Apostrophe (')

by Frank Zappa (1974)

When one looks over Frank Zappa's giant discography, one must immediately ask if all of it is necessary, and furthermore, how to wade through it. The general first choice is either this album or Over-Nite Sensation, both Zappa's biggest hit albums. They're both good choices. Over-Nite is definitely the better place to get a handle on Frank's sense of humor, though this album is arguably more interesting musically, and relies on far fewer instances of phallic humor, meaning that (in theory) it's less likely to offend the more conservative listener. (Though you might argue that jokes about dog urine are just as questionable.)

For collectors it is an interesting entry in Zappa's discography, being that it also had a quadraphonic version made. Other than this album, the only Zappa record with an issued quadraphonic version is Over-Nite Sensation. It provides a point of mass confusion with its CD releases. The first was released as a two-for-one with Sensation (retitled Apostrophe'/Overnite Sensation on US Rykodisc releases from the pre-"green trays" era). As with the We're Only In It For The Money/Lumpy Gravy two-for-one, the first product was remixed. In this case, however, it's not something that will offend fans. The changes are minor and result only in Apostrophe using a mix derived from the quadraphonic version, adding a few bars of music and removing a few in a few places, mostly unnoticeable and inoffensive.

It is this remix that appears on the 1995 "[Zappa]-approved master" with just Apostrophe. However, in 1998 there appeared a gold-disc version of the Au20 line. This used the original LP mix. The normal CD was later changed to use this master for further production runs (presumably all of them). However, there is absolutely no way to tell them apart unless you actually open the case and listen to the CD! For newcomers who want to make attempts for a completist discography, this means serious trouble unless they own tape decks or phonographs, or can find a place that allows them to listen to used discs before buying. Of course, you would still need special equipment for the quadraphonic version.

While we're mentioning quadraphonic, it should be mentioned that, to date, there does not appear to have been an official re-issue of the quadraphonic album (even with the onset of DVD-Audio or DTS formats, which allow for 5.1 stereo). Another fun fact about Frank and quad is that he was originally planning to release all his albums in quadraphonic. This is reflected in the name of his record label at the time, DiscReet Records. This refers to "Discrete Quadraphonic" sound (also called CD-4), i.e. "real" quad. Of course, with the equipment needed to play Discrete Quad albums notoriously difficult to set up, and SQ (the other quad format) being kind of crummy, not to mention the fact that these were two competing formats, quad died off rather quickly. Of course, Frank Zappa had also created plans for quadraphonic Roxy And Elsewhere and One Size Fits All, neither of which saw light of day. The general opinion is that the quad mixes are only marginally interesting except to an obsessive completist.

This album is an interesting little item overall, subjected to all kinds of small changes throughout its lifetime; the only real major changes have been outlined above. The album was affixed to Over-Nite Sensation and mildly remixed, but otherwise, the only changes have been based on different pressings. There was nothing to censor, as this record was one of Zappa's cleanest. The label of the original U.S. pressing informed us that the title was actually A'pos! Tro'phe(!); copies exist with Reprise labels when they should bear only DiscReet identification. The album was reissued in 1977 with brown Reprise labels. However, arguably the most interesting issue is a Japanese issue of the LP, featuring an unusual lyrics sheet. To be more specific, each is accompanied by an illustration or series thereof, including a little comic strip for "Cosmik Debris" detailing Frank's encounter with the mystery man.

The album was released a scant eight months following Sensation, but it had been at least four years in the making, the oldest tracks thought to date back to 1969, and some confirmed to at least be as old as 1970. Those form the backbone of "Stink-Foot," and as a result of their age, we again get to hear the talents of Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin. It's possible that "Excentrifugal Forz" is even older than that. A lot of the basic tracks originate from the time of the Grand Wazoo period when Frank Zappa was confined to a wheelchair. Several returning musicians from this period and before, including Aynsley Dunbar (one of the Mothers), Alex "Erroneous" Dmochowski (studio bassist on a few albums in '72), John Guerin (whose involvement with Zappa extends as far back as 1965, to an early film project entitled Run Home, Slow), Sal Marquez (trumpet-player for the Grand Wazoo era/the Hot Rats Band), and George Duke all contribute to this album as a result.

With three exceptions, all musicians featured here have appeared on previous Zappa offerings; only Susie Glover, Robert "Frog" Camarena, and Ruben Ladron de Guevara (the Ruben of the real Ruben and the Jets, formed after the Mothers recorded Cruising With Ruben And The Jets, with support from Frank) have never appeared on a prior Zappa release. Frank knew his band well, and as a result, this album is strong, recorded with confidence and using mostly road-tested compositions. "Cosmik Debris" came together in 1972, and the four pieces of the "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" suite, as presented here, were constructed around 1973. The latter is the same case as with "Uncle Remus." Otherwise, "Excentrifugal Forz" never appeared live, and "Stink-Foot" and "Apostrophe'" both arrived in 1974. It is this quality, that the album is well-tested, a piece that its performers knew inside and out, that no doubt makes this album sound great, something easy to listen to whenever you feel like. Almost everything on this record is somewhat of a fan favorite, for good reason.

Of course, it's easy to say "you must have this album," but it would probably be better to go in-depth into the songs. Notes about the bands, the dates of the recordings, and so on will be included.

Frank Zappa — Apostrophe ('): Track-by-track review

1. "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow"

Like the other pieces of the suite — "Nanook Rubs It," "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast," and "Father O'Blivion," to be specific — this was most likely recorded around Summer 1973. Frank Zappa, of course, sang lead and played all the guitars. Tom Fowler played bass, George Duke played keyboards, and Ralph Humphrey played the drums. This quartet forms the core of the band that recorded the suite. Other segments also included, for instance, Ian Underwood and Tom's brother Bruce. For this segment, backing vocals were provided by Ray Collins, Ruben Guevara, Kerry McNab, Robert Camarena, and the Ikettes.

This opening theme to the "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" suite is rather a simple number, relying quite a lot on Tom Fowler's bass and George Duke's keyboards. It's an intro of sorts, setting the scene. Frank is having a dream that he's an Eskimo, even including a few quotes from "Midnight Sun" in case we missed what's going on. Frank — or should we say "Nanook?" — is instructed by his mother not to go out.

And my momma cried
Nanook-a, no no
Nanook-a, no no
Don't be a naughty Eskimo-wo-oh
Save your money, don't go to the show

He defies her, and she gives him the titular advice, as the "yellow snow" is tainted with husky urine. (As such, he has to watch out where those huskies go.)

The major problem with this song is one shared by most of the other songs in the suite, in that it falls apart without the other songs to give it continuity. As a result, it was rarely performed without the other segments of the suite. It did happen, but only in 1980, during the course of the March-to-July and October-to-December tours. This strange set-up was repeated for some other sections.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

2. "Nanook Rubs It"

Adding Bruce Fowler — a fan favorite — on trombone, Ruth Underwood on assorted percussion, and keyboards-and-winds whiz Ian Underwood on sax, with backing vocals handled by McNab and Collins, and maybe Susie Glover, this song continues the journey undertaken by Nanook. A fur trapper... well, let's let Frank explain this one:

Who was strictly from commercial
Had the unmitigated audacity to jump up from behind my igyaloo
And he started in to whippin' on my fav'rite baby seal
With a lead-filled snow shoe

("Strictly Commercial" later became the title of an official Frank Zappa compilation.)

Unsurprisingly, Nanook is not happy (he gets "just about as evil as an eskimo boy can be," echoing a description of the Zomby Woof in his titular song on Over-Nite Sensation), so he kneels down and scoops up a handful of the "deadly" yellow snow. He then proceeds to rub the yellow snow into the fur trapper's eyes using...

With a vigorous circular motion
Hitherto unknown to the people on this area,
But destined to take the place of the mud shark
In your mythology

The mud shark, of course, refers to that famous incident involving the Vanilla Fudge, explored and explained on "The Mud Shark" on the Fillmore East live album (also by Zappa). So, he rubs it in his eyes. Oddly, Frank avoids the obvious sonic joke on the quad version (referred to by the writer of an article about it as an "unforgivable missed opportunity"). Unsurprisingly, the urine-doped snow serves as a serious eye irritant, leaving the fur trapper very upset,

And rightly so
Because
The deadly Yellow Snow Crystals
Had deprived him of his sight
And he stood up
And he looked around
And he said:
I can't see
I can't see
Oh woe is me
I can't see

The stereo effects on this part of the song are great, and really need to be heard; good musician or not, Frank was a technology whiz in the studio.

So, how does the fur trapper counterattack? He takes a "dog-doo sno-cone" and puts it in Nanook's right eye, then his left ("other," rather), which blinds Nanook as the fur trapper had been been blinded. Meanwhile, the fur trapper is trying to figure out how he's going to restore his vision. He then recalls an ancient Eskimo legend wherein it is told (or written, "on whatever it is that they write it on up there")

That if anything bad ever happens to your eyes
As a result of some sort of conflict
With anyone named Nanook
The only way you can get it fixed up
Is to go trudgin' across the tundra
Mile after mile
Trudgin' across the tundra
Right down to the parish of Saint Alfonzo

A voice in the background laughs, and we're off to the next part. "Nanook Rubs It" makes next to no sense without the other three songs, and was never performed alone.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

3. "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast"

The shortest part of the suite, at under two minutes, the band is the same as the previous piece, with backing vocals handled by Guevara, Camarena, Napoleon Murphy Brock, and the Ikettes. Without Ruth or another percussionist, this song wouldn't be the same; its signature is decidedly the opening marimba (isn't it?) part, followed by some horn work.

We're straying now from the Eskimo bit, to a pancake breakfast in a church, the Parish of St. Alfonzo. Is Nanook still involved, or the fur trapper? Who knows? It's a short number, wherein Frank describes himself, or some other character, and the escapades at the pancake breakfast, including stealing the margarine (or, as Frank explains, "mar-juh-rene," often defined in concert like an acrostic poem), urinating on bingo cards, and a parish lady abusing a sausage pattie. It's an odd song indeed and, outside the suite, doesn't make much sense. As such, it made no appearances outside the suite. Live, during the early part of the 1970s, would follow this song with a semi-improvised piece called "Mar-Juh-Rene," which was an acrostic poem of sorts, as explained above, wherein he explains the meaning of each letter and hyphen in the titular phrase. It's amusing but largely ignorable.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

4. "Father O'Blivion"

The final part of the Yellow Snow Suite featured Zappa, Tom Fowler, Humphrey, Duke, and Ruth Underwood, with only Napoleon Murphy Brock on back-up vocals. A harder-rocking and more guitar-focused number, Frank invites you to "get on your feet and do the funky Alfonzo," but this isn't quite a dance tune. In some ways it is, but with the typical Frank Zappa "perversions" of the dance tune, as it tells a story about the titular Father O'Blivion making pancakes for his parish.

However, things go a little awry, since he forgot to watch the clock. Last night, a leprechaun stroked his smock (whatever that means... knowing Frank, you don't have to think hard about this), which set him off in enough of a frenzy to sing "Lock around the crock" — as opposed to "Rock around the clock." He stumbles on something censored in this version of the song (hint: it rhymes with frock, flock, clock, smock, and crock. If you haven't figured it out yet, check the live versions on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore volumes 1 or 6.) and, from there, he's off trying to hawk his sleazy pancakes at the breakfast, claiming that "we'll raise a fortune by tonight" and that they're "the finest in the town." It ends with another commercial reference, this time to Imperial Margarine, with the line "Good morning, your highness."

This song originated from an instrumental called "Farther Oblivion" from the Grand Wazoo/Petit Wazoo tours in '72, and often it was followed in concert with a number called "Rollo" to close out the expanded suite. "Rollo" originated as a completely different song on the same Wazoo tours. Of course, outside the suite, it makes no sense at all to most of us.

At the very end, we can hear the sound of a failed attempt to play the into to "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast," punctuated with a sharp laugh, depicting just what a challenge that piece was to play.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

5. "Cosmik Debris"

Including a quotation from Jimi Hendrix's "Who Knows," this song was a long-time inclusion in most every set list during Zappa's career — and why not? It's an amusing song, one of Zappa's greatest when it comes to something that's not especially parody-based nor groundbreaking. It's got a very nice riff, and a great solo and, as expected, an excellent set of lyrics, describing Frank's encounters with a flim-flamming mystery man. He had all kinds of tricks up his sleeve to try and get Frank's money, but, of course, Frank Zappa is able to best him at every turn by asking him the immortal question: "Who [are] you jivin' with that Cosmik [sic] Debris?"

Perhaps the best part of the song comes toward the end, when the mystery man won't just take his debris and ram it up his snout. At which point, he declares that he has a crystal ball (or, rather, "A KRISTL BOL," in all caps, from the lyrics) in a hilariously high-pitched voice. At which point, Frank Zappa takes it from him and teaches him how to use this standard.

I wrapped a newspaper 'round my head
So I'd look like I was Deep
I said some Mumbo Jumbos then
An' told him he was goin' to sleep
I robbed his rings
An' pocket watch
An' everything else I found
I had that sucker hypnotized
He couldn't even make a sound
I proceeded to tell him his future then
As long as he was hanging around,
I said
"The price of meat has just gone up
An' yer ol' lady has just gone down!"

This little bit is one of the most fun segments on the whole album, taking full advantage of Frank's guitar and especially Tom Fowler's bass. It was also one of the main parts where the song saw modifications in concert. Frank would change it to different genres, including heavy metal and reggae, depending on the tour. A live version from the 1984 tour appeared on the third volume of the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series. It appeared in every year Frank Zappa toured, except the period from 1975 to 1978. Maybe this is a little much, since it rarely changed noticeably, but it's a good song regardless, and almost a necessary standard on Frank's set lists.

Note, though, that with one exception, the song is always entitled "Cosmik Debris," with a 'k.' The exception is the Stage series sampler, which featured an alternate version of the Volume 3 version, spelled with a 'c' instead of a 'k.'

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

6. "Excentrifugal Forz"

Dating originally from the Hot Rats sessions, "Excentrifugal Forz" features familiar fellows like Don "Sugarcane" Harris and John Guerin, with overdubs occurring around 1974, "Excentrifugal Forz" was never played live, although there was a piece called "Excentrifugal Forz" which eventually became "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" on Roxy And Elsewhere.

In any case, it's difficult to explain what the song is really about. However, the first verse, with its references to the Hammond Organ and turbans, makes reference to Korla Pandit, the Godfather of Exotica, who notably performed wearing a turban with a small ruby in it, playing keyboards. There are then a series of puns, based on the corruption of the name as "Korla Plankton," as opposed to Korla Pandit.

From here, there are more puns, with the name Pup Tentacle, which is a pun on a pup tent referred to in "Cheepnis" on the Roxy album. It hasn't yet been determined who this part is about, if anyone. Theories initially pointed to the late Lowell George (a member of Frank's band in the 60s, and later the leader of Little Feat), but these were quickly shown to be incorrect by fans who continued to research the meaning. To this day, it remains unexplained.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

7. "Apostrophe"

"Apostrophe'" is, more or less, a jam session. It includes a whopping four musicians, the least on the record (with "Uncle Remus" in second place with a scant five). The band here is Zappa on lead guitar; Tony Duran, a former member of the Grand Wazoo Band from the earlier part of the 70s, on rhythm guitar; Jack Bruce of Cream on bass (or is he?); and Jim Gordon, another former Grand Wazoo Band player, on drums. The quartet rock pretty hard, more so than on other pieces of the album, but it does sound like, compositionally, it owes a lot to what everything else on the album does. It makes perfect sense, too, that two-thirds of Zappa's bandmates here are Wazoo alumni, because it was recorded in 1972, the same year in which Zappa embarked on his Grand Wazoo and Petit Wazoo tours, along with recording the eponymous album and Waka/Jawaka, which was in a similar vein to The Grand Wazoo. The recording dates to November 7 of that year, recorded at Electric Ladyland in New York City.

It's been said that Jack Bruce didn't play bass on the record at all, just cello. Zappa said he did, Jack Bruce said he didn't. As Zappa remembers it, Bruce was difficult to play with, explaining that his playing was "too busy." According to Bruce, he didn't exactly like the music, either, saying it was "pretty awful." He did, however, play the bass on this not-often-played number, written by Zappa, Gordon, and Bruce, and it certainly doesn't qualify as 'pretty awful,' standing as one of the best numbers on the whole record. It's good, but it's a bit nondescript, being a very basic rocking jam. Frank has plenty of tunes that few others could pull off that are great (let's start the list with "Big Swifty," another big instrumental, and "Apostrophe'" is pretty big at six minutes on a thirty-minute record with nine songs). However, "Apostrophe'" is an anomaly, as a tune that, surely, a number of artists could produce a similar item, yet still, it's a great tune.

Frank Zappa played this song a handful of times between 1974 and 1976, before reviving it in 1984 (on what was to be Zappa's last tour). On the 1984 tour, though, it was generally cut down to its theme and a Zappa guitar solo. Unfortunately, the number has not appeared on any official live recordings. It didn't appear on the major compilation "Strictly Commercial," nor many others, though Jon Fishman (of Phish) named it as a favorite, selecting it for his entry in the "Zappa Picks" series, a set of compilations featuring (as the name implies) the favorite tracks of some musicians. It only managed two entries, with Fishman's set being the second released; Larry LaLonde of Primus had one of these, too.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

8. "Uncle Remus"

This short number was co-written by Frank Zappa and George Duke, and it tackles racial issues explored earlier on "Trouble Every Day." The band featured is again built up mostly of old members, including George Duke on keyboards, Alex "Erroneous" Dmochowski on bass (he played on Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo), Aynsley Dunbar (a former Mother, back before Frank was thrown off stage in 1971) on drums, and, of course, Zappa on guitar and vocals. The backing vocalists are either Susie Glover or Tina Turner and the Ikettes; this remains unknown.

The song derives its title from the character Uncle Remus, from the books by Joel Chandler Harris (1848-1908). Uncle Remus was portrayed as a wise, old black slave. Thus, in this sense, in the song, he is seen as sort of a father figure or deity or other higher authority for African-American citizens of America, who could be thought of as singing the song.

The second half of the song includes reference to knocking "the little jockeys off the rich people's lawns." Nowadays this is an extremely confusing reference, but refers to a type of lawn ornament in the form of a cast-iron hitching post (for a horse) shaped like an African-American slave serving as a jockey for horses. With the increased prevalence of the automobile, these gradually just became lawn decorations. Obviously, they're considered racist. The act of knocking the jockeys off of rich people's lawns is, thus, something of a "screw you" to remaining racists in 1972.

Additionally, the song provided the title to "Down In De Dew," an instrumental number on Zappa's titanic Läther. While it was listed by Zappa as being an Apostrophe (') outtake, the overdubs heard on that version (which also appeared on a compilation called The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa) are dated 1975.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

9. "Stink-Foot"

Another fan favorite, "Stink-Foot" (or "Stinkfoot," as one word, on some pressings) tells us a tale about, well, smelly feet. Of all the things to write a song about, this has to be one of the strangest choices in Frank Zappa's career, right? Well, actually, it's not so odd. To quote Frank Zappa himself:

"There is one [song] inspired by a Mennen foot spray commercial where the dog keels over after the guy takes his shoes off. Do you know how hard to write a song about something like that?"

There you go; Frank wrote it about a goofy commercial. You're bound to miss this the first few times, but it's another pop culture parody, in addition to being a warning about the perils of bromidrosis.

The song is split in two parts. The first part is the song proper, with Frank Zappa inviting us to a place he knows ("Get your shoes and socks on, people, it's right around the corner!"), where they keep the imaginary diseases. Frank Zappa introduces us to a real disease, stating that scientists call it bromidrosis, but regular people ("who might wear tennis shoes or an occasional python boot," he notes), will know it by the name "Stinkfoot."

Thus, he begins to tell is that he couldn't get his python boot off last night, explaining further that it's taken him a whole week, up until July (which may or may not have been a week!) to get it off. It's not told why he couldn't get it off, but we're led to believe that it's probably because of his bad case of bromidrosis, which, his girlfriend informs him, "puts the hurt on [her] nose" and she asks him if it's something that can be washed off. Cut abruptly to a man asking his dog to bring the slippers, something happening with the dog and slippers, and the man declaring it sick.

Here Fido... Fido...
C'mere little puppy... bring the slippers
Arf, arf, arf! (noises)
Heh heh heh... sick...

The dog's "barking" is rendered somewhat like a series of echoing voices, as opposed to as individual barks. What does happen, though? It's not explained at all. It's possible that the dog threw up on the slippers or died nearby, maybe from the man's awful bromidrosis. This makes sense with the inspiration of the song. (My own interpretation says the dog chewed them up, which makes less sense but somehow fits a bit better with the sounds.)

Frank then joins that part and the next with a guitar solo. For the most part, the remainder of the song is narrated, not sung. Fido gets up and looks Frank in the eye, and begins talking to him. He tells his master a story of how he was once questioned as to what his conceptual continuity was. "Conceptual continuity" is that thing that links most Frank Zappa songs to each other. There's a fair bit of continuity throughout this album. On just this song, we have a link to "Imaginary Diseases," which dates back to the Grand Wazoo days, and a dog of some kind, perhaps the same poodle that sits as a continuous piece of Zappa's mythos? In any case, Fido tells us that it should be easy to see that the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. More on that later. For now, we get this:

Well, you know
The man who was talkin' to the dog
Looked at the dog an' he said: (sort of staring in disbelief)
"You can't say that!"
He said:
"It doesn't, 'n you can't!
I won't, 'n it don't!
It hasn't, it isn't, it even ain't,
'n it shouldn't...
it couldn't!"

It's no surprise that the man can't form a coherent response — a dog has just talked to him. However, it should be noted that he responds primarily with contractions, which include apostrophes. A fan noted, however, in a message now archived on a fan site, that this might be a reference to a brand of dog biscuits (Gaine's) where, indeed, the apostrophe was stamped at the crux of the biscuit. In any case, the album ends with a coda consisting of a few repeated lines, forming another piece of conceptual continuity:

The poodle bites,
the poodle chews it

This links directly back to Over-Nite Sensation's "Dirty Love," which ended with the same lines as its coda. So, as you can see, "Stink-Foot" is an important number in Zappa's canon, not only as a favorite performance number, but for all of its continuity links.

NERDLETS — One-sentence impressions of this song

Discussion: 3 comments for Apostrophe (') by Frank Zappa

ant Nov 6, 2009 4:16 AM Quote ↓

Well-played, Neurotika, for finally breaking the FZ duck on music-nerds.

I've persuaded myself several times not to be so damn stoopid as to get into writing him up, employing a wide variety of excuses. You've hit the balance between the technical, musical and lyrical facets really nicely.

Essential album, essential crit!

NeurotiKca Nov 9, 2009 1:35 PM Quote ↓

Zappa is a man that's tough to write guides for, since there's a ton of stuff to go into — just about everything about him is really well-documented, though, which is great! Apostrophe (') is probably the first Zappa album I ever heard in its entirety, and I still love the whole thing. My 1980s twofer is one of my most prized CD records, but I've been listening to it on a 70s cassette (US DiscReet label) of late, which copies the vinyl, and that's held out pretty well for a while.

I'm thinking of doing another one, but I don't know what album to write for.

astronomius Nov 9, 2009 9:02 PM Quote ↓

well, of course it's hard to write a well-written review anyway, especially for an artist that has a discography almost as long as someone's arm and has made more contributions to the Avant Garde Rock genre' than most Rock artists; i'd say Zappa and Bowie's careers run (ran, in Zappa's case) close that way, and i wish fans of other artists and bands would give them the credit they both deserve.

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