Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Studio album by The Mothers of Invention
Released	September 10, 1970
Recorded	February 1967 – August 1969
Genre	Jazz fusion, Experimental rock, Avant-garde
Length	43:03
Label	Bizarre/Reprise
Producer	Frank Zappa
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link
Frank Zappa chronology
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970) Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970) Chunga's Revenge (1970)
Alternate covers
German album cover
2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention

Weasels Ripped My Flesh is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970 (see 1970 in music).

Conceptually, the album could be considered Phase Two of Burnt Weeny Sandwich. Both albums consist of previously unreleased Mothers tracks released after the demise of the original band. Whereas the pieces on Burnt Weeny Sandwich generally have a more rigid and planned feel captured by quality studio equipment, Weasels Ripped My Flesh mostly captures the Mothers on stage, where they employ frenetic and chaotic improvisation characteristic of avant-garde free jazz. The album's infamous closer and title track is nothing more than every man on stage producing as much noise and feedback as they can for two minutes. Interestingly, an audience member is heard yelling for more at its conclusion. The album also contains such surprising treats as Don "Sugarcane" Harris's straight-ahead blues violin and vocal performance of "Directly From My Heart to You".

Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh were also reissued together on vinyl as 2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention, with the original covers used as the left and right sides of the inner spread, and the front cover depicting a pistol shooting toothpaste onto a toothbrush.

Contents 1 Album cover 2 Track listing 2.1 Side one 2.2 Side two 3 Personnel 4 Production 5 Charts 6 References

[edit] Album cover

Frank Zappa recruited artist Neon Park to create a subversive image based on a cover story from the September 1956 issue of Man's Life, a men's adventure magazine. After showing Neon a copy of the magazine, Zappa inquired, "This is it. What can you do that's worse than this?"^[1] Neon's answer was to craft a parody of an advertisement for Schick brand electric razor based on the "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" theme.^[1]

German releases of the album featured an album cover showing a metal baby caught in a rat trap. This cover was not approved by Zappa.

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Frank Zappa, except where noted otherwise.

[edit] Side one

1. "Didja Get Any Onya?" (live) – 3:42 (6:51 on the CD version)
   • Includes 'Charles Ives', and only the on compact disc re-issue, 'The Jelly'
2. "Directly from My Heart to You" (Richard Wayne Penniman) – 5:16
3. "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask" (live) – 3:47
4. "Toads of the Short Forest" – 4:47

[edit] Side two

1. "Get a Little" (live) – 2:31
2. "Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" – 6:52
3. "Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula" – 2:12
4. "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" – 3:32
5. "Oh No" – 1:45
6. "The Orange County Lumber Truck" (live) – 3:21
7. "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" (live) – 2:08

[edit] Personnel

• Frank Zappa – lead guitar, vocals
• Jimmy Carl Black – drums
• Ray Collins – vocals
• Roy Estrada – bass, vocals
• Bunk Gardner – tenor sax
• Lowell George – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Don "Sugarcane" Harris – vocals, electric violin
• Don Preston – organ, electronic effects
• Buzz Gardner – trumpet and flugel horn
• Motorhead Sherwood – baritone saxophone, snorks
• Art Tripp – drums
• Ian Underwood – alto saxophone

[edit] Production

• Producer: Frank Zappa
• Art Direction: John Williams
• Cover art: Neon Park
• Photography: John Williams
• Digital art: Bob Stone

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1970	Pop Albums	189

[edit] References

v • d • e Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention Main albums Freak Out! • Absolutely Free • We're Only in It for the Money • Lumpy Gravy • Cruising with Ruben & the Jets • Uncle Meat • Hot Rats • Burnt Weeny Sandwich • Weasels Ripped My Flesh • Chunga's Revenge • Fillmore East - June 1971 • 200 Motels • Just Another Band from L.A. • Waka/Jawaka • The Grand Wazoo • Over-Nite Sensation • Apostrophe (') • Roxy & Elsewhere • One Size Fits All • Bongo Fury • Zoot Allures • Zappa in New York • Studio Tan • Sleep Dirt • Sheik Yerbouti • Orchestral Favorites • Joe's Garage • Tinseltown Rebellion • Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar • You Are What You Is • Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch • The Man from Utopia • Baby Snakes • London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1 • Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger • Them or Us • Thing-Fish • Francesco Zappa • Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention • Does Humor Belong in Music? • Jazz from Hell • London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2 • Guitar • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 • Broadway the Hard Way • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 • The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 • Make a Jazz Noise Here • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 • You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 • Playground Psychotics • Ahead of Their Time • The Yellow Shark Posthumous albums Civilization Phaze III • The Lost Episodes • Läther • Mystery Disc • Everything Is Healing Nicely • FZ:OZ • Halloween • Joe's Corsage • Joe's Domage • Joe's XMASage • Imaginary Diseases • Trance-Fusion • Buffalo • The Dub Room Special • Wazoo Compilations Mothermania • The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa • Strictly Commercial • Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute • Have I Offended Someone? • Strictly Genteel • QuAUDIOPHILIAc • The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle Box sets The Old Masters Box One • The Old Masters Box Two • The Old Masters Box Three • Beat the Boots • Beat the Boots II • The MOFO Project/Object Films and videos 200 Motels • Baby Snakes • The Dub Room Special • Video from Hell • Does Humor Belong in Music? • The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels • The Amazing Mr. Bickford • Uncle Meat Related articles Cultural references to Frank Zappa • Frank Zappa discography • The Real Frank Zappa Book • The Rage and the Fury • Dance Me This • Zappa Plays Zappa