Album

Does Humor Belong In Music?

Frank Zappa

1986 · Jazz, Rock

5 collectors on Gatefold own this

Start your shelf →Open in app
Does Humor Belong In Music? by Frank Zappa

Does Humor Belong In Music? is a Jazz album by Frank Zappa, originally released in 1986. On Gatefold: 22 pressings tracked, owned by 5 collectors.

About

As Frank Zappa was focusing more on his computer and orchestral music in 1985-1986, he put together an album and a video of live material from his then-last tour from 1984. Does Humor Belong in Music? was released in January 1986, in Europe and Japan only. In 1995, Ryko issued it for the first time in the U.S. (a reissue for the rest of the world) with a thorough remix, new cover artwork, and a different edit of "Let's Move to Cleveland" (adding one extra minute). Asking the title question is answering it, at least when Zappa is concerned. It expresses a way for him to get back at music critics who despised his stage antics and scatological humor in the early '80s -- from a man who was trying to affirm himself as a "serious" composer. The CD documented the 1984 band (Ray White, Ike Willis, Bobby Martin, Alan Zavod, Scott Thunes, and Chad Wackerman) for the first time. Old songs from the '60s and '70s like "Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin in Bondage" are given a harder edge, while "Let's Move to Cleveland," "Hot-Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel," and the concert version of "What's New in Baltimore" got their premiere recording. Because of Wackerman's electronic drums, the razor-edged guitar sound Zappa used at the time and his fiddling with digital recording techniques, the album sounds oddly lifeless, almost clinical. It has its moments but is by no means an essential item. The video and CD present different track lists. Credits Thom Ehle -- Engineer Bobby Martin -- Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals Mark Pinske -- Engineer Cal Schenkel -- Art Direction Bob Stone -- Remixing Scott Thunes -- Bass, Synthesizer, Vocals Chad Wackerman -- Drums, Vocals Ray White -- Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals Ike Willis -- Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals Dweezil Zappa -- Guitar Frank Zappa -- Arranger, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals Allan Zavod -- Keyboards.

via Last.fm

The Clerk says

The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.

Start your shelf to read the full take →

Open this record in GatefoldThe full album page. Every pressing and its live price unlocks with Mosh Pit.→

Tracklist

  1. 1Zoot Allures5:27
  2. 2Tinsel-Town Rebellion4:42
  3. 3Trouble Every Day5:31
  4. 4Penguin In Bondage6:50
  5. 5Hot-Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel6:36
  6. 6What's New In Baltimore4:47
  7. 7Cock-Suckers' Ball1:05
  8. 8WPLJ1:30
  9. 9Let's Move To Cleveland15:44
  10. 10Whippin' Post8:27

Sound DNA

  • Jazz
  • Jazz Fusion
  • angular
  • sarcastic
  • cerebral

Album notes

Discogs page for these notes (opens in a new tab)

Notes from the original pressing. Later editions may differ.

Remote recording facility: UMRK Mobile
Remix @ UMRK
This material is 100% digital, 100% live, with NO over-dubs
These songs were selected from the repertoire of the 1984 World Tour. Over a six month period, many hours of exciting live material was recorded in a 24 track digital format. It took another six months to remix it onto PCM 1610 digital 2 track masters. If you enjoy this recording, be advised that there is a lot more lurking in the vault. These tunes were selected because they follow the basic outline of the "DOES HUMOR BELONG IN MUSIC?" PMI/ICA video tape, as well as presenting some new, unreleased material. The recording dates were:
The Odeon Hammersmith, London, England, 8/10/84
The Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, 26/10/84
Amherst College, Lowell, Massachusetts, 28/10/84
The Tower Theater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 10/11/84
The Bismark Theater, Chicago, Illinois, 23/11/84
The Boy Front Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1/12/84
The Paramount Theater, Seattle, Washington, 17/12/84
Queen Elizabeth Theater, Vancouver, British Columbia, 18/12/84
The Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California, 23/12/84
Song Information:
ZOOT ALLURES - head is from London, solo from Providence
TINSEL-TOWN REBELLION - body of tune is from Chicago Illinois, ending is from Seattle
TROUBLE EVERY DAY - verses from St. Petersburg, solo from London
PENGUIN IN BONDAGE - vocal sections from Vancouver and St. Petersburg, solo from Vancouver
GREEN HOTEL - Vancouver
BALTIMORE - front of tune is from Los Angeles, vocals from Philadelphia, solo is from Los Angeles
COCK-SUCKERS' BALL - Los Angeles
WPLJ - Los Angeles
CLEVELAND - intro from Los Angeles, piano solo from St. Petersburg, drum solo from Vancouver, guitar solo from Amherst College, out chorus from Los Angeles
WHIPPIN' POST - Los Angeles (the last song of the last show of the last tour)
Released in a standard jewel case with 6-page fold-out inlay.
There's a similar release Does Humor Belong In Music? (Europe 1986) (opens in a new tab) pressed by

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

5 collectors on Gatefold own this · 22 pressings tracked on Gatefold

View this release on Discogs →

Start your shelf.

Track your pressings of Does Humor Belong In Music?, get the Clerk's take, and see what the record is worth — free.

Start your shelf →

Free forever. Works with 10 records or 10,000.