. This album did grow on me but it took a while. Fave track is Advance Romance but fave version of that track is the one with Lady Bianca singing in 76.
That version of "Advance Romance" with Bianca is my favorite as well. The entire Philly "76 release is amazing! That version of "You Didn't Try To Call Me" is fantastic!
@@SightAfterDark not to worry..I just thought the inclusive alphabet soup that has trouble with the letter H may have become upset if you say poofter..I'll hold up a sign and they can attack me..
It is a shame Zappa and Beefheart didn't collaborate more. The live version of The Torture Never Stops with Beefheart on vocals is essential listening. It can be found on the Cheap Thrills compilation.
There is a brilliant version of "The Torture Never Stops" on one of the "You Can't do that on Stage Anymore" albums with Captain Beefheart on vocals. Much bluesier than the studio version and well worth a listen.
She's 200 years old, so mean she can't grow no lips. Which explains Zappa's spoken line "Boy, she'd be in trouble if she ever tried to grow a mustache!"
I think these are weaker songs on the album, but Beefheart's harmonica is good. I recommend _Sam with the Showing Scalp Flat Top_ and _Debra Kedabra._ Beefheart was on his uppers at this stage. His band had all quit and he couldn't get work, so Zappa hired him to come on tour with him. BTW the first song is called "Poofter's Froth..." not "Proofters". "Poofter" is British slang for an effeminate or homosexual gentleman. I think Zappa has claimed that he didn't know what it meant but just it picked it up because it sounded like a funny word. It's an unlikely sounding story, but on the other hand Zappa was not normally coy about that sort of thing.
i think they already did a live version of muffin man from elsewhere, which was a bummer because they missed the amazing preamble on this album's version
200 years old. The bicentennial. I saw Zappa at what was then the L.A. Forum on New Years Eve, '75-'76. So, I rang in the bicentennial year with Zappa AND Beefheart, who was the second of three bands, and who also performed with Frank, playing most of this album. At one point they were sharing the stage with a ten-foot tall stuffed poodle. You'll really enjoy "Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy". The whole album is a unique gem in the Zappa archive. Together again with Captain Beefheart, who much earlier did "Willie The Pimp" with him. Blessings.
