Apostrophe (')

For other uses, see Apostrophe (disambiguation).

Untitled

Apostrophe (') is an album by Frank Zappa, his eighteenth, released on March 22, 1974 in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its lead-off track, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", was Zappa's first chart single, reaching position 86. Apostrophe (') remains Zappa's biggest commercial success in the US. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 7, 1976 and reached number 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart.

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".

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. A fur trapper comes up from behind Nanook's igloo and commences to "whip on" his favorite baby seal with a lead filled snow shoe. After the fur trapper goes right upside the head of Nanook's favorite baby seal, hitting him on the head and the fin, Nanook responds by rubbing yellow snow (that is, snow which had been urinated upon by huskies) in his "beady little eyes", blinding him. The fur trapper remembers an ancient Eskimo legend ("Wherein it is written—on whatever it is that they write it on up there") and travels to "the parish of St. Alfonzo" in an attempt to procure a miraculous cure for his "deflicted eye". At this point, the album takes an unexpected turn and instead tells of rambunctious antics ("wheedled on the bingo cards in lieu of the latrine") and follows with a scenario in which a leprechaun "stroked it"; another line talks of "abused the sausage patty" followed by a short musical interlude that includes high-pitched orgasmic screaming. However, the complete suite is not available, missing the final movement, "Rollo", which however wasn't probably lyrically written at the time (the music had been written earlier, as a version of it appears on the Imaginary Diseases album).

As the album reaches "Cosmik Debris", there are several references to earlier albums and songs. The "dust of the Grand Wazoo" is mentioned, as well as "the toads of the short forest" (featured previously on 1970's Weasels Ripped My Flesh and on Over-Nite Sensation, specifically "Camarillo Brillo").

As was the case with many of Zappa's albums, Apostrophe was a menage of archival and newer recordings (most of Apostrophe (') and Over-Nite Sensation 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 also hails (with some possible 1973 overdubbage) from The Grand Wazoo' sessions.

The title track is an instrumental jam featuring Cream bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Jim Gordon. Jack 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. Bruce learned cello as a child and plays it on some of his other recordings. However, his cello comments regarding Apostrophe (') can't be taken seriously because there is in fact no cello on the title song or on the album. His bass playing on Apostrophe (') does in fact sound at times very much like the bass lines that he played with Cream.

(Tylko Rock, Oct. 1992, pp. 17)

• "WW: Can you tell me something about your cooperation with Frank Zappa?
• JB: Sure, what do you happen to know? (laughs)
• WW: You appeared on his Apostrophe album...
• JB: Yes, as you know, at the time I was recording an album with Carla Bley, far more interesting one... you heard that?
• WW: Yes, Escalator over the Hill...
• JB: Right. So Frank, whom I met earlier, appeared one day in the studio and asked me: "Can you take your cello and go to my session?" So I turned up in a NY studio with my cello, I'm listening to his music, pretty awful, and just don't know what to do with myself, and Frank says to me: "Listen, I would like you to play a sound, like this... whaaaaaang!!!" So I did what he asked me to do. Whaaaaaang!!! That was all. That was my input to Frank Zappa's most popular record! (laughs) "

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:

• Q: What about playing with (bass guitarist) Jack Bruce on Apostrophe?
• FZ: Well, that was just a jam thing that happened because he was a friend of (drummer) Jim Gordon. I found it very difficult to play with him; he's too busy. He doesn't really want to play the bass in terms of root functions; I think he has other things on his mind. But that's the way jam sessions go.

Release and reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	B−
Rolling Stone	favorable

A disc jockey in Pittsburgh edited the album versions of "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "Nanook Rubs It" to play on his radio show. While Zappa toured Europe, he learned of this version's success, and decided to create his own edited version once he returned to the United States, and released it as a single.

Apostrophe (') 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 tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

Side one

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

1. "Excentrifugal Forz" – 1:33
2. "Apostrophe'" – 5:50 (Zappa, Jim Gordon, Jack Bruce)
3. "Uncle Remus" – 2:44 (Zappa, George Duke)
4. "Stink-Foot" - 6:33

Personnel

Musicians

• Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar, bass, bouzouki
• Lynn – vocals, backing vocals
• Kerry McNabb – backing vocals, engineer, remixing
• Ian Underwood – saxophone
• Ruth Underwood – percussion
• Sal Marquez – trumpet
• Sue Glover – backing vocals
• Jim Gordon – drums on "Apostrophe'"
• Aynsley Dunbar – drums
• Tom Fowler – bass guitar
• Napoleon Murphy Brock – saxophone, backing vocals
• Robert "Frog" Camarena – vocals, backing vocals
• Ruben Ladron de Guevara – vocals, backing vocals
• Debbie – vocals, backing vocals
• Tony Duran – rhythm guitar
• Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) – bass guitar
• Johnny Guerin – drums
• Don "Sugarcane" Harris – violin
• Ralph Humphrey – drums
• Bob Ludwig – Technician
• Jack Bruce – bass on "Apostrophe'" (see controversy presented above)
• George Duke – keyboards, backing vocals
• Bruce Fowler – trombone
• Jean-Luc Ponty – violin

Production staff

• Cal Schenkel – artwork, graphic design
• Barry Keene – engineer
• Ferenc Dobronyi – cover design
• Paul Hof – technician
• Oscar Kergaives – technician
• Brian Krokus – technician
• Mark Aalyson – photography
• Bob Stone – transfers, digital remastering
• Steve Desper – engineer
• Terry Dunavan – engineer
• Zach Glickman – marketing
• Bob Hughes – engineer

Charts

Album

Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1974	Pop Albums	10

Singles

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

External links

• Lyrics and information
• Release details