Favourite Zappa

[Marqueson's Chicken]

Zappa fans - I would be very interested to know peoples favourite Zappa song! Or if that is too difficult what is your favourite Zappa album. It would also interest me to know WHY that particular song/album is your favourite...

I'll start (as i know its a tough one):

It would have to be the album Hot Rats (or is it Ratz?), though I havent heard more than half of Zappa's albums in total (there are are gargantuan amount ) this is my favourite so far. This is because it demonstrates Frank's sheer brilliance as a composer and it portrays the Mothers skill as musical artists perfectly as, in case you havent heard of it, it is a soely instumental album (with the exception of Willie the Pimp - A brilliant song!).

To all who reply - thanks for sharing

[SOFA]

I would be very interested to know peoples favourite Zappa song!
SOFA - in all of its permutations.

Hot Rats - it demonstrates Frank's sheer brilliance as a composer and it portrays the Mothers skill as musical artists perfectly
News flash - Hot Rats isn't a Mothers album... FZ and Ian Underwood, with a handful of guests; that's about it.
Not to take anything away from this recording, I love it too. It's just not a 'band' recording...

[Studio Tan]

Favourite song: 'Cheepnis' from Roxy & Elsewhere
Favourite album: Waka Jawaka

[Marqueson's Chicken]

News flash - Hot Rats isn't a Mothers album... FZ and Ian Underwood, with a handful of guests; that's about it.
Not to take anything away from this recording, I love it too. It's just not a 'band' recording...

Oh really? I wasn't aware of that: In which case my Favourite Zappa album would have to be Studio Tan as Lemme Take You To The Beach is awesome and The Adventures of Greggery Peccary is brilliantly unbeatable.

[Wannabeard]

My favorite album would be: Roxy & elsewhere, which was the one who got me into zappa in the first place.

Favorite song (at the moment, as they tend to change):  eat that question

[Barry]

As for favorite album, I'm with Wannabeard on this, and for the exact same reason: Roxy & Elsewhere was the first Zappa I bought and it absolutely blew me away (and still does). Favo tracks, allthough they all boggle the mind: "Echidna’s Arf (Of You)/Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?" - amazing stuff. I should also mention "Cruising For Burgers", the ZINY guitar-solo version. Still makes the hair stand up on various parts of the body! Listening to that track is like being electrocuted  for about 7 minutes - but in a good way.

[Studio Tan]

Obviously I have to go and buy the CD version of Zappa In New York.

I have the crippled version on vinyl with:

side 1:
Titties & Beer
I Promise Not To Come In Yor Mouth
Big Leg Emma

Side 2:
Manx Need Women
The Black Page Drumsolo/Black Page #1
Black Page #2

Side 3:
Honey, Don't You want A Man Like Me
The Illinois Enema Bandit

Side 4:
The Purple Lagoon

That's all. According to the CD version I'm ripped of 6 songs.
"I'm petulant and I'm having a frenzy"

[sharleena]

Favourite album: "The Best Band...", because i still can't believe that a band could play something like that LIVE!
Second is Waka Jawaka, at present. Third, OSFA, and then Overnight sensation. I also like very much Joe's Garage but it's been some time i hadn' listened to it.

Fav song? That's a tough one! For reasons unknown, i like very much What's New in Baltimore (probably because i like to sing along! ). Following are Watermelon and Black Napkins, then Go Cry on somebody else's shoulder, and Babette, and Doreen, and...i'll shut up, the question was "the" song you like better  

[Noolie]

The Muffin Man

[Dunk]

Best song must surely be Dead Air.
Does this answer my own question?

Having listened to it for nigh on 35 years I can assure you that the best album is Burnt Weeny Sandwich. The comments here come close to describing it's wonderfulness but it is even better than that and it never fails to intrigue and delight.

I confess I have not heard much (most of!) the later stuff and, having followed discussions here, I have no great desire to do so so my choices are probably more limited than most.

[Muffin]

Yep - Roxy, OSFA and Grand wazoo would make my top three.

Hard to pick one song - but I have a soft spot for 'Drowning witch'. Silly, funny, hard bits, guitar solos all in one place.

[black zappath]

Marqueeson's, here is good news for you: the basic tracks of your favorite song Lemme Take You To The Beach come straight from the Hot Rats sessions of 1969!
Oh I love Hot Rats dearly also!!

But my fave album at the moment has to be "Burnt Weeny Sandwich". I have a nicely preserved original US copy, and under the headphones, it's a total f&%#ing stereo trip!! True what the last poster wrote that after some hundreds of plays, you still discover audio dimensions to it...

Favorite song of the moment: "Sleeping in a Jar", from Uncle Meat.

[vrnzr]

My favourite FZ album: Läther  
(runner-up: Make a Jazz Noise Here)

my all-time favourite FZ song: The Adventures of Greggary Peccary,
much more than just a song, obviously...

vdnn, vdnn ...

[guacamole]

Favourite Zappa Album (of the moment) "Lumpy Gravy".

Favourite Song: probably "Willie The Pimp" ( Beefheart and nine minutes of guitar mangling extraordinaire).

[Lonesome Cowboy Squirt]

Hi, folks.

This here cowboy has been out of the loop for quite a while.  You can bet your powdered asses that I missed youse guys!

This topic has emerged before and it never gets easier.  I, for one, have phases in which a particular FZ LP gets heavy rotation.

Lately, thanks to our Uncle Beat vines, my current favorite is the complete orchestral version of "Sinister Footwear" from the Apocrypha collection.  What a joy it is to hear the whole 20 plus minutes of aural delight!

Does anybody know from which recording session this one comes?  I guess the LSO sessions because it was never officially released in this form and I do detect a few rhythmic discrepancies.  Nevertheless, I can still enjoy the composition for the masterpiece it is.