Frank Zappa: Poop Chutes & Flushed Tampoons (Not for the easily offended) 

Any time I feel down, I put on a Zappa album and smile always comes to my face.

In 1967 (I was 7 years old) we lived in La Harbra CA. It was a duplex. Behind us lived Zappa’s drummer. Their front yard was our back yard. Frank would visit sometimes, he always said “Hi little man”. I had no idea who he was then, so, I would smile and say Hi back. Now that he’s gone, and I am 64, Ilike to think back to that, it brings a smile to my face. It was said in this video he was a cold person that hated humanity. He had a soft spot for children at least.

I can’t imagine any rock fans finding this offensive I mean it’s Zappa. He poked fun at everyone and no one was safe. I prefer Jord Gatage part 1 and the mid 70s Roxy but all the naughty stuff here is in our hearts

Two of Frank’s greatest comedic albums, Sheik ya Booty and Joe’s Garage.

I often say a book about my life would be titled "Frank Zappa Changed My Demographic!". I was born in 1961, and the first two albums I bought of his in 1977 were Over-nite Sensation and Apostrophe. I bought this album as soon as it was available. I've read or watched anything I could find about Frank. In my opinion, he had nihilistic and narcissistic tendencies. He was definitely a unique genius, and I don't think he was malicious. He was a typically imperfect human being who was gifted with tremendous talent. I think he liked to poke fun at the cultural clothing we all wear. Comics do what he did, but he had the talent to weave music into the same message. My biggest regret is never seeing him play live.

_Sheikh Yerbouti_ is an absolutely wonderful album.

ahhh, I love ThingFish ... always cracked me up.

No-one told it like is than Frank.A serious intellect.

Not only is the album great it is a sonic treat. It sounds incredible.

Thanks for the reminder Barry. This album is hilarious and overdue a listen from me. I have always felt that getting into the music of Frank Zappa is almost a lifetime musical undertaking. There is just so much to take on and in. I have thirty-three Frank Zappa albums and feel I am off to a good start but note the word 'Start'. There is an unbelievable amount of music in the Zappa vaults. A six CD set of 'Apostrophe' is on the way.

I never got into Frank Zappa, but I admire and respect him.

I bought this LP when it was released I laughed my ass off it's great

I love Sheik Yerbouti. Great album. Flakes is my favourite track. Marvellous.

Zappa was full-on equal opportunity in his lampooning of the human species, and Sheik Yerbouti is one of his most manically entertaining albums. This, Joes's Garage and You Are What You Is are my favourite Zappa 'pop' releases. There were a lot of other sides to his music of course (fusion, neo-classical/modern composition), and I love all of that stuff as well. For sheer entertainment and laughs though, this album is hard to beat.

Gregory Peckkary… great 70’s sendup of all things trendy!

The album that got me into Zappa at the age of 12 . My mates uncle had it and gave a tape copy. I’m 58 and this album still brings a smile to my face. Totally Un pc but a wonderful album. Luckily I saw him on the 1988 tour. He’s one of the constant artists I still listen to .

This is the Zappa album I love I bought it when it came out! And just made me laugh out loud! Brilliant stuff!

This album is in my top favorites of Zappa, Adrian Belew and Terry Bozzio are on this one too.

I am a moron and this is my wife, she frosting a cake with a paper knife

Absolute Classic

Zappa is like sushi. There is really no middle ground. People either love his music or hate it. When people ask me the inevitable, "How can you listen to that?", I just shrug. Not even worth the time to explain. They'll never understand...

Hammersmith Odeon was the Zappa album that opened my eyes. I was obsessed with it and Chicago '78 for about a year back in like 2017. I was hooked by the musicianship and the band's chops and the melodies in the instrumentals. But I loved the social commentary and humor. When I got to Broken Hearts Are For Assholes and all of a sudden we get "Ram It! Ram It! Ram it up your poop chute!" in harmony I almost pissed myself. It's not *crude* humor, it's smart humor *being* crude. Anyway, Zappa never seemed to think the lyrics were that important, so he wrote about whatever he thought was fun or interesting or funny. He was incredibly serious about the music, but wrote whatever lyrics were fun. Music can be fun!

My entry point into Zappa. From the smut of the first track to the stunning guitar solo of the last one, that it was it for me. Not to mention City Of Tiny Lites in the middle.

Always enjoy a good Zappa album especially the one that is the subject of this upload. Saw two of his shows at the Hammersmith Odeon in 78 and he came across of the ultimate showman, two very enjoyable nights. Always felt he was an underrated musician, his guitar playing at times I felt were exceptional. Many thanks.

I agree 100% with 63mckenzie!!! Zappa has something for any mood. "Sheik Yerbouti" came out at an ideal time, when I was in my 3rd year of college, and had made some new college friends that were open minded, loved music, and we were all brought together by Zappa. We are still lifelong friends to this day, and we're still listening to, and often quoting, lyrics from "Sheik" as well as "Joe's Garage", "Zoot Allures", "You Are What You Is", and many others. The amazing production work, song arrangements and hilarious commentary had us rolling in the aisles and forged our friendships to this day. "Flakes", "Broken Hearts Are For Assholes", "Bobby Brown", "Baby Snakes", "Jewish Princess" and the immaculate "Yo Mama", are forever ensconced within our history. Although "One Size Fits All" remains my overall, all-time favorite, the memories of the college days and the hilarious Zappa parties remain. A fantastic review and assessment of this incredible time in Zappa's career. 1979 - 1981 are still the albums that I utilize for Zappa newcomers. The listeners may appear to respond a bit squeamish at first, but it was not long before they began calling and asking "Does he have any others that are this good?" "Why, Yes...Yes he does!!"

A superb starting point for anybody wanting to hear Zappa for the first time.........follow it up with Joe's garage

Love, love, love Zappa…. There’s music, then there’s Zappa. Nothing and no one ever sounded like Frank, no matter which era you delve into. Thanks for reviewing this. More Zappa related content please. 😎🎸🙏

I bought this album when it was released and always belived that the title was a clever joke relating to the then Saudi minister for oil, Sheikh Yamani. His name always amused me at the time.

This is the album that got me into Zappa, more for the music than the smutty humor (which doesn't bother me in particular). But his best was We're Only In It For the Money. Musically, I'll take The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life.

This reminds me of a sunny summer holiday when I was a kid. One of my most played albums that year. Ironically I have spent all of my life tryin' to Grow me a Chin!

It is perhaps telling that Zappa showed his more emotional side when he knew he was dying. There were some friends he did keep and they talk about seeing him at the end. Seeing him work on The Yellow Shark showed a very different side of him when he found classical musicians who wanted to play his music and in the case of Hermann Kretzschmar and Hilary Sturt, their voices.

I think the Chunga's Revenge, Burnt Weenie Sandwich, Weasels Ripped My Flesh era was his best. But I have somewhere around 60 Zappa albums, so I find something to like in all of his incarnations

Zappa was an equal opportunity offender. A genius in regards to human nature. I really miss him, And to be honest, If he was around today, I think he would go just as hard against the Democrats as the Republicans. Because the level of ignorance nowadays in America is equal on BOTH sides!!... RIP Maestro

Over-nite sensation was my introduction to Frank in 1978 at the age of 26. I have been following his music ever since. I was lucky enough to see this genius live 3 times. Frank's got a special place in my ❤

If you can't laugh at the stuff that makes us different there's no way you'll be able to see how that makes us the same.

I'm not a fan like some, but I had this album on vinyl back in '80 and now have the Ryko CD release. Love it. If you're in the mood for Zappa, it's hard to beat. As a side note, not on this album, his instrumental, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" is one of the best contemporary guitar, Blues, tunes out there.

Always appreciated more his instrumental work.

Found a cassette of over-nite sensation on the top of a garbage can in 77, been a fan since.

Good call

Take it away Bob

I absolutely love this Zappa album

If you like Frank, then you will probably like Australian band TISM (This Is Serious Mum). Their debut LP, Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance (1988) includes titles like The Ballad of John Bonham's Coke Roadie, Defecate on My Face, I'm Interested in Apathy and Morrison Hostel, a brutal take down of Jim Morrison. TISM were a bunch of left wing teachers who didn't reveal their identity. They even give Ezra Pound a mention. They took some inspiration from The Residents. The album is a double- cleay they had a lot to get off their chest.

Yep...terrific album...so many of FZ's were... As for his controversiality...imo...f ck 'em if they can't take a joke...imo...

Frank’s a hoot. When I can’t find an episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys on the box, I reach out for We're Only in It for the Money.

A cat I was fond of died. I was rather bummed and was looking for something that would take my mind off of things. My God, this did the trick.

Let's mine the harbor

:{- GREAT LINE-UP GREAT SOLOS 👍👍👍

Zappa was an equal opportunities pioneer, he had a dig at everyone, mainly straight, white America.

I remember the NME review of 'Sheik Yerbouti'. They disliked it and found the satire to be stale, and the Zappa soloing to be repetitive. The picture of Zappa with his head in his hands below the review was captioned '200 years on the road and they STILL don't understand.... '.

Although I also like "One size fits all" and "Hot Rats", I like Sheik Yerbouti because of the easy-listening-and-melodies-style. It's just something different.

cough cough Thingfish cough...

frank zappa was a huge wind up merchant,his serious music and guitar playing was brilliant but no one was safe from his humour,i am on the left but i too can see the funny side of zappa, i remember hearing ,brown shoes dont make it ,on the mothermania compilation for the first time and having a bloody good laugh, as stated above no one was safe from franks humour.........................jpj

I have enjoyed Zappa's music for many years and have collected many of his records over the years. In the 80s and after Sheik Yar Bouti, I found myself struggling to enjoy his music as much as I had before. There were always some great tracks on his later albums but nothing as consistent as on albums like Absolutely Free, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Uncle Meat, Hot Rats, One Size Fits all and Live At The Roxy.

I'm Jewish and "Jewish Princess" is among my favorite Zappa songs

If I had one artists catalogue to take to a desert island it would be FZ. Not his strongest album (JMO) though City of Tiny Lites is a standout and I can have that on constant replay,

Zappa is a sort of musical Robert Crumb, for better or worse. Super talented, equally uncomfortable. Is that the point? Mission accomplished. Pandering to a teenaged audience? Sure feels like it. Saw him live in the early 80s. His disdain for the audience was very evident. Great take Barry!

....still shaking! Zappa Lives!

Zappa is only offensive to those who are easily offended or those who feign offence in the name of ideology. He was a grand satirist as well as being a musical genius.

Great albums ! Would have loved to hear Zappa's take on wokeism - kid in a candy store! The Z albums I have found most consistently enjoyable are Tinseltown and YCDTOSA vol4, which I would regard as my go-to for newbies. I enjoy the classical/jazz influenced pieces best, but there again I'm a classical nerd!

Don't fool yourself girl...

If it wasn't for the horrible lyrics this would be one of the greatest albums of all time

Any up-themselves Zappa observer embarrassed by the puerile knob jokes can naff off and feel they are superior as they listen to "Civilization Phaze III" or "the early stuff". Did you start to drift to the sneery side with your aside on "Thingfish"?

silly getting offended at Frank....all his rudeness and swearing were done in a ridiculous fun way....often a serious message among the crudity.... arf !!!

but this about sheik yerbouti? Confused by the title here...

Why not play some 'The Fugs' songs which are not as bad (lyrically) as this.

After all these years "Jewish Princess" still has me laughing out loud (all those background punctuations: 'Hi-oooo'). Zappa's humour never sits comfortably but then again why should it? If you look at the background of the people who played in his bands you know there wasn't a racist bone in his body but he commented on all kinds of social absurdities, trends, fakery,...Human sexual behaviour was one of his favourite targets: "A world of sexual incompetents encountering each other under disco circumstances."...whether straight or gay. In Thing Fish the Harry character talks about becoming gay for 'business purposes as soon as possible'. A blunt metaphor for dishonesty and opportunistic behaviour. Zappa detested that stuff. Nihilistic? If you read up on stuff that came out after his passing you know he could be very big hearted. You don't get to have such a career or invest in the talents of so many people or push the boundaries of musical/technical innovation if you 'despise humanity'. You forgot to mention "Wild Love" on SY. A song that harkens back to the Apostrophe era and was probably inspired by touring with Steely Dan. Wonderful ditty.

This album I think was geared towards 20 something males. Made some money off it.Titties and beer period. Joes Garage was better.

Zappa is littered with really awesome compositional elements but there is too much indulgence on stupid aspects to the detriment of the better bits ... But what can ya do ??? That's what he seems to like ... Kind of masochistic ...

The only time I saw Zappa was on the Sheik Yerbouti tour and he was great. However the album itself is way down on the list of my favourite Zappa albums. The musicianship, as always, is great, but I find it all a bit to clean and well played - and the lyrics are puerile and not funny at all.

I get the impression that you're rather pro-Israel? Perhaps that's why you chose to review this particular album only days after criticizing Roger Waters for his outspoken opinions on the Gaza situation? That's your right, of course, but I think it's ridiculous to compare Waters' highly political statements with Zappa's hilariously teasing lyrics. Frank wasn't being political on "Jewish Princess". He was poking fun at stereotypes, which is very different. In fact, this whole album is one giant joke. It was Frank's half-arsed attempt at gaining commercial success. However, because he cared deeply about music while not so much about the lyrics, he recognized the fact that popular music needs lyrics, so what was he going to do? Write about love? Too boring. Let's have some fun! So he did. And then a lot of people were upset because fun isn't allowed in music...

Frank is great until the xylophone

He was such a peurile sod.. negates everything he touched (unless instrumental.) Urgh.

I had Apostrophe. That album was fun for a while, but I always have trouble seeing Zappa someone who's music should be taken seriously. I was one and done with Apostrophe and Zappa.

The title alone makes me dislike Frank even more. The genius he loves to tell the world he possesses is used for shit like this. I enjoy this channel very much but l'll take a pass on this episode