The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life is a double-disc live album by F… Read Full Bio ↴The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life is a double-disc live album by Frank Zappa, released in 1991. The album was one of three to be recorded during the 1988 world tour, along with Broadway the Hard Way and Make a Jazz Noise Here. Each of these three accounts of the 1988 tour has a different emphasis: Broadway the Hard Way mainly consists of new compositions; Make a Jazz Noise Here is a sampler of classic Zappa tunes, most of them instrumental; and The Best Band... devotes itself to covers. Some of these are unlikely (such as "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin), while many are from Zappa's extensive back catalogue. His mid-1970s output is emphasized in the selection, but there is also some material from the Mothers of Invention's late 1960s recordings and one song ("Lonesome Cowboy Burt") from 200 Motels. It was re-issued in 1995 and 2012 along with his entire catalogue.
The album is also notable for its extended section of potshots against American Pentacostal televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who had then just confessed to transgressions with a prostitute on live television; the speech was later dubbed his "I have sinned" speech. "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin in Bondage" feature entirely rewritten lyrics to capitalize on and satirize the scandal.
Cover artwork
The original album simply featured a photograph of Frank Zappa and his band against a black background with blue lettering, but upon discovering that the photograph had been used without the permission of the photographer, Bruce Malone, Zappa simply continued issuing the cover with the photograph replaced with an empty black space. When the album was reissued and remastered in 1995, it featured artwork by long-time Zappa artist Cal Schenkel that had been created for the album's original Japanese release. The Japanese kanji at the top of the sign on this version do not together form any meaningful sentence to a speaker of Japanese, but can be read with the on readings of fu-ran-ku-za-pa, an approximation of Frank Zappa in Japanese sounds. In addition, Schenkel used characters from his artwork on the cover of Zappa's 1972 release The Grand Wazoo, such as Stu (AKA Uncle Meat), as well as a man from the playing a Mystery Horn. In addition there is a red sofa, that while not an exact duplicate, is reminiscent of the red sofa from his art on Zappa's 1975 One Size Fits All. In 2012, when the album was reissued again, it returned the cover to the version featuring a blank space in place of the photograph.
Track listing
All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted. The European re-releases of this album omit "Bolero" due to an objection from the rights-holders of the piece.
Disc one
No. Title Length
1. "Heavy Duty Judy" 6:04
2. "Ring of Fire" (Merle Kilgore, June Carter) 2:00
3. "Cosmik Debris" 4:32
4. "Find Her Finer" 2:42
5. "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" 2:40
6. "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (George C. Cory, Jr., Douglas Cross) 0:36
7. "Zomby Woof" 5:41
8. "Boléro" (Maurice Ravel) 5:19
9. "Zoot Allures" 7:07
10. "Mr. Green Genes" 3:40
11. "Florentine Pogen" 7:11
12. "Andy" 5:51
13. "Inca Roads" 8:19
14. "Sofa No. 1" 2:49
Disc two
No. Title Length
1. "Purple Haze" (Jimi Hendrix) 2:27
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) 2:30
3. "Let's Move to Cleveland" 5:51
4. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (Ernest Ball, George Graff, Chancellor Olcott) 0:46
5. ""Godfather Part II" Theme" (Nino Rota) 0:30
6. "A Few Moments with Brother A. West" (Brother A. West, Zappa) 4:00
7. "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 1" 5:19
8. "Theme from "Bonanza"" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston) 0:28
9. "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" (Swaggart version) 4:54
10. "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 2" 10:47
11. "More Trouble Every Day" (Swaggart version) 5:28
12. "Penguin in Bondage" (Swaggart version) 5:05
13. "The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" 9:18
14. "Stairway to Heaven" (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant) 9:19
Personnel
Musicians
Frank Zappa – synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Paul Carman – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
Bruce Fowler – trombone
Walt Fowler – synthesizer, trumpet, flugelhorn
Mike Keneally – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Ed Mann – percussion, marimba, vibraphone, electronic percussion
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Kurt McGettrick – saxophone, baritone saxophone, E flat clarinet
Scott Thunes – synthesizer, bass guitar, electric bass, vocals, Minimoog
Chad Wackerman – drums, vocals, electronic percussion
Ike Willis – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Albert Wing – tenor saxophone
Production
Frank Zappa – production, editing, arranging, compilation
Bob Stone – engineering supervision
The album is also notable for its extended section of potshots against American Pentacostal televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who had then just confessed to transgressions with a prostitute on live television; the speech was later dubbed his "I have sinned" speech. "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin in Bondage" feature entirely rewritten lyrics to capitalize on and satirize the scandal.
Cover artwork
The original album simply featured a photograph of Frank Zappa and his band against a black background with blue lettering, but upon discovering that the photograph had been used without the permission of the photographer, Bruce Malone, Zappa simply continued issuing the cover with the photograph replaced with an empty black space. When the album was reissued and remastered in 1995, it featured artwork by long-time Zappa artist Cal Schenkel that had been created for the album's original Japanese release. The Japanese kanji at the top of the sign on this version do not together form any meaningful sentence to a speaker of Japanese, but can be read with the on readings of fu-ran-ku-za-pa, an approximation of Frank Zappa in Japanese sounds. In addition, Schenkel used characters from his artwork on the cover of Zappa's 1972 release The Grand Wazoo, such as Stu (AKA Uncle Meat), as well as a man from the playing a Mystery Horn. In addition there is a red sofa, that while not an exact duplicate, is reminiscent of the red sofa from his art on Zappa's 1975 One Size Fits All. In 2012, when the album was reissued again, it returned the cover to the version featuring a blank space in place of the photograph.
Track listing
All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted. The European re-releases of this album omit "Bolero" due to an objection from the rights-holders of the piece.
Disc one
No. Title Length
1. "Heavy Duty Judy" 6:04
2. "Ring of Fire" (Merle Kilgore, June Carter) 2:00
3. "Cosmik Debris" 4:32
4. "Find Her Finer" 2:42
5. "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" 2:40
6. "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (George C. Cory, Jr., Douglas Cross) 0:36
7. "Zomby Woof" 5:41
8. "Boléro" (Maurice Ravel) 5:19
9. "Zoot Allures" 7:07
10. "Mr. Green Genes" 3:40
11. "Florentine Pogen" 7:11
12. "Andy" 5:51
13. "Inca Roads" 8:19
14. "Sofa No. 1" 2:49
Disc two
No. Title Length
1. "Purple Haze" (Jimi Hendrix) 2:27
2. "Sunshine of Your Love" (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) 2:30
3. "Let's Move to Cleveland" 5:51
4. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (Ernest Ball, George Graff, Chancellor Olcott) 0:46
5. ""Godfather Part II" Theme" (Nino Rota) 0:30
6. "A Few Moments with Brother A. West" (Brother A. West, Zappa) 4:00
7. "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 1" 5:19
8. "Theme from "Bonanza"" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston) 0:28
9. "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" (Swaggart version) 4:54
10. "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 2" 10:47
11. "More Trouble Every Day" (Swaggart version) 5:28
12. "Penguin in Bondage" (Swaggart version) 5:05
13. "The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" 9:18
14. "Stairway to Heaven" (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant) 9:19
Personnel
Musicians
Frank Zappa – synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Paul Carman – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
Bruce Fowler – trombone
Walt Fowler – synthesizer, trumpet, flugelhorn
Mike Keneally – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Ed Mann – percussion, marimba, vibraphone, electronic percussion
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Kurt McGettrick – saxophone, baritone saxophone, E flat clarinet
Scott Thunes – synthesizer, bass guitar, electric bass, vocals, Minimoog
Chad Wackerman – drums, vocals, electronic percussion
Ike Willis – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Albert Wing – tenor saxophone
Production
Frank Zappa – production, editing, arranging, compilation
Bob Stone – engineering supervision
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The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
Frank Zappa Lyrics
A Few Moments With Brother A. West Ah, I'm very pleased to be here on behalf of…
Andy Frank zappa (guitar, vocals) George duke (keyboards, synthes…
Cosmik Debris The mystery man came over And he said I'm outta sight He…
Find Her Finer Terry Bozzio (drums, background vocals) Davey Moire (vocals)…
Florentine Pogen Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals) George Duke (keyboards, synthe…
Heavy Duty Judy [includes an excerpt from Hands With A Hammer and part…
I Left My Heart In San Francisco I left my heart in San Francisco. High on a hill…
Inca Roads Did a vehicle Come from somewhere out there Just to land in…
Let's Move to Cleveland Frank Zappa (guitar, lead vocals) Ray White (rhythm guitar, …
Mr. Green Genes Eat your greens Don't forget your beans & celery Don't forge…
Purple Haze Purple haze All in my brain Well lately things they just d…
Ring of Fire Love is a burning thing and it makes a firery ring bound…
Sofá I am the heaven I am the water Ich bin…
Stairway to Heaven There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold And…
Sunshine of Your Love Isaac Hayes Gabby Hayes, well Willie Mays Helen Hayes Speaki…
Theme From "Bonanza" And speaking of torture How about this ugly son of a…
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling There's a tear in your eye And I'm wondering why For it…
Who Needs the Peace Corps? Frank Zappa (guitar, piano, lead vocals) Billy Mundi (drums,…
Zomby Woof Three hunderd years ago Thought I might get some sleep…
Zoot Allures Terry Bozzio (drums, background vocals) Davey Moire (vocals)…