Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention

Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Studio album by Frank Zappa
Released	November 21, 1985 May 16, 1995 (reissue)
Recorded	November 1981–September 1985
Genre	Computer music, Experimental rock
Length	43:46 (reissue)
Label	Barking Pumpkin
Producer	Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa chronology
Francesco Zappa (1984) Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention (1985) Jazz From Hell (1986)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention is a 1985 album by Frank Zappa. It was originally released in two slightly different versions in the US and Europe. The two versions were later combined and reissued on a compact disc: first in the US on Rykodisc in 1986 (although this version omitted the track "H.R. 2911"), then on the European "Zappa Records" disc released in 1990, and finally on the Rykodisc reissue in 1995.

The album's title is a reference to the lobby group, the PMRC, who were campaigning to require record companies to put warning stickers on albums they considered offensive, and to Zappa's former band, The Mothers of Invention. The original US version of the album contains the track, "Porn Wars" — a sound collage featuring excerpts from PMRC hearings. This track was omitted from non-US versions, and replaced with three other pieces: "I Don't Even Care", co-written by Zappa and Johnny "Guitar" Watson, and two instrumental tracks — "One Man, One Vote" (a Synclavier composition) and "H.R. 2911", which collates some of the backing music from "Porn Wars", without the PMRC hearing excerpts and other dialogue.

Release

Following distribution problems with Zappa's album Thing-Fish, which former Barking Pumpkin distributor MCA Records refused to distribute, Zappa made a deal with EMI Records, which would allow Them Or Us and Thing-Fish to be distrubuted 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.

US version

Side one

1. "We're Turning Again" – 4:55
2. "Alien Orifice" – 4:03
3. "Yo Cats" (Zappa, Tommy Mars) – 3:31
4. "What's New in Baltimore?" – 5.21

Side two

1. "Little Beige Sambo" – 3:02
2. "Porn Wars" – 12:04
3. "Aerobics in Bondage"– 3:16

European version

Side one

1. "We're Turning Again" – 4.55
2. "Alien Orifice" – 4.03
3. "Yo Cats" (Zappa, Mars) – 3.31
4. "What's New in Baltimore?" – 5.21

Side two

1. "I Don't Even Care" (Zappa, Watson) – 4:39
2. "One Man, One Vote" – 2:35
3. "H.R. 2911" – 3:35
4. "Little Beige Sambo" – 3:02
5. "Aerobics in Bondage" – 3:16

European CD

The first European CD issue, released in 1986, contained the European version of the album coupled with Jazz From Hell on a two-for-the-price-of-one CD. The 1990 CD reissue (without Jazz From Hell) was the first to compile all of the tracks on one disc. That CD had this track listing:

1. "Porn Wars"
2. "We're Turning Again"
3. "Alien Orifice"
4. "Aerobics in Bondage"
5. "I Don't Even Care" (Zappa, Watson) – 3:47
   • The song is shortened on this European release; 47 seconds of Johnny "Guitar" Watson adlibs are missing.
6. "Little Beige Sambo"
7. "What's New in Baltimore?"
8. "One Man, One Vote"
9. "H.R. 2911"
10. "Yo Cats" (Zappa, Mars)

1986 US CD/1995 CD reissue

1. "I Don't Even Care" (Zappa, Watson) – 4:39
2. "One Man, One Vote" – 2:35
3. "Little Beige Sambo" – 3:02
4. "Aerobics in Bondage" – 3:16
5. "We're Turning Again" – 4:55
6. "Alien Orifice" – 4:10
7. "Yo Cats" (Zappa, Mars) – 3:33
8. "What's New in Baltimore?" – 5:20
9. "Porn Wars" – 12:05
10. "H.R. 2911" – 3:35 (1995 CD only)

Personnel

• Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar, synclavier, producer
• Johnny "Guitar" Watson – vocals, guitar on "I Don't Even Care"
• Ike Willis – vocals, guitar
• Ray White – vocals, guitar
• Bobby Martin – vocals, keyboards
• Steve Vai – guitar
• Tommy Mars – keyboards
• Scott Thunes – bass
• Chad Wackerman – drums
• Ed Mann – percussion
• Moon Zappa – vocals
• Dweezil Zappa – vocals
• John Danforth – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Ernest Hollings – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Paul S. Trible, Jr. – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Paula Hawkins – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• J. James Exon – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Al Gore – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Tipper Gore – voice excerpts on "Porn Wars"
• Bob Stone – engineer

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1986	Billboard 200	153

External links

• Release details