The "Hot Rats" album really set the notion in motion of FZ as a 'Composer'.
I remember as a child, seeing his band perform this on 'Saturday Night Live',
and how exciting it was to see Frank Zappa in action, and this band of virtuoso musicians tackling this unbelievably complicated musical work.
In my opinion, the use of a horn section in rock music had always added an element of cheesiness, but with this song it is a necessary element.
Besides, "Cheesy" was often Zappa's middle name, and nobody did it better.
He turned it into an art form.
The original version featured multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood who along with his wife,
the infamous Ruth, became fixtures in Zappa's lineup in the years to come.
Folk? Soul? Pop? Rock? I don't know, I just know I REALLY like it. The sole album by this mysterious duo (Alzo's got a solo album too) is the very definition of groovy. This song, like the rest of the record, is hard to describe, but let's just imagine a funkier version of the 60s Bee Gees crossed with, I don't know, Donovan? No, maybe the Rascals crossed with Jose Feliciano and Joe Bataan is closer to it. It totally works, especially when they get to the falsetto chorus of "Everybody feel iiiiit......come on and clap your hands!" People, find this record: it will improve your life!
from C'mon And Join Us! (Mercury), available on CD
07 May 04 ·delicado: It totally works; thanks for bringing it to my attention!
A chunky, funky open drum breakbeat opens this supremely catchy song. It sticks in my head and at times I wake up simply having to hear it.
from Harry (RCA LSP-4197) available on CD - Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman (Camden-RCA)
06 Dec 02 ·n-jeff: Bobby Gentry does a top version on her LP Fancy. The whole LP is a funky Swamp Pop extravaganza, this is a wonderful tune by a writer that doesn't normally do much for me.
Adolfo and Gaspar strike again with one of their biggest hits, this time performed by their own band, a sort of home-grown space-age answer to Brasil '66, with an early Fender Rhodes providing counterpoint to the two female vocalists' ethereal and spacy tones. Irresistibly catchy and with an intriguing overall sound, this sounds like the music the Jetsons would be listening to if they were Brazilian.