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The freak was no longer a youngster, that's for sure. His youthful years had been spent preparing ample portions of hot rats, to be served still steaming on the respectful table of the American community. Yet, the time passed had not weakened his determination in fulfilling his mission, which can be summarized in the following three points:
1) create music beyond genres, where the lessons of great contemporary musicians (Stravinsky, Varèse), jazz, hard rock, and rhythm'n'blues converged, yet be so original and complex as to not be attributed to any precise genre
2) produce an extraordinary number of records
3) piss off the previously mentioned community
To better fulfill his tasks, he had recently founded his own label, Zappa Records, which allowed him to release his 6-7 records a year without the zealous music business experts turning his balls into frappé with uplifting marketing strategy lessons. With this new label, in 1979, the sheik “shake your booty” was born, looking at you slyly from the album cover as if to say "yes, you moron, shake your booty with your shitty disco music, meanwhile I'll have a smoke and play a bit: see what you can do, listen to Dancin’ Fool and then reflect on how much of an idiot you are".
Because Francesco Vincenzo, as usual, doesn't spare anyone (not even his - apparently - clumsy keyboardist, who is elegantly invited to go back to his mother) and churns out an indispensable album. It's true that many previous albums are stylistically better than this one, but Sheik is essential; it's true that the orchestral suites of The Grand Wazoo are a work of art, but Sheik is mandatory; it's true that Over-nite sensation is a revolution, but Sheik is inevitable.
Sheik boasts the presence of Adrian Belew ("wow, but Adrian Belew of King Crimson???" yes dear, exactly him) and Terry Bozzio on drums; in Sheik, the quest for formalism is heightened in every track (almost all tracks are recorded live and then overdubbed in the studio) and nonetheless, the result is an album listenable from the very first listen.
But the real, dogmatic, and indisputable reason that makes Sheik a conditio sine qua non is that in this album Francesco Vincenzo passionately lashes out against the real scourge of today's society: the posers. Frank, with his impeccable sensitivity, stigmatizes and destroys the very concept of a poser, both in its male form ("Bobby Brown goes down") and female form ("Jewish Princess").
Darling, a world without posers is a better world. A world without posers is the Shangri-la where we can find the peace we so ardently crave. And finally free, I can be in you so intimately, and everything will be alright. In the background, Frank will play, because Frank is like me: we are not affluent posers, but we are so lovely.
And we have a big one.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Flakes (06:42)
Flakes! Flakes!
Flakes! Flakes!
They don't do no good
They never be workin'
When they oughta should
They waste your time
They're wastin' mine
California's got the most of them
Boy, they got a host of them
Swear t'God they got the most
At every business on the coast
Swear t'God they got the most
At every business on the coast
They got the Flakes
Flakes! Flakes!
They can't fix yer brakes
You ask 'em, "Where's my motor?"
"Well, it was eaten by snakes..."
You can stab 'n' shoot 'n' spit
But they won't be fixin' it
They're lyin' an' lazy
They can be drivin' you crazy
Swear t'God they got the most
At every business on the coast
Swear t'God they got the most
At every business on the coast
Take it away, Bob...
I asked as nice as I could
If my job would
Somehow be finished by Friday
Well, them whole damn weekend
came 'n' went, Frankie
Wanna buy some mandies, Bob?
'N' they didn't do nothin'
But they charged me double for Sunday
You know, no matter what you do,
They gonna cheat 'n' rob you
Then they'll send you a bill
That'll get your senses reelin'
And if you do not pay
They got computer collectors
That'll get you so crazy
'Til your head'll go through th' ceilin'
Yes it will!
I'm a moron, 'n' this is my wife
She's frosting a cake
With a paper knife
All what we got here's
American made
It's a little bit cheesey,
But it's nicely displayed
Well we don't get excited when it
Crumbles 'n' breaks
We just get on the phone
And call up some Flakes
They rush on over
'N' wreck it some more
'N' we are so dumb
They're linin' up at our door
Well, the toilet went crazy
Yersterday afternoon
The plumber he says
Never flush a tampoon!
This great information
Cost me half a week's pay
And the toilet blew up
Later on the next day-ay-eee-ay
Blew up the next day
WOO-OOO
We are millions 'n' millions,
We're coming to get you
We're protected by unions
So don't let it upset you
Can't escape the conclusion
It's probably God's Will
That civilization
Will grind to a standstill
And we are the people
Who will make it all happen
While yer children is sleepin',
Yer puppy is crappin'
You might call us Flakes
Or something else you might coin us
But we know you're so greedy
That you'll probably join us
We're coming to get you, we're coming to get you
We're coming to get you, we're coming to get you
We're coming to get you, we're coming to get you
We're coming to get you, we're coming to get you...
===========
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
Adrian Belew (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter Wolf (keyboards)
Patrick O'Hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion, vocals)
Napoleon Murphy Brock (background vocals)
Andre Lewis (background vocals)
Randy Thornton (background vocals)
Davey Moire (background vocals)
05 Jones Crusher (02:50)
My baby's got
Jones crushin' love
Jones crushin' love
Jones crushin' love
Well my baby's got
Jones crushin' love
Jones crushin' love
Jones crushin' love
She don't merely fit like a glove
That little girl's got the jones
That little girl's got the jones
That little girl's got the jones
She's tryin' to
Grind up my jones
Grind up my jones
Grind up my jones
Well, she's tryin' to
Grind up my jones
Grind up my jones
Grind up my jones
She don't never wanna leave it alone
She can push; she can shove
Till it's just a nub
She can push; she can shove
Till it's just a nub
Just a nub
Just a nub
Here she comes
With her red dress on
Steam shoots out
>From the sprinklers on the lawn
The eyes be rollin'
On the concrete fawn
The wind can't blow
'Cause the sky is gone
The wind can't blow
'Cause the sky is gone
The wind can't blow
'Cause the sky is gone
Jones crusher, jones crusher
Deadly jaws, better get the gauze
She's a jones crusher, jones crusher
Deadly jaws, better get the gauze
(etc. ad lib)
========
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
Adrian Belew (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter Wolf (keyboards)
Patrick O'Hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion, vocals)
Napoleon Murphy Brock (background vocals)
Andre Lewis (background vocals)
Randy Thornton (background vocals)
Davey Moire (background vocals)
07 Rat Tomago (05:16)
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
Adrian Belew (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter Wolf (keyboards)
Patrick O'Hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion, vocals)
Napoleon Murphy Brock (background vocals)
Andre Lewis (background vocals)
Randy Thornton (background vocals)
Davey Moire (background vocals)
(Instrumental)
09 Bobby Brown (02:50)
Hey there, people, I'm Bobby Brown
They say I'm the cutest boy in town
My car is fast, my teeth are shiney
I tell all the girls they can kiss my heinie
Here I am at a famous school
I'm dressin' sharp 'n' I'm
actin' cool
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper
Let her do all the work 'n' maybe later I'll rape her
Oh God I am the American dream
I do not think I'm too extreme
An' I'm a handsome sonofabitch
I'm gonna get a good job 'n' be real rich
(get a good
get a good
get a good
get a good job)
Women's Liberation
Came creepin' across the nation
I tell you people I was not ready
When I fucked this dyke by the name of Freddie
She made a little speech then,
Aw, she tried to make me say "when"
She had my balls in a vice, but she left the dick
I guess it's still hooked on, but now it shoots too quick
Oh God I am the American dream
But now I smell like Vaseline
An' I'm a miserable sonofabitch
Am I a boy or a lady...I don't know which
(I wonder wonder
wonder wonder)
So I went out 'n' bought me a leisure suit
I jingle my change, but I'm still kinda cute
Got a job doin' radio promo
An' none of the jocks can even tell I'm a homo
Eventually me 'n' a friend
Sorta drifted along into S&M
I can take about an hour on the tower of power
'Long as I gets a little golden shower
Oh God I am the American dream
With a spindle up my butt till it makes me scream
An' I'll do anything to get a head
I lay awake nights sayin', "Thank you, Fred!"
Oh God, oh God, I'm so fantastic!
Thanks to Freddie, I'm a sexual spastic
And my name is Bobby Brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down,
And my name is Bobby Brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down,
And my name is Bobby Brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down....
10 Rubber Shirt (02:45)
Yeah, I knew you'd be surprised!
========
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
Adrian Belew (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter Wolf (keyboards)
Patrick O'Hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion, vocals)
Napoleon Murphy Brock (background vocals)
Andre Lewis (background vocals)
Randy Thornton (background vocals)
Davey Moire (background vocals)
11 The Sheik Yerbouti Tango (03:56)
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
Adrian Belew (rhythm guitar, vocals)
Tommy Mars (keyboards, vocals)
Peter Wolf (keyboards)
Patrick O'Hearn (bass, vocals)
Terry Bozzio (drums, vocals)
Ed Mann (percussion, vocals)
Napoleon Murphy Brock (background vocals)
Andre Lewis (background vocals)
Randy Thornton (background vocals)
Davey Moire (background vocals)
Why dontcha take it down the seashore, Bernie?
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Other reviews
By Viva Lì
"Sheik Yerbouti is based, and lives, thanks to the brilliant and wild imagination of Frank Zappa capable of contaminating, in an exhilarating way, multiple musical genres together."
"Zappa’s guitar soars high, but it is the extraordinary blend between band and composer that makes this album unique and unrepeatable."
