Frank Zappa "Cleetus Awreetus-Awrightus" & "For Calvin" (First Time Reaction)

[@L33Reacts]

What is your top 3 Zappa albums?? Yeah I went there. Show me your card.

[@Frankie_Zappa]

ROXY & Elsewhere One Size Fits All We're Only In It For The Money

[@Royalle_with_Cheese]

L-l-l-l-l-l-l-ÄTHER!!!

[@marcribe6483]

That's a list that can change with the season. But sure, top 3 Zappa albums? Waka/Jawaka, Roxy & Elsewhere and Zappa In New York. Not in order of importance. Not at all a definitive list, rather 3 albums I played again and again the most this year. And even that's not totally accurate.

[@zappafrank1]

One Size Fits All Roxy & Elsewhere Lather

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Burnt weeny sandwich

[@marcribe6483]

Calvin is Cal Schenkel, the art designer of this and many Zappa album covers since 1967. You can see Cal holding a dozen egg carton on the cover of We're Only In It For The Money, one of his first works with Frank. The story is he picked up two hitchhikers one day going to work. They sat in the back and argued with each other during the whole ride making Cal feel like a hired driver. He arrived at his office, parked and waited for them to leave but they were still arguing, this time about where to go eat. Cal ended up leaving them in his convertible, went to his second floor office and occasionally checked from the window to see if they'd gone. Apparently the girl went to buy some sandwiched, which they ate in the car until finally Cal checked once again and they were gone. Schenkel commented on the story to Frank and some time later Frank used it for lyrics.

[@ChrisAddotta5373]

yup! Cal Schenkel. I loved the artwork on the back or inside of the Lather album. Cal had so many great illustrations over the years. Ruben and the Jets was great too. Oh shit, and Burnt Weenie Sandwich!! That album cover is freaking insane!!

[@robotronrichard]

Thanks for the great request Johnny F! Another mind-scrambling 🫨 Frank Friday L33, the day is always more interesting when it starts with Frank! ☮❤🎶

[@randygray8921]

Great album, a coworker gave me this record 2 years ago, mint and original. He said jazz doesn't make any sense to him.. lol

[@stevedotwood]

When you listen a 2nd and 3rd time or more, you'll adore it. I think it's exciting, but I've been lstening for decades to it

[@timcardona9962]

Yeah it definitely takes “practice” to be able to listen to this side of Zappa. It helps to be consuming jazz or classical on a regular basis

[@johnnyparis10]

Egg-xactly 😂

[@Frankincensedjb123]

Not for the Swift Gaga crowd, but anyone with a discerning taste for music will see the genius behind Frank's music.

[@ChrisAddotta5373]

discerning taste for music as well as a little bit of a brain inside their heads, but then those 2 usually go hand in hand if you've noticed. Something the Swiftys no nothing about. Like, oh my god!! For sure! Totally!

[@johnnyparis10]

This was my 3rd Zappa album purchase circa. 1965-76. After Burnt Weenie Sandwich it all made so much freakin’ sense.

[@Forbin777]

Right away reminded me of what they did on “Surrender to the Air” (many years later) and then I remember, this is what influenced Trey & Phish, I just haven’t heard it, lol. Appreciate the history lesson

[@corawheeler9355]

Wow .. that was crazy

[@edwardthorne9875]

Cletus is certainly Zappa at his big band best. It takes many listening and still delivers. That horn blat is one of my favorite moments in all music. Nice job this snowy (the first this season!) morning. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

[@brianvernon249]

@@edwardthorne9875 Cleatus was certainly the awlrightiest.

[@realbser1956]

There’s were wild. I like the brass. It sounds dissonant to me but I guess that’s intended? Good tracks. Thanks Johnny F.

[@frankieboy8414]

Woodwinds not brass

[@bobholtzmann]

Frank occasionally borrowed from his other songs. The ending of "For Calvin" has a bit from "Billy The Mountain", which was also used in the ending of "Greggary Peccary".

[@WilliamWiest1959]

Who is making those new brown clouds !

[@GoodCorporateRobot]

Conceptual continuity.

[@carlamurray9150]

love me some zappa

[@Kerazen123]

I feel like I just had a "lost time" moment while listening to this 😂

[@nicksylvester426]

This is one of my favorite jazz rock orchestra pieces. Good reaction. You’re hitting on a lot of good music.

[@stevewebber5883]

I love it that you're covering the big 3 of my teen years- Frank, Dylan, and The Who.

[@timcardona9962]

Wow it was great to see you grooving with For Calvin, one of FZ’s more challenging pieces that most people don’t seem to like haha

[@L33Reacts]

the second one I got fine. The first one was the one that threw me off on the first listen lol! But I’m used to that with Frank. Sometimes it takes 5 listens

[@shirleybhs9zd6li5i]

Sadly, the first one musically describes how I feel getting up some days, lol. What picks, Johnny F. Far out dude....way far. Zappa always gives me a mind slap, well worth it. Thanks L33, your facial expressions were priceless. Blessings all.

[@dougjarvie12]

Great choices today. For Calvin is one of my favorite Zappa songs. Roxy And Elsewhere, Grand Wazoo, One Size Fits All are my top 3. Thanks for the music.

[@L33Reacts]

Thanks for watching brother I appreciate you. Zappa never disappoints lol

[@zappafrank1]

Check out Bognor Regis

[@ChrisAddotta5373]

there is a part in Calvin and His Next Two Hitchhikers were Frank throws in a little tease of the melody of a song called New Brown Clouds, it's played on the trombone and is in the left ear only.

[@shiannesmith6877]

Frank Friday!

[@markdearlove8634]

Never miss a Frank Friday

[@thescrewfly]

My friends and I had tickets for one of the Frank Zappa gigs at the Rainbow in London in 1971. Needless to say, it was for the evening after the gig when he was knocked off stage... It would have been my first Zappa concert since I saw the original Mothers of Invention in early 1969.

[@L33Reacts]

Damn are you serious bro? That’s crazy. Did you ever catch them?

[@ROUGHSEES]

Oh Zappa... 😁

[@ChrisAddotta5373]

And also the term Awreetus Awrightus is big continuity in the Zappaverse. Frank used that term a lot on many songs and albums, or at lease variations of it, such as Awreety Awrighty. Frank was all about The Conceptual Continuity. So many phrases and ideas are reused all over Zappa's life's works. That is something I have always loved about his music. It made it so much fun. You'd hear something and be like, Oh shit, that's from this song or that's from this live show, etc etc. The more you delve into Zappa's career you will also start to pick up on this Continuity. I also truly believe that this is were Phish (who are huge Zappa fans, and cover Peaches en Regalia) got their idea to always throw little teases of songs into other songs. I know it is. Has to be.

[@jamessomers8808]

Nice, this just triggered a memory. I remember thinking that that this kind of music reminded me of game shows from when I was a child in the mid to late 70s kind of like the default song that a cheap keyboard plays for a demo. Which of course I thought was pretty cool.😂😅

[@Coquinagirl]

Frank has fun album covers. The first one sounds like he’s trying to start work on a Monday morning…and it’s a bad work week… The second one is how he feels after he got off work! Thanks, Johnny F and Lee. It was crazy!

[@thomasvieth578]

I've always wondered how many people would notice that right in the middle of Calvin the trombone sings "Who is making these new brown clouds"?

[@kenlawless7247]

Lee you should watch the interview with George Duke describing what his first rehearsal was like with Zappa. He was trained as a classical pianist in a conservatory. He though straight up jazz was his outer boundary until then.

[@maryamodea1711]

Erroneous is Frank..

[@thescrewfly]

No, it's Alex Dmochowski, an old UK bandmate of Aynsley's (from Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation) who didn't have his green card yet and needed a pseudonym.

[@donaldb1]

I think _Cleetus_ it's possibly the funniest instrumental track ever.

[@erikahlander3489]

You are wrong! This is something you _will_ put on regulary in the future! It is one of those albums you never get bored of! Still many decades later this is one of a couple I can listen to to get complete rest. Sort of meditation.

[@lw1zfog]

who is making those new brown clouds ?

[@T23000PLUS]

youse gotta listen to Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus at least once or twice more

[@gergsar]

"when did they from" (not where)

[@ChrisAddotta5373]

...And who are those poots in the back seat of Calvin's car?

[@T23000PLUS]

see but

[@brianvernon249]

Of the 5 songs on this album, I skip this tune (#2) Calvin; and the last one (#5). The trombone is my instrument & I just can’t like this song. Edit to elaborate: Crab, eggplant, Calvin, lamestream country music, hip-hop with no flow - thing I just can’t like no matter how hard I swallow or listen: tongue and ears say no. But as Geordi LaForge said: “But don’t take my word…” Eat That Question (#4) never left any long drive mix tapes I had. Usually followed up with a Cletus buy-back. When I did not, the album ( last one he did while alive of live material) You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6. Camarillo Brillo devolving into Muffin Man might just be Franks Most powerful…….? Nope. It is Franks most powerful. It was the last (recorded/produced) song he had complete control over. And then it was useless anymore. 🙏 FZ

[@ColeenU]

I don't care for it.

[@L33Reacts]

It’s ok Coleen. I figured. lol

[@ColeenU]

@L33Reacts lol