We're Only In It For The Money

Frank Zappa is the master of crazy hilarious music and this, his third album, is in my opinion his most accomplished and musically developed. It is a parody of the `hippy' music of the sixties done in the exact style of the music it is parodying. This is something that Zappa manages to do effortlessly and with obviously successful results. Just look at my rating for it.If you are new to Frank Zappa I would definitely recommend you start with this album, or, at the very least, I'll say that this is a fine starting point. This was the first Zappa album I ever heard and it got me totally hooked. Within two minutes of this album starting I was in hysterics. It really is that funny. It is also a good place to start because of the variety of music presented here. There are short and catchy pop tunes, intense and terrifying/hilarious instrumental pieces, tuneful and beautiful songs, while it is all done in Zappa's pre-seventies humor. Before he became a little too obsessed with trying to be a stand up comedian, which is where he lost me a little on some of his later albums.Anyway, the songs. There are quite a few songs on show here but they are all pretty short so the album is just under forty minutes in length. What you get though, is enough. Trust me. Every single song on this album is perfect in that it accomplishes what it set out to do and contributes to a thematically coherent album. There isn't a single wasted song here. Zappa doesn't have to resort to filler when his genius so easily produces these nineteen mini masterpieces. Songs cleverly lead into one another and at least one song has a second part later on. This creates a unity that enforces the feeling of the album as almost one long song instead a bunch of little ones. Also, there are short clips of dialogue throughout and other snippets of weirdness that help to pull the album together.`Concentration Moon' is a weird song that changes genre several times throughout the same song. It starts out with an almost beautiful chorus of sorts with very odd singing from everyone involved. It then changes rather quickly into a more fast paced song, again with some particularly odd singing, and some even odder lyrics. Very funny though. A favourite of mine.`Mum and Dad' is an obviously beautiful song. Well, beautiful in Zappa's own weird way. The lyrics are quite sad, though, and it's far less upbeat than most of the other songs. It also has one of the best opening riffs in my opinion.`What's the ugliest part of your body?' is a phenomenal song. It is both funny as hell and musically wonderful at the same time. It is also another one that changes genre several times throughout. It goes from weird harmonizing to strange catchy pop and a one point to something I can't even describe, but is awesome.`Lonely Little Girl' is another real highlight, but a short one at just over one minute. It opens with one of my favorite ever guitar riffs and has some truly beautiful lyrics and singing in.`Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance' is another short track but a real classic Zappa song. It is super catchy and damn funny. Makes you wonder what would have happened if he had just stuck to writing to catchy pop music.Anyway, I have gone on a bit. Just goes to show you how much I love this album. It's a lot. I can't promise that you'll love it too but either way it's a classic that has stood the test of time, much better than a lot of the music it's taking the piss out of. There's a sincerity to the weirdness that makes it feel genuine, rather than cringey, and while the songs might occasionally sound ridiculous the underlying music is solid and would stand up even if played straight. A great album.

By the time I got into Zappa, c1979, the original vinyl of this album was hard to come by. When I finally tracked down a copy I found it to be a work of total, hysterical genius. How disappointed I was with the original release on CD which was mastered from "damaged" tapes, and horribly mutilated with re-recorded rhythm track and BVs. It was sacreligious! And it stayed gathering dust on the shelf. Last year I heard that this had be re-released and restored to its original sonic perfection. And boy has it ever! It is a true joy to hear it now on CD as it was meant to be. Stands up there as one of the great albums of the 60s and of Zappa's career (but hey, I'm biased).If you only have the inferior version (often melded with Lumpy Gravy onto 1CD) you NEED to get this. Essential and total genius.

Superb

had this album on vinyl 40 years ago and it "blew my mind", along with (ahem) other things. Left the turntable behind many years ago and like many other favourites never got it on CD - until now. This stuff is iconoclastic dynamite, full of vitriol against the commercialisation of rebellion, and the phoniness (is that a word?) of those jumping on to and buying in to the superficial trappings of a movement they never truly understood. Probably the best showcase for Zappa's warped genius. Plus it turned me on to the works of Kafka, and how many rock albums can do that! Let's make the water turn black!...

Good remaster... as Im "Jimmy carl Black and Im the indian of the group"... (then parody about that statement with a phony drug laugh after lol) Im pleased with this remaster upgrade! It was my first Zappa album I bought as a kid and even its jokes about hippies and non tolerant people aswell and why some became hippies back then its eternal because its about the same whats going on nowdays. Also the cover with parody of Beatles Sgt pepper is some extra: I love this album but its not for all

There is not much more that can be added to what's already been said. This, the third of Zappa's early period trilogy, is arguably his most accomplished. It's an absolutely mezmerizing work of art in which any discerning music fan ought to never tire of. The album is a work of vision, wit, grace and technical proficiency. On the surface it sounds fragmented and disjointed, but in essence it is a cohesive and erudite work of beauty. This one, alongside 'Burnt Weeny Sandwich', are Zappa's supreme masterpieces.

Interesting for its historical value, but it is too much of its time and with (what I consider from Zappa) mediocre music, I doubt if you would listen to this more than a couple times.

along with 'freak out' this is an essential purchase 4 anybody who knows about gr8 tunes. so far ahead than anyone else apart from maybe captain beefheart, but he & zappa were pushing boundries at the same time in different ways. zappa more along the simple genius route with his own brand of humour & the cap with his more complex ,strict approach. play it again & again & again ,'were only in it....... is & always will be one of those classic albums that as a fan or not you really must have this!

This is a reissue / remaster of the 4th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank Zappa, released originally in 1968. The music was recorded at several studios during 1967 and Zappa considered this album as part of an organic music stream, which also includes also the albums “Lumpy Gravy”, “Cruising With Ruben & The Jets” and “Uncle Meat”, collectively known as the "No Commercial Potential" project. The album presents nineteen tracks, all composed by Zappa.The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the then current version of Mothers Of Invention, which comprises of vocalists / bassist Roy Estrada, drummers Jimmy Carl Black and Billy Mundi, multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood, woodwinds player Bunk Gardner, saxophonist Jim Sherwood, keyboardist Don Preston and many other people adding minor contributionsThe album presents a comic / bitterly satirical view of American politics (both left and right wing), society and music business. The album’s cover, which of course is a parody of The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper`s Lonely Heart Club Band” album cover as well as the album’s title, which coined a catchphrase still bitterly actual today, are all manifestation of Zappa’s view of our world, which remains sadly somewhat naïve in comparison to what we experience today.Musically the album is a zany amalgam of Pop, Rock Psychedelia, Contemporary Classical Music and Avant-Garde Rock, with spoken word collages and beautiful melodies here in there, completely Zappaesque and incomparable to anything done at the time and since. Zappa applied unprecedented studio trickery, so advanced that it’s considered a wizardry, even with today computerized studio technology.Overall, although this music is now over fifty-five years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.

Il costo

Por razones de portabilidad, estoy comprando los vinilos de Zappa también en CD.Zappa hace magia para parodiarlo todo y no dejar títere con cabeza: el negocio de la música, las instituciones de enseñanza y la desidia de los padres a la hora de informarse, como es su deber, de los problemas que puedan tener sus hijos, los jipis, la vanidad, la frivolidad (“What’s The Ugliest Part Of Your Body”, canción que repiten parodiando al “Sgt. Pepper’s…”), los jipis de nuevo, los padres otra vez, etc.De la portada del álbum y de The Beatles ya se ha hablado mucho.Una obra maestra.

I find Zappa to be either brilliant, but not for me, or brilliant and wow I loved it. I decided to order this based on how much I liked "Lets make the water turn black". The entire cd is wild and weird and fantastic and interesting. Definitely one of the "wow I loved it" albums.

Un album incontournable de collection pour un amateur qui se veut respectable sur les seventies, une référence qui fait toujours mouche dans les soirées huppés.