Weasels Ripped My Flesh

Infobox Album |
Name = Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Mothers of Invention


Released = September 10, 1970
Recorded = February 1967 – August 1969
Genre = Jazz fusion, Experimental rock, Avant-garde
Length = 43:03
Label = Bizarre/Reprise
Producer = Frank Zappa
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:1esqoauabijn link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=4155 link]
Chronology = Frank Zappa
Last album = "Burnt Weeny Sandwich"
(1970)
This album = "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"
(1970)
Next album = "Chunga's Revenge"
(1970)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Type = Studio album
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Lower caption = German album cover

Extra album cover 2
Type = Studio album
Lower caption = "2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention"

"Weasels Ripped My Flesh" is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970 (see 1970 in music).

Conceptually, the album could be considered Phase Two of "Burnt Weeny Sandwich". Both albums consist of previously unreleased Mothers tracks released after the demise of the original band. Whereas the pieces on "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" generally have a more rigid and planned feel captured by quality studio equipment, "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" mostly captures the Mothers on stage, where they employ frenetic and chaotic improvisation characteristic of avant-garde free jazz. The album's infamous closer and title track is nothing more than every man on stage producing as much noise and feedback as they can for two minutes. Interestingly, an audience member is heard yelling for more at its conclusion. The album also contains such surprising treats as Don "Sugarcane" Harris's straight-ahead blues violin and vocal performance of "Directly From My Heart to You".

The CD version of the album features different versions of "Didja Get Any Onya?" and "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask", which featured music edited out of the LP versions. Some of this extra music was used as the backing track for "The Blimp" on the Captain Beefheart album Trout Mask Replica, produced by Frank Zappa.

"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.

Album cover

Frank Zappa recruited artist Neon Park to create a subversive image based on a cover story from the September 1956 issue of "Man's Life", a men's adventure magazine. After showing Neon a copy of the magazine, Zappa inquired, "This is it. What can you do that's worse than this?"cite web | month = April | year = 2005 | url = http://www.united-mutations.com/123/big_note_files200504.htm | title = the big nOte files | publisher = Black Page | accessdate = 2006-06-13] Neon's answer was to craft a parody of an advertisement for Schick brand electric razor based on the "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" theme.

German releases of the album featured an album cover showing a metal baby caught in a rat trap. This cover was not approved by Zappa.

Track listing

All songs by Frank Zappa, except where noted otherwise.

ide one

#"Didja Get Any Onya?" (live) – 3:42 (6:51 on the CD version)
#* "Includes 'Charles Ives', and only on the compact disc re-issue, 'The Jelly"'
#"Directly from My Heart to You" (Richard Wayne Penniman) – 5:16
#"Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask" (live) – 3:47
#"Toads of the Short Forest" – 4:47
#"Get a Little" (live) – 2:31

ide two

#"Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" – 6:52
#"Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula" – 2:12
#"My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" – 3:32
#"Oh No" – 1:45
#"The Orange County Lumber Truck" (live) – 3:21
#"Weasels Ripped My Flesh" (live) – 2:08

Personnel

*Frank Zappa – lead guitar, vocals
* Jimmy Carl Black – drums
*Ray Collins – vocals
*Roy Estrada – bass, vocals
*Bunk Gardner – tenor sax
* Lowell George – rhythm guitar, vocals
* Don "Sugarcane" Harris – vocals, electric violin
*Don Preston – organ, electronic effects
*Buzz Gardner – trumpet and flugel horn
*Motorhead Sherwood – baritone saxophone, snorks
*Art Tripp – drums
*Ian Underwood – alto saxophone

Production

*Producer: Frank Zappa
*Art Direction: John Williams
*Cover art: Neon Park
*Photography: John Williams
*Digital art: Bob Stone

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

References