Burnt Weeny Sandwich

Infobox Album |
Name = Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Mothers of Invention


Released = February 9, 1970
Recorded = October 1967 – July 1969
Genre = Jazz fusion, experimental rock
Length = 41:07
Label = Bizarre/Reprise
Producer = Frank Zappa
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ptm8b5c4tsqk link]
Chronology = Frank Zappa
Last album = "Hot Rats"
(1969)
This album = "Burnt Weeny Sandwich"
(1970)
Next album = "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"
(1970)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Type = Studio album
Upper caption = "2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention"

"Burnt Weeny Sandwich" is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970 (see 1970 in music).

The album was essentially a "posthumous" Mothers release having been released after Frank Zappa dissolved the band. Presumably a favorite musician of Zappa's, the versatile Ian Underwood's contributions are significant on this album. The album, like its counterpart "Weasels Ripped My Flesh", comprises tracks from the Mothers vault that were not previously released. Whereas "Weasels" mostly showcases the Mothers in a live setting, much of "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" features studio work and structured Zappa compositions, like the centerpiece of the album, "The Little House I Used To Live In," which consists of several movements and employs compound meters such as 11/8. And when the 11/8 beat is played, the melody on top of that is in 10/8.

The album's rather unusual title, Frank would later say in an interview, comes from an actual snack that Frank enjoyed eating, consisting of a burnt Hebrew National hot dog sandwiched between two pieces of bread with mustard. It could also refer to the "sandwiching" of Zappa's ambitious and complex works between two innocuous doo-wop covers, as well as the "sandwiching" an alternating pattern of Igor's Boogie to Holiday In Berlin (Phase I, Overture to..., Phase II, Full-Blown).

"Burnt Weeny Sandwich" and "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" were also reissued together on vinyl as "2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention", with the original covers used as the left and right sides of the inner spread, and the front cover depicting a pistol shooting toothpaste onto a toothbrush.

"Igor's Boogie" is a reference to a major Zappa influence, composer Igor Stravinsky.

Track listing

Personnel

*Frank Zappa – organ, guitar, vocals
* Jimmy Carl Black – percussion, drums
*Roy Estrada – bass, vocals
*Gabby Furggy – vocals
*Bunk Gardner – horn, wind
* Lowell George – guitar
* Don "Sugarcane" Harris – violin, vocals
*Don Preston – bass, piano, keyboards
*Jim Sherwood – guitar, vocals, wind
*Art Tripp – drums
*Ian Underwood – guitar, piano, keyboards, wind

Production

*Producer: Frank Zappa
*Engineer: Dick Kunc
*Arranger: Frank Zappa
*Design: John Williams
*Cover art: Cal Schenkel
*CD package design: Ferenc Dobronyl
*CD art adaptation: Cal Schenkel

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

References