We’re Only in It for the Money

I only recently realized that I don't hate all Frank Zappa. This one however, I do.

First Zappa (kind of) album for me. This album is crazy diverse, the styles change so much within one song, it can't fully commit to anything! This album just takes the piss at every possible moment. It seems to be with the album cover on some releases a parody of mainly hippies and other things psychedelia. On some songs - especially on the A-side - it literally feels like an imitation of a John Lennon-led Beatles psychedelic-era song. Some of my favourite elements from this were the bard-like storytelling delivery in "Absolutely Free" or just the abhorrent but interesting straight noise in "Nasal Retentive Caliope Music."

Only major thing I didn't like from this is there are burping sounds at some moments in some songs, which make my skin completely crawl, but that's the only major thing that ticks me off.

This is for sure an album that would suck so much to listen to on a bad day, like could easily 1 star tier, yet when listened with at least an open mind, I think 4 stars is actually reasonable. It does hell of a good job at it's, well, job. I can definitely see why this album was put on the list.

Highlight Song/s: "Concentration Moon", "Bow Tie Daddy", "Absolutely Free", "Nasal Retentive Caliope Music" and "Lonely Little Girl"

I'm a Zappa apologist for the most part and was introduced to the mothers by my father (haha) so this has sentimental value. On reflection it's pretty self-indulgent and mostly mean mocking so . . .

the lyrics are genius, but i think that if i were go to listen to this for an extended period of time probably everyone would tell immediately

Emperor's new clothes

Ah yes, a Sgt Pepper's parody. I guess this is a function of its time. Did not enjoy this at all, but maybe I just had to be there and it would have been edgy af. 1*

A bad day to have ears

Ah yes, there was a time when I lived for this record and its contemporary, "Lumpy Gravy." It’s some of the usual Zappa silliness, with great music interspersed with it all.

So much of this feels contemporary, or maybe it's just that I happen to listen to lots of records with random noises sprinkled here and there nowadays? A couple of the tracks, like "Concentration Moon," and "Mom and Dad,” which were written about young people being oppressed for not being “normal” at the time, made me think about what it’s like for young trans and queer folks now, and it was chilling.

Yeah, 5 stars because while there are a couple of off moments here and there in it, it sure was important to me in the 70s and has some great music.

Much better than their other album that’s on the list

Pre Listen:
I have a...complicated relationship, with Frank Zappa. He's like that one friend who has so much potential, and you really love hanging with him for like 30 minutes. Then suddenly he does something so despicably cringe, it makes that Pickle Rick kid look like a comedic genius.

The album cover being a parody of Sgt. Peppers doesn't fill me with hope. The Beatles are one of my top bands. You come at the king, you better not miss.

I had a music professor my freshman year of college who's favorite artist was Frank Zappa. I respected her a lot as a teacher, but I can't fathom why she likes Frank so much. Every new album I encounter from him, I try and put myself in her shoes. My expectations for this are the lowest to date, but I'm trying to put myself in that professor's headspace.

Notable Tracks:
Who Needs The Peace Corps? - Song raised my expectations for the album somewhat. Funny little critique of hippie culture. Doesn't sound horrible.
What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body - My favorite track on the album, it parodies the Beatles the best I think. The harmony they hit is so fucking spot on. The "All your children-" verses made me laugh pretty hard. **NOT** including the Reprise.
Nasal Retentive Calliope Music | The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny - Tied for the worst tracks on the album by a fucking landslide, holy shit. This is exactly what I was talking about in my Pre Listen. If this is music, then dogshit is food.

Post Listen:
It's an early shitpost in audio form. If this album was supposed to be a statement of some sort, it's about as deep as a 9gag meme.

The Zappa experience here is identical to every other encounter I've had with him. A lot of songs have really, *really* great instrumentation on occasion, only to be interrupted by the worst shit you've heard in your life. The lyrics are funny or briliantly satirical, only to be quite literally interrupted by burps and audio cuts. Zappa takes something nice, and ruins it before your very ears. He's like those Turkish ice-cream guys, but he never gives you the ice cream. Instead he flashes you and gets away with it.

I told a friend I'd not give this album a 1/5 before I finished it, since he is a big Zappa fan. I can't do it. I just can't. I never want to hear any of this again, 1/5.

I honestly can’t tell if this is some kind of avant-garde masterpiece or if the band was just having a laugh by recording random chatter and noise. Listening to it is absolute insanity, it’s a total sensory overload of high-pitched voices, weird time changes, and chaotic sound effects that feels like a massive prank on the whole 60s scene.

Jamais écouté avant.

Une longue et pénible inside joke de 40 minutes... Si je peux comprendre, et même adhérer à l'envie de se moquer des excès et des dérives de la culture hippie, force est de constater que la blague, près de 60 ans plus tard, tombe carrément à plat. Reste une série de "morceaux" très courts, plus foutraques que réellement expérimentaux, parfois tout à fait aléatoires, et dont la parenté avec les artistes dont ils sont censés être un pastiche est parfaitement illisible. A pousser la caricature jusqu'au non-sens (finalement, la meilleure parodie de We're Only in It for The Money, c'esr sa pochette !), Zappa a juste oublié de faire un album écoutable...

Top : Mom & Dad
Flop : The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny

Annoying music

We're Only in It for the Money by The Mothers of Invention is an album I really struggled with. At its best it can be amusing and satirical, but at its worst I found it genuinely quite boring. I approached it as a parody album because it feels impossible to take seriously, with a lot of the humour coming across as cynical, bitter and almost jealous of the very music and culture it is mocking.

The vocals, sound effects and random noises throughout the album are intentionally strange, but for me they quickly became more irritating than interesting. There are moments where you can appreciate the creativity and experimentation, but overall it just felt messy and difficult to enjoy as an actual listening experience.

The biggest positive is how short the abum is. Unfortunately, this is not an album I can see myself ever coming back to.

Favourite tracks: Honestly, nothing really stood out for me
Least favourite tracks: “Flower Punk” was particularly awful
Album artwork: I actually prefer this cover to Sgt. Pepper — it’s a clever parody visually

Whatever the bloody hell this is, I'm still not entirely sure, but what I am sure of is that I love it!

A hilarious, brilliant, ironic, witty, disorientating and utterly fearless listen from the moment you hit play, it's sensory overload by just about every conceivable metric, but hell, give me something like this any day of the week over the 200th variation on the same country/folk album that supposedly warrants listening to before I drop dead. It plays out as a huge middle finger towards the perceived performative rebellion and cynicism of successful acts of the time, and a brutal dismantling of the ethos of the 1960s counterculture.

Despite the ongoing "noise"; frequent disruptions of telephone conversations, whispering and random orchestral snippets underline the whole thing - the musicianship remains watertight throughout. The album is an elaborate piss-take, but a seamlessly executed one. The odd time signatures and complex arrangements provide ample evidence of the band outclassing most of the industry, whilst actively mocking it - winning the game of music composition, surely?

Diogenes of Sinope is often rejoiced in online communities for being the ancient greek madlad. Didn't give a shit (unless he wanted to throw them at his detractors) and was a founding father of the cynic philosophy.

I wonder though, whether those near Diogenes really admired him or were sick of his shit. Because though his ideas are in concept great, being at risk of getting urinated on does not sound like he's a fun person to hang around with.

All to say that I get the same feeling about this album. In concept, mocking the Beatles and satirizing the hippie subculture is great. But having to listen to it is something else. With satire, you're walking the fine line between being a chuckleworthy cynic or being an insufferable twat. I think the Mothers of Invention have pissed all over the line like Diogenes did in this blaring, noisy, and annoying album.

Honestly … has anyone ever listened to this more than once?! Truly awful.

Sticking it to sticking it to the man, dude.

Sometimes, Zappa's wacky in a way that makes me laugh and gives me energy... this time, I'm just exhausted.
I just don't get it, Frank. I'm sure it makes total sense to you as a subversive concept album or whatever, and I love that for you, but I'm gonna sit this one out.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Wooooooooo!!! Okay. Mothers of invention. Dope shit.

So, I think this band's awesome. I also think it's thoroughly hilarious that the same people who threw "Rumours" (great album but that's besides the point) at the top album of all time spot have to listen to this. Sheesh, it really is a beautiful world. Almost 5,000 1-star ratings on this. It really makes you smile. It also has merit though!! Really great satire, and some genuinely good tunes too (see: "Who Needs The Peace Corps," "Absolutely Free," "Lonely Little Girl," "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," "Mother People"). The concept of satirizing everything popular and stupid at the time is pretty solid too, especially in the cases of songs like "Flower Punk," or, again, "Who Needs The Peace Corps." Overall quite the masterpiece of satire, would listen again!
9.2/10