Them or Us is an album by American musician Frank Zappa, released in Octobe… Read Full Bio ↴Them or Us is an album by American musician Frank Zappa, released in October 1984 by Barking Pumpkin Records.
Album content
Its opening and closing songs were not written by Zappa: "The Closer You Are", was written by Earl Lewis and Morgan Robinson and originally released by The Channels; and "Whippin' Post", originally performed by The Allman Brothers Band.
"Ya Hozna" includes backward vocals taken from "Sofa No. 2" (from "One Size Fits All", 1975), "Lonely Little Girl" (from We're Only in It for the Money, 1968) and unreleased outtakes of "Valley Girl" (vocals by Moon Zappa). "Planet of My Dreams" (featuring Bob Harris on vocals) is a 1981 studio recording taken from the score of Zappa's unrealized 1972 stage musical "Hunchentoot" (other titles from this show appear on the first-CD edition of the Sleep Dirt reissue from 1993).
As with other Zappa rock albums of this era, many of the tracks are sourced from live recordings. Later studio overdubs were liberally applied, although there is no mention of this on the album notes.
Release
Following problems with the album Thing-Fish, which MCA Records refused to distribute, Zappa made a deal with EMI Records, which would allow Them Or Us and Thing-Fish to be distributed by Capitol Records in the United States. Zappa wrote a "warning" which appeared on the inner sleeves of these albums, as well as Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention, which stated that the albums contained content "which a truly free society would neither fear nor suppress", and a "guarantee" which stated that the lyrics would not "cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business.
Track listing
All tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Closer You Are" (Earl Lewis, Morgan "Bobby" Robinson) 2:55
2. "In France" 3:30
3. "Ya Hozna" 6:26
4. "Sharleena" 4:33
Side two
No. Title Length
5. "Sinister Footwear II" 8:39
6. "Truck Driver Divorce" 8:59
Side three
No. Title Length
7. "Stevie's Spanking" 5:23
8. "Baby, Take Your Teeth Out" 1:54
9. "Marque-son's Chicken" 7:33
10. "Planet of My Dreams" 1:37
Side four
No. Title Length
11. "Be in My Video" 3:39
12. "Them or Us" 5:23
13. "Frogs with Dirty Little Lips" (Frank Zappa, Ahmet Zappa) 2:42
14. "Whipping Post" (Gregg Allman) 7:32
Personnel
Musicians
Frank Zappa – guitar, vocals
Ray White – guitar, vocals
Steve Vai – guitar
Dweezil Zappa – guitar
Tommy Mars – keyboards
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals, harmonica
George Duke – piano, vocals
Brad Cole – piano
Scott Thunes – bass, Minimoog
Arthur Barrow – bass
Patrick O'Hearn – bass
Ed Mann – percussion
Chad Wackerman – drums
Ike Willis – vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock – vocals
Roy Estrada – vocals
Johnny "Guitar" Watson – vocals
Moon Unit Zappa – vocals
Bob Harris – vocals
Thana Harris – vocals
Production staff
Mark Pinske – chief engineer
John Matousek – mastering
Gabrielle Raumberger – artwork, graphic design
Steve Schapiro – photography
Bob Stone – engineer
Donald Roller Wilson - Cover art
Album content
Its opening and closing songs were not written by Zappa: "The Closer You Are", was written by Earl Lewis and Morgan Robinson and originally released by The Channels; and "Whippin' Post", originally performed by The Allman Brothers Band.
"Ya Hozna" includes backward vocals taken from "Sofa No. 2" (from "One Size Fits All", 1975), "Lonely Little Girl" (from We're Only in It for the Money, 1968) and unreleased outtakes of "Valley Girl" (vocals by Moon Zappa). "Planet of My Dreams" (featuring Bob Harris on vocals) is a 1981 studio recording taken from the score of Zappa's unrealized 1972 stage musical "Hunchentoot" (other titles from this show appear on the first-CD edition of the Sleep Dirt reissue from 1993).
As with other Zappa rock albums of this era, many of the tracks are sourced from live recordings. Later studio overdubs were liberally applied, although there is no mention of this on the album notes.
Release
Following problems with the album Thing-Fish, which MCA Records refused to distribute, Zappa made a deal with EMI Records, which would allow Them Or Us and Thing-Fish to be distributed by Capitol Records in the United States. Zappa wrote a "warning" which appeared on the inner sleeves of these albums, as well as Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention, which stated that the albums contained content "which a truly free society would neither fear nor suppress", and a "guarantee" which stated that the lyrics would not "cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business.
Track listing
All tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Closer You Are" (Earl Lewis, Morgan "Bobby" Robinson) 2:55
2. "In France" 3:30
3. "Ya Hozna" 6:26
4. "Sharleena" 4:33
Side two
No. Title Length
5. "Sinister Footwear II" 8:39
6. "Truck Driver Divorce" 8:59
Side three
No. Title Length
7. "Stevie's Spanking" 5:23
8. "Baby, Take Your Teeth Out" 1:54
9. "Marque-son's Chicken" 7:33
10. "Planet of My Dreams" 1:37
Side four
No. Title Length
11. "Be in My Video" 3:39
12. "Them or Us" 5:23
13. "Frogs with Dirty Little Lips" (Frank Zappa, Ahmet Zappa) 2:42
14. "Whipping Post" (Gregg Allman) 7:32
Personnel
Musicians
Frank Zappa – guitar, vocals
Ray White – guitar, vocals
Steve Vai – guitar
Dweezil Zappa – guitar
Tommy Mars – keyboards
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals, harmonica
George Duke – piano, vocals
Brad Cole – piano
Scott Thunes – bass, Minimoog
Arthur Barrow – bass
Patrick O'Hearn – bass
Ed Mann – percussion
Chad Wackerman – drums
Ike Willis – vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock – vocals
Roy Estrada – vocals
Johnny "Guitar" Watson – vocals
Moon Unit Zappa – vocals
Bob Harris – vocals
Thana Harris – vocals
Production staff
Mark Pinske – chief engineer
John Matousek – mastering
Gabrielle Raumberger – artwork, graphic design
Steve Schapiro – photography
Bob Stone – engineer
Donald Roller Wilson - Cover art
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Them or Us
Frank Zappa Lyrics
Baby, Take Your Teeth Out Ike Willis (lead vocals) Bob Harris (background vocals) Than…
Be in My Video Frank zappa (vocals) Ike willis (background vocals) Ray whit…
Frogs With Dirty Little Lips Frank zappa (lead vocals) Ray white (background vocals) Bobb…
In France We're playin' in a tent It's payin' the rent If you persever…
Marqueson's Chicken Unknown location in Europe c. June-July, 1982 Guitar solo: H…
Planet Of My Dreams Bob harris (lead vocals) Ray white (background vocals) Ike w…
Sharleena I'm cryin' I'm cryin' Cryin' for Sharleena. Can't you see I…
Stevie's Spanking Frank zappa (lead guitar) Ray white (guitar, vocals) Steve v…
The Closer You Are The closer you are The brighter the stars in the sky And…
Them Or Us Frank zappa (guitar) Scott thunes (bass, mini-moog) Chad wac…
Truck Driver Divorce Frank zappa (vocals, guitar) Steve vai (rhythm guitar) Ray w…
Whipping Post I been run down Lord, I been lied to And I don't…
Ya Hozna Not sure if its correct, because Ya Hozna is backwards…