Burnt Weeny Sandwich is the sixth studio album by the American rock band th… Read Full Bio ↴Burnt Weeny Sandwich is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Mothers of Invention, and the ninth overall by Frank Zappa, released in 1970. It consists of both studio album and live elements. In contrast to the next album Weasels Ripped My Flesh, which is predominantly live and song-oriented, most of Burnt Weeny Sandwich focuses on studio recordings and tightly arranged compositions.
The LP included a large triple-folded black and white poster ("The Mothers of Invention Sincerely Regret to Inform You") which has never been reproduced in any of the CD reissues. Until the 2012 Zappa Family Trust reissue campaign, CD editions had a severe dropout at the beginning of "The Little House I Used to Live In" that wasn't present on the original LP pressing.
Title
The album's unusual title, Zappa would later say in an interview, comes from an actual snack that he enjoyed eating, consisting of a burnt Hebrew National hot dog sandwiched between two pieces of bread with mustard.
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 information
The album was essentially a 'posthumous' Mothers release having been released after Frank Zappa dissolved the band.
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 with overlaid melodies in 6/8 and 4/4.
The guitar solo portion of the "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" is an outtake from an unused extended version of "Lonely Little Girl" from the 1967 sessions for the We're Only in It for the Money LP. Zappa and Art Tripp later added multiple percussion overdubs for the released version (The source recordings for the percussion overdubs were issued in 2012 on the posthumous Zappa release Finer Moments under the title "Enigmas 1-5").
"Valarie" was originally intended to be released as a single coupled with "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama". However, either Zappa or his label, Reprise Records, cancelled its release, resulting in its inclusion on the LP.
"Igor's Boogie" is a reference to a major Zappa influence, composer Igor Stravinsky.
Cal Schenkel has noted that his unique cover art for Burnt Weeny Sandwich was originally commissioned for the cover of an Eric Dolphy release.
The piano introduction of "Little House I Used to Live in" appears in Yvar Mikhashoff's four CD set "Yvar Mikhashoff's Panorama of American Piano Music".
The song title for "Little House I Used To Live In" was changed to "The Little House I Used To Live In" on all CD reissues.
Track listing
All tracks written by Frank Zappa except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "WPLJ" (The Four Deuces) 3:02
2. "Igor's Boogie, Phase One" 0:40
3. "Overture to a Holiday in Berlin" 1:29
4. "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" 4:35
5. "Igor's Boogie, Phase Two" 0:35
6. "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" 6:27
7. "Aybe Sea" 2:45
Side two
No. Title Length
8. "Little House I Used to Live in" 18:42
9. "Valarie" (Jackie and the Starlites) 3:14
Personnel
Frank Zappa – organ, guitar, vocals
Jimmy Carl Black – percussion, drums
Roy Estrada – bass, backing vocals, Pachuco rap on "WPLJ"
Janet Ferguson – backing vocals on "WPLJ"
Bunk Gardner – horn, wind
Buzz Gardner - trumpet
Billy Mundi – drums (uncredited, left group in December 1967, pictured on gatefold cover and possibly played on "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich")
Lowell George – guitar, vocals
Don "Sugarcane" Harris – violin on "The Little House I Used to Live In"
Don Preston – bass, piano, keyboards
Jim Sherwood – guitar, vocals, wind
Art Tripp – drums, percussion
Ian Underwood – guitar, piano, keyboards, wind
John Balkin – bass on "WPLJ", string bass on "Overture to a Holiday in Berlin"
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
The LP included a large triple-folded black and white poster ("The Mothers of Invention Sincerely Regret to Inform You") which has never been reproduced in any of the CD reissues. Until the 2012 Zappa Family Trust reissue campaign, CD editions had a severe dropout at the beginning of "The Little House I Used to Live In" that wasn't present on the original LP pressing.
Title
The album's unusual title, Zappa would later say in an interview, comes from an actual snack that he enjoyed eating, consisting of a burnt Hebrew National hot dog sandwiched between two pieces of bread with mustard.
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 information
The album was essentially a 'posthumous' Mothers release having been released after Frank Zappa dissolved the band.
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 with overlaid melodies in 6/8 and 4/4.
The guitar solo portion of the "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" is an outtake from an unused extended version of "Lonely Little Girl" from the 1967 sessions for the We're Only in It for the Money LP. Zappa and Art Tripp later added multiple percussion overdubs for the released version (The source recordings for the percussion overdubs were issued in 2012 on the posthumous Zappa release Finer Moments under the title "Enigmas 1-5").
"Valarie" was originally intended to be released as a single coupled with "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama". However, either Zappa or his label, Reprise Records, cancelled its release, resulting in its inclusion on the LP.
"Igor's Boogie" is a reference to a major Zappa influence, composer Igor Stravinsky.
Cal Schenkel has noted that his unique cover art for Burnt Weeny Sandwich was originally commissioned for the cover of an Eric Dolphy release.
The piano introduction of "Little House I Used to Live in" appears in Yvar Mikhashoff's four CD set "Yvar Mikhashoff's Panorama of American Piano Music".
The song title for "Little House I Used To Live In" was changed to "The Little House I Used To Live In" on all CD reissues.
Track listing
All tracks written by Frank Zappa except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "WPLJ" (The Four Deuces) 3:02
2. "Igor's Boogie, Phase One" 0:40
3. "Overture to a Holiday in Berlin" 1:29
4. "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" 4:35
5. "Igor's Boogie, Phase Two" 0:35
6. "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" 6:27
7. "Aybe Sea" 2:45
Side two
No. Title Length
8. "Little House I Used to Live in" 18:42
9. "Valarie" (Jackie and the Starlites) 3:14
Personnel
Frank Zappa – organ, guitar, vocals
Jimmy Carl Black – percussion, drums
Roy Estrada – bass, backing vocals, Pachuco rap on "WPLJ"
Janet Ferguson – backing vocals on "WPLJ"
Bunk Gardner – horn, wind
Buzz Gardner - trumpet
Billy Mundi – drums (uncredited, left group in December 1967, pictured on gatefold cover and possibly played on "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich")
Lowell George – guitar, vocals
Don "Sugarcane" Harris – violin on "The Little House I Used to Live In"
Don Preston – bass, piano, keyboards
Jim Sherwood – guitar, vocals, wind
Art Tripp – drums, percussion
Ian Underwood – guitar, piano, keyboards, wind
John Balkin – bass on "WPLJ", string bass on "Overture to a Holiday in Berlin"
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
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Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Frank Zappa Lyrics
The Little House I Used to Live In Ooh! Lalalalala Hoopla! Oink! oink! Lalalala Aah! Yayayaya…
Valarie Frank zappa (vocals, guitar) Lowell george (rhythm guitar, v…
WPLJ I say WPLJ, really taste good to me WPLJ, won't you…