Apostrophe (')

For other uses, see Apostrophe (disambiguation).
Apostrophe (')
Studio album by Frank Zappa
Released March 22, 1974
Recorded 1969 - 1974 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC; Bolic, Inglewood and Paramount Studios, Hollywood
Genre Comedy rock, progressive rock, hard rock, jazz fusion
Length 32:02
Label DiscReet
Producer Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa chronology
Over-Nite Sensation
(1973)		 Apostrophe (')
(1974)		 Roxy & Elsewhere
(1974)
Singles from Apostrophe (')
  1. "Cosmik Debris"
    Released: 1974
  2. "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow"
    Released: 1974

Apostrophe (') is an album by Frank Zappa, his eighteenth, released on March 22, 1974[1] in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its lead-off track, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", was the first of Zappa's three Billboard Top 100 hits, ultimately peaking at #86. Apostrophe (') remains Zappa's most commercially successful album in the United States. It was certified gold by the RIAA on April 7, 1976 and peaked at #10 (a career-high placement) on the Billboard 200 chart in 1974.[2] Continuing from the commercial breakthrough of Over-Nite Sensation (1973), this album is a similar mix of short songs showcasing Zappa's humor and musical arrangements. The record's lyrical themes are often bizarre or obscure, with the exception of "Uncle Remus", which is an extension of Zappa's feelings on racial disharmony featured on his earlier song "Trouble Every Day". This is Official Release #18.

Music

The first half of the album loosely follows a continuing theme. "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "Nanook Rubs It" tell of a dream the singer had where he saw himself as an Eskimo named Nanook. However one of the songs, called "Rollo", was almost taken out, except for using a section of it in the second half part of "St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast".

As was the case with many of Zappa's albums, Apostrophe (') was a melange of archival and recent recordings; most of Apostrophe (') (1974) and Over-Nite Sensation (1973) were recorded simultaneously. The older recordings include the basic tracks for "Excentrifugal Forz" (a Hot Rats outtake) and "Uncle Remus" (from The Grand Wazoo), while the title track (possibly augmented by 1973 overdubs) also hails from The Grand Wazoo sessions.

"Apostrophe (')" is an instrumental featuring Cream bassist Jack Bruce and noted session drummer Jim Gordon. Bruce is credited on the album cover with bass guitar and co-writing the title song. However, in his interview for Polish rock magazine Tylko Rock he jokingly insisted to journalist Wiesław Weiss that he had not played any bass guitar parts on "Apostrophe (')", only the cello parts. The bassist learned cello as a child and performed with the instrument on some of his other recordings. However, the only cello featured on the album is contained in the opening of "Apostrophe (')". His bass playing on "Apostrophe (')" is reminiscent of his work with Cream.

(Tylko Rock, Oct. 1992, pp. 17)

However, in an interview in Guitar Player Magazine from January 1977, Zappa talks about his experience with Jack Bruce's bass playing on the song:

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Robert ChristgauB−[4]
Džuboksfavorable[5]
Rolling Stonefavorable[6]

Apostrophe (') is widely considered one of Zappa's definitive works. It and the preceding release Over-Nite Sensation, recorded with the same group of musicians, are the subject of a Classic Albums series documentary from Eagle Rock Entertainment, released on DVD May 1, 2007.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Frank Zappa except where noted. 

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow"   2:07
2. "Nanook Rubs It"   4:38
3. "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast"   1:50
4. "Father O'Blivion"   2:18
5. "Cosmik Debris"   4:14
Side two
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Excentrifugal Forz"    1:33
2. "Apostrophe'"  Frank Zappa, Jim Gordon and Jack Bruce 5:50
3. "Uncle Remus"  Frank Zappa and George Duke 2:44
4. "Stink-Foot"    6:33

Personnel

Musicians

Production staff

Charts

Album

Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1974 Pop Albums 10[2]

Singles

Song Chart Peak
position
"Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" Pop Singles 86[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Official Zappa Discography". Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  2. 1 2 3 "Charts and Awards for Apostrophe (')". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  3. ↑ Huey, S. "Apostrophe (') - Frank Zappa | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 4155". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Vrdoljak, Dražen. "Frank Zappa - Apostrophe". Džuboks (in Serbian) (Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine) (11 (second series)): 22.
  6. ↑ Fletcher, Gordon (6 June 1974). "Apostrophe ' by Frank Zappa | Rolling Stone Music | Music Reviews". rollingstone.com.

External links

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