Beefheart appears as "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" largely because he had become so entangled in contractual obligations to different record companies that he could no longer perform or record as an independent artist. Zappa & his legal team would help get the Captain out of his situation & Frank even hired him as a member of the Mothers so he could do some touring. Many of the recordings from that tour were released as Bongo Fury, the follow up to One Size Fits All, & would also be a great introduction to Captain Beefheart.
Johnny Guitar Watson was one of Zappa,s musical heroes from his youth. His guitar style had a big influence on that of Zappa. Watson, s early rhythm and blues records are pretty amazing.
I'm sure many people will tell you this, but the lyrics of "Evelyn, a Modified Dog" refer to the recording of the early Zappa album "Lumpy Gravy," where he recorded people talking with their heads inside a piano.
Pedal depressed pan- chromatic resonance is when you hold the sustain pedal down on the piano with your foot and hit all the notes at once. By the way San Bern'dino is one of the few songs to use a fretless electric guitar. You're spot on about the encore, one of the encores in the movie Baby Snakes is San Bern'dino featuring Adrian Belew on vocals and guitar.
From my favourite album of all time, absolute genius, been listening to it from the week it came out and it still sounds as fresh to me as the day I bought it
You are correct that Frank would play this as an encore. Adrian Belew does a great job singing the Johnny Guitar Watson lines in the Baby Snakes movie.
Evelyn might be my favorite Zappa song lyrically. You get this vivid description of what the (modified) dog experiences only to end up as a bark at the end.
The thing with "Evelyn" is the way the speech defines the rhythmic pattern of the music being played behind it. A lot of Zappa's complex rhythms are based on speech patterns. You will find that becomes even more explicit during "Andy".
Try "A Real Mother For Ya" by Johnny Guitar Watson some time. It was a huge hit in the 70's and it's very tasteful funk. He was Frank's idol in his youth, and Frank invited Johnny a few times to sing on his tracks throughout his career.
Evelyn sees the doily on the piano wafting and trembling because a short person (perhaps a young Ahmet?) with garlic breath is inside the Steinway and snoring. What Evelyn thinks about this pedal depressed panchromatic resonance has something to do with being modified. It also refers to musical experiments Zappa did recording voices inside of a piano to capture the sounds. Naturally the piano doesn’t resonate unless the pedal is depressed.
Brilliant track and great reaction JP thank you..... Here's the thing Frank could have made hit singles and popular music by the bucket loads but that's not what he was about, he was about being himself and creating original material , as well as having real fun with it.....this is what geniuses do, they walk the line between brilliance and insanity....Johnny "Guitar" Watson is worth a peek too, he's a blues legend and was a big influence on Frank when he was growing up.
I assume Evelyn was "modified" in the sense that she'd been spayed. In the song, I think Frank is trying to portray the bewilderment of dogs when presented with human environments. And since Evelyn can't speak English, Zappa extrapolates all kinds of abstruse theoretical concepts from Evelyn's "ARF". Justin, I know you don't care for the song, but I think it's a brilliant way to put oneself into a role or perspective that most people never question. It might well be a metaphor for putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
Enjoyed this quite a bit. I'd love to see a reaction to "Were Only in it for the Money" a truly bizarre psychadelic album that pretty much makes fun of psycadellia. The album's songs flow into each other in a way that can only be appreciated by listening to at least a whole side. Saturday anyone??. Its full of tape effects and studio tricks. It must've taken a lot of work to get the results they got. It has always been highly rated. Anyway, great video. Thanks. Oh one more thing if you ever try "We're Onli in it for the Money", make sure it is the original mix, the remix version of the 80s loses the most of the original feel.
I think it's cool that we can now audibly hear what you're saying during the music. Anyway, Evelyn is a bizarre little track, but the next song is rocking. This album rocks in general
Frank will always throw you a curve before he brings the heat. Muffin Man a perfect example. You listen to the first 2 minutes. Then Bam they start jamming. Btw the album One Size Fits All that your playing this from. Is in my top 5 Zappa Albums.
Talking of Frank Zappa live, I can recommend delving into the live double album, Puttin' On The Ritz. There's some phenomenal playing on that. What's New In Baltimore would be a good place to start.
If you like franks thinking, then when someone says dont listen to trout mask replica first, well then thats the first thing you should do. Be brave young man! The waters not that cold!
If you do get into Trout Mask Replica (no other Beefheart music or any other music will prepare you) jump in the deep end with Frownland, the first track. Know that while Beefheart did NOT 'compose everything and teach the band note for note (the band wrote their stuff and he wrote his, for the most part), all of it IS written and tightly rehearsed and hugely musically demanding. Samuel Andreyev made a video analyzing every musical phrase and yes every bit of it is intentional and accurately played, but there is almost no chance you can follow hardly any of Frownland on a first listen. It is so far beyond prog you won't believe it :)
Pretty sure no one has reviewed much from "Man from Utopia" A really great album, lots of cool tunes. "Cocaine Decisions" was played on the radio for a couple of years.
To fully understand most Zappa songs and lyrical references, you need to know existing themes or follow his music to a great extent. He works upon the philosophy that anything he creates can use any aspect of existing songs, thus it all being one big whole, so to speak. Conceptual continuity, ya see: previous themes like, potato head, people in the piano. Ah, ha.
I looove "Evelyn..." - "Arf, she said" is a common saying round my household. And yup, I made the mistake of being introduced to Beefheart via Trout Mask Replica, and have never got into his music as a result. TMR, to me, sounds like a group of four-year-olds let loose in a music store - sorry!
Evelyn is nothing other than a poodle. The modification is the extensive grooming and clipping that poodles of all sizes receive. almost always buzz cut around the snout and a poofy puffball at the end of the tail.
Listening to Evelyn I always think that this album maybe was influenced by Dadaism. 🤔 It doesn't matter what you're talking about. Just tell some weird stuff without context. 🇩🇪
And please remember, I have always been positive in my comments. I like your channel, and Ilike you reactions. I think you have done a great job99% of the time. But a mistake this big... you will hear about it from me. You glossed over Evelyn, and in doing so, you yet again missed the punchline at the end of the song... your reaction to Evelyn sucked and was unfair. Instead, you fell in love with the basically normal blues song San Berdino, which, yeah, Zappa fans like it. We like it all... but Evelyn... that... is....SPECIAL!!!!!!!!! Goddamnit. The musical structure is more complex than it seems to be on first listen, and the poetry is BY FAR some of Frank's best. And you mangled it. By yapping over the last line. I'm not going to write that last line here... What YOU need to do is....GO BACK AND LISTEN TO EVELYN THE MODIFIED DOG AGAIN !!!!! And this time....sshhhhh...until the end. ( fucking..."arf" )
I'm with JP on this one. To me, it's pointless, inane drivel (including what you say is the 'punch line') and a waste of evident musical talent. If the point is to be pointless and inane, then fair enough, but it's not something I want to listen to. If you enjoy it and get some kind of meaning from it, that''s fine, but I see no need to get upset with other people who don't.
Not my cuppa. Too goofy for me. Wasted musicianship imo. Give me a good mix of funny and more serious stuff like Zoot Allures, Studio Tan, Sleep Dirt, Waka Jawaka, Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar 1, 2,3,4… Saying this constructively, you don’t have to comment after every verse. You said you might forget to mention something important, that’s the reason for the change. Just blurting out I done know this or that just interrupts the flow. Try not to get too Alex on us. I’m out.
I agree with both points. I have certain thresholds when it comes to music. One is technicality or goofiness to enjoyment. Another is distraction while listening. You made a comment on the last Mahavishnu Orchestra reaction that I agree with. There are things musically that I can appreciate but that doesn’t necessarily translate into enjoyment. Frank Zappa is one of those artists for me.
Just One of the best albums ever and The Mothers of inventions best. Need to finish Over Nite Sensation next!
Beefheart appears as "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" largely because he had become so entangled in contractual obligations to different record companies that he could no longer perform or record as an independent artist. Zappa & his legal team would help get the Captain out of his situation & Frank even hired him as a member of the Mothers so he could do some touring. Many of the recordings from that tour were released as Bongo Fury, the follow up to One Size Fits All, & would also be a great introduction to Captain Beefheart.
Johnny Guitar Watson was one of Zappa,s musical heroes from his youth. His guitar style had a big influence on that of Zappa. Watson, s early rhythm and blues records are pretty amazing.
Now he HAS to review Three Hours Past Midnight!
I went out and got 10 past midnight , Johnny was awesome
And his fantastic singing too, so distinctive!
Evelyn, a modified dog, broke the reviewer’s brain with a special doily
Draped across the piano with some surprise…..
LMAO...I believe you're right.
"Evelyn" is a wonderfully atmospheric piece; a moment of captured time.
Perfect combination of a showtune and contemporary classical
I'm sure many people will tell you this, but the lyrics of "Evelyn, a Modified Dog" refer to the recording of the early Zappa album "Lumpy Gravy," where he recorded people talking with their heads inside a piano.
For some reason, I just adore Evelyn. Waited in vane throughout my concert going with Frank to hear it live. No luck, heavy sigh.
I agree, Evelyn is such a great FZ song.
You probably know, but there is a RUclips clip of Rachel Flowers playing it with Dweezil.
Pedal depressed pan- chromatic resonance is when you hold the sustain pedal down on the piano with your foot and hit all the notes at once. By the way San Bern'dino is one of the few songs to use a fretless electric guitar. You're spot on about the encore, one of the encores in the movie Baby Snakes is San Bern'dino featuring Adrian Belew on vocals and guitar.
San ber'dino is one of my top 10 zappa songs. It was occasionally played faster in concert, and that's really fun.
Evelyn is one of my favorite FZ songs. A little ditty about life at home with children and pets.
From my favourite album of all time, absolute genius, been listening to it from the week it came out and it still sounds as fresh to me as the day I bought it
You are correct that Frank would play this as an encore. Adrian Belew does a great job singing the Johnny Guitar Watson lines in the Baby Snakes movie.
Whenever Johnny Guitar Watson appears in a track, I know it's going to be a treat. Coincidentally I have this record on my record player right now.
Evelyn might be my favorite Zappa song lyrically. You get this vivid description of what the (modified) dog experiences only to end up as a bark at the end.
You're spot on, San Ber'dino was often used as an encore.
The thing with "Evelyn" is the way the speech defines the rhythmic pattern of the music being played behind it. A lot of Zappa's complex rhythms are based on speech patterns. You will find that becomes even more explicit during "Andy".
Try "A Real Mother For Ya" by Johnny Guitar Watson some time. It was a huge hit in the 70's and it's very tasteful funk. He was Frank's idol in his youth, and Frank invited Johnny a few times to sing on his tracks throughout his career.
Evelyn sees the doily on the piano wafting and trembling because a short person (perhaps a young Ahmet?) with garlic breath is inside the Steinway and snoring. What Evelyn thinks about this pedal depressed panchromatic resonance has something to do with being modified. It also refers to musical experiments Zappa did recording voices inside of a piano to capture the sounds. Naturally the piano doesn’t resonate unless the pedal is depressed.
I haven't listened to Zappa for a good few years now and I'd forgotten what a rockin' track San Ber'dino was. Enjoyed that, thanks😀
So glad you put these two together. Loved this !
Frank Zappa is the absolute man!
You can find Potato-Head Bobby again on the song "Advance Romance" from the terrific Bongo Fury album.
My go to album in my senior year of high school AND I was at a Zappa concert where they DID SAN BER'DINO as an encore!
Brilliant track and great reaction JP thank you..... Here's the thing Frank could have made hit singles and popular music by the bucket loads but that's not what he was about, he was about being himself and creating original material , as well as having real fun with it.....this is what geniuses do, they walk the line between brilliance and insanity....Johnny "Guitar" Watson is worth a peek too, he's a blues legend and was a big influence on Frank when he was growing up.
I assume Evelyn was "modified" in the sense that she'd been spayed. In the song, I think Frank is trying to portray the bewilderment of dogs when presented with human environments. And since Evelyn can't speak English, Zappa extrapolates all kinds of abstruse theoretical concepts from Evelyn's "ARF". Justin, I know you don't care for the song, but I think it's a brilliant way to put oneself into a role or perspective that most people never question. It might well be a metaphor for putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
The priceless Johnny Guitar Watson - Frank's buddy and musical influence - on 'Flambé' vocals. brilliant.
I was lucky enough to see him 7 times and he always did 3 anchors totally leaving the audience agog 😁
Approximate is the track that was at the tip of your tongue!!
You continue to pull great tracks to react to...pray continue!
Trout Mask Replica was produced by Zappa.
Zappa & MoI are one of the best grooving bands. Legendary, unmatched.
Love your reaction and review of the genius chaos of this Zappa song.
Ty!
Its so refreshing hearing anything from Zappa.. Unique, fun and technically brilliant.
Enjoyed this quite a bit. I'd love to see a reaction to "Were Only in it for the Money" a truly bizarre psychadelic album that pretty much makes fun of psycadellia. The album's songs flow into each other in a way that can only be appreciated by listening to at least a whole side. Saturday anyone??. Its full of tape effects and studio tricks. It must've taken a lot of work to get the results they got. It has always been highly rated. Anyway, great video. Thanks. Oh one more thing if you ever try "We're Onli in it for the Money", make sure it is the original mix, the remix version of the 80s loses the most of the original feel.
I think it's cool that we can now audibly hear what you're saying during the music. Anyway, Evelyn is a bizarre little track, but the next song is rocking. This album rocks in general
One of my favorite Zappa albums. If I'm not mistaken it has a song called Big Legged Emma which is hilarious!
One of my favorite FZ songs. Thanks for reviewing!
Try Sweet Smoke song Silly Sally, group from the Hippie movement 1967 mix of Jazz rock blues with a touch of Hawkwind
Nice and bluesy. We got to San Bernardino a few years back. Slept in a wigwam and ate at a great Mexican restaurant.
I really like that you're not muted during the song 👍
Great tunes .. love Zappa 🙂 .. but don't forget to continue your journey with The Clash 😏 PS. Yep .. listen to Safe as Milk or Tropical Hotdog Night
Hahahahaha! I cant tell you how much my brother n me say that ,and people look at us like 'whu?'
Arf she said !
Frank will always throw you a curve before he brings the heat. Muffin Man a perfect example. You listen to the first 2 minutes. Then Bam they start jamming. Btw the album One Size Fits All that your playing this from. Is in my top 5 Zappa Albums.
Talking of Frank Zappa live, I can recommend delving into the live double album, Puttin' On The Ritz. There's some phenomenal playing on that. What's New In Baltimore would be a good place to start.
The problem with that is that it’s a bootleg and the sound is not great
This album is the album of albums. Great choice and reaction.
Johnny “Guitar” Watson on vocals for San Ber’nido.
Johnny guitar watson! Tjree hours past midnight! Youll get it! An old friend of Frank.
How many albums have you got on your: I started it and want to finish it list atm? 20-30? Hopefully "Blue" is one of them.
Thinking about the great Johnny Guitar Watson on this, you should check out some of his stuff. A Real Mother for Ya would be my pick.
If you like franks thinking, then when someone says dont listen to trout mask replica first, well then thats the first thing you should do. Be brave young man! The waters not that cold!
A squid eating dough in a polyeurothane bag is fast and bulbous.
Got me?
If you do get into Trout Mask Replica (no other Beefheart music or any other music will prepare you) jump in the deep end with Frownland, the first track. Know that while Beefheart did NOT 'compose everything and teach the band note for note (the band wrote their stuff and he wrote his, for the most part), all of it IS written and tightly rehearsed and hugely musically demanding. Samuel Andreyev made a video analyzing every musical phrase and yes every bit of it is intentional and accurately played, but there is almost no chance you can follow hardly any of Frownland on a first listen. It is so far beyond prog you won't believe it :)
Pretty sure no one has reviewed much from "Man from Utopia" A really great album, lots of cool tunes. "Cocaine Decisions" was played on the radio for a couple of years.
To fully understand most Zappa songs and lyrical references, you need to know existing themes or follow his music to a great extent. He works upon the philosophy that anything he creates can use any aspect of existing songs, thus it all being one big whole, so to speak. Conceptual continuity, ya see: previous themes like, potato head, people in the piano. Ah, ha.
The slide guitar in San Berdino is a fretless guitar.
Frank credits Johnny Guitar Watson as his biggest influence.
Just a friendly reminder that you need to finish listening to the sparks album kimono my house and also. Listen to the yes album cd TALK
Not two of my favourite Zappa tracks, but San Berdino at least proves, if proof was needed, that the man could rock out!
Don’t forget the kick ass album cover
I'm sorry you got a head like a potato...I really am.
Please react to Bolero by Maurice Ravel!
Zappa's version from the '88 tour!
Conducted by FZ.
Original first, then Zappa's version. Ravel's orchestration was second to none!
@@allotrope2978 Ravel isn't here. They're all interpretations.
@@timfeeley714-25 Interpretations of Ravel's orchestration. Zappa reorchestrated it completely.
I looove "Evelyn..." - "Arf, she said" is a common saying round my household. And yup, I made the mistake of being introduced to Beefheart via Trout Mask Replica, and have never got into his music as a result. TMR, to me, sounds like a group of four-year-olds let loose in a music store - sorry!
Take away the words from Evelyn and you’ve got a nice little classical tune.
I think San Ber'dino is as good as it gets.
Evelyn is nothing other than a poodle. The modification is the extensive grooming and clipping that poodles of all sizes receive. almost always buzz cut around the snout and a poofy puffball at the end of the tail.
Listening to Evelyn I always think that this album maybe was influenced by Dadaism. 🤔 It doesn't matter what you're talking about. Just tell some weird stuff without context. 🇩🇪
Another aspect of Evelyn lyrics is just joking with the English word order. Is Evelyn surprised or is the doily surprised? Are the chairs dismayed?
One of my most loved albums, Hot Rats is musically superior, but you don't get to hear Franks voice.
This must be edited because at about 5:25 he says dumb... dumb... sh!t.
@Zolar Czakl I must be losing my hearing....
@Zolar Czakl I'm 4 years behind you. I hear ya though, or maybe I don't, lol.
And please remember, I have always been positive in my comments. I like your channel, and Ilike you reactions.
I think you have done a great job99% of the time.
But a mistake this big... you will hear about it from me. You glossed over Evelyn, and in doing so, you yet again missed the punchline at the end of the song... your reaction to Evelyn sucked and was unfair. Instead, you fell in love with the basically normal blues song San Berdino, which, yeah, Zappa fans like it. We like it all... but Evelyn... that... is....SPECIAL!!!!!!!!! Goddamnit. The musical structure is more complex than it seems to be on first listen, and the poetry is BY FAR some of Frank's best. And you mangled it. By yapping over the last line. I'm not going to write that last line here... What YOU need to do is....GO BACK AND LISTEN TO EVELYN THE MODIFIED DOG AGAIN !!!!! And this time....sshhhhh...until the end. ( fucking..."arf" )
I'm with JP on this one. To me, it's pointless, inane drivel (including what you say is the 'punch line') and a waste of evident musical talent. If the point is to be pointless and inane, then fair enough, but it's not something I want to listen to. If you enjoy it and get some kind of meaning from it, that''s fine, but I see no need to get upset with other people who don't.
looks like you spend a lot of time time telling other people what they need to do
Not my cuppa. Too goofy for me.
Wasted musicianship imo.
Give me a good mix of funny and more serious stuff like Zoot Allures, Studio Tan, Sleep Dirt, Waka Jawaka, Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar 1, 2,3,4…
Saying this constructively, you don’t have to comment after every verse. You said you might forget to mention something important, that’s the reason for the change.
Just blurting out I done know this or that just interrupts the flow. Try not to get too Alex on us.
I’m out.
I agree, and besides it's a bit of a mess production-wise !
I agree with both points. I have certain thresholds when it comes to music. One is technicality or goofiness to enjoyment. Another is distraction while listening.
You made a comment on the last Mahavishnu Orchestra reaction that I agree with. There are things musically that I can appreciate but that doesn’t necessarily translate into enjoyment. Frank Zappa is one of those artists for me.
🤡🖤Arf!!!🦮. Mother's milk for aspiring teenage freaks!🎸🎹✌