Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
Encyclopedia
Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar is a triple vinyl album, originally issued mail order-only as three separate volumes, featuring live material recorded by Frank Zappa
between February 1977 and December 1980. The final track, "Canard du Jour", is a duet with Frank Zappa on electric bouzouki
and Jean-Luc Ponty
on baritone violin
dating from a 1972 studio session. It was later issued in 1982 in the UK by CBS as a box set with different artwork (with the original US LP covers now being used as inner sleeves) and with liner notes including a review of the original three-volume edition.
The album was released in 1981 and reissued by Rykodisc
on CD in 1986 as a two disc set and again in 1995 as a three disc box. There is a widely held belief that the order of the tracks "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" and "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More" were swapped on the two disc set; in fact, this is not the case. The source of the confusion may be the back cover of the 2-CD set, which lists the two tracks as swapped. The inside booklet, however, lists the tracks in correct order, and the actual track timings and contents confirm that "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" (5:38) is on disc 1 and "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More" (6:53) is on disc 2.
The album is entirely instrumental and features mainly guitar solos, hence the title. It is, however, interspersed with brief verbal comments between tracks, many of which also appear on Läther
, as was originally intended. Each disc is titled after a variation on the album's name, which is shared with the title track found on each respective disc.
Most solos on the album are culled from performances of another song. The three title tracks are derived from successive renditions of "Inca Roads"; various other solos were taken from readings of "Conehead", "Easy Meat", "The Illinois Enema Bandit", "City of Tiny Lites", "Black Napkins", "The Torture Never Stops", "Chunga's Revenge", and "A Pound for a Brown on the Bus". "Ship Ahoy" was the coda
from a performance of "Zoot Allures" the first part of which appears on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3
.
The opening track, "five-five-FIVE", is built around a musical idea that involves two measures of playing in 5/8 time followed by one measure in 5/4, thus explaining the song's name.
Some of the solos from these albums are featured in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
.
Similar albums: Guitar, Trance-Fusion
, Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute
, The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa
.
.
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
between February 1977 and December 1980. The final track, "Canard du Jour", is a duet with Frank Zappa on electric bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
and Jean-Luc Ponty
Jean-Luc Ponty
Jean-Luc Ponty is a French virtuoso violinist and jazz composer.- Early years:Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians on 29 September 1942 in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano...
on baritone violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
dating from a 1972 studio session. It was later issued in 1982 in the UK by CBS as a box set with different artwork (with the original US LP covers now being used as inner sleeves) and with liner notes including a review of the original three-volume edition.
The album was released in 1981 and reissued by Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
on CD in 1986 as a two disc set and again in 1995 as a three disc box. There is a widely held belief that the order of the tracks "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" and "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More" were swapped on the two disc set; in fact, this is not the case. The source of the confusion may be the back cover of the 2-CD set, which lists the two tracks as swapped. The inside booklet, however, lists the tracks in correct order, and the actual track timings and contents confirm that "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" (5:38) is on disc 1 and "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More" (6:53) is on disc 2.
The album is entirely instrumental and features mainly guitar solos, hence the title. It is, however, interspersed with brief verbal comments between tracks, many of which also appear on Läther
Läther
Läther is an album by Frank Zappa which was released on CD posthumously in 1996. Produced by Zappa in 1977, the recordings contained in Läther were made between 1972 and 1977 . A collection of these tapes was delivered to Warner Bros...
, as was originally intended. Each disc is titled after a variation on the album's name, which is shared with the title track found on each respective disc.
Most solos on the album are culled from performances of another song. The three title tracks are derived from successive renditions of "Inca Roads"; various other solos were taken from readings of "Conehead", "Easy Meat", "The Illinois Enema Bandit", "City of Tiny Lites", "Black Napkins", "The Torture Never Stops", "Chunga's Revenge", and "A Pound for a Brown on the Bus". "Ship Ahoy" was the coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
from a performance of "Zoot Allures" the first part of which appears on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is a double disc collection of live recordings by Frank Zappa, spanning from December 10, 1971 to December 23, 1984. "Sharleena" had been previously issued as a flexidisc in "Guitar Player" magazine. All the songs on disc one are by the 1984 band...
.
The opening track, "five-five-FIVE", is built around a musical idea that involves two measures of playing in 5/8 time followed by one measure in 5/4, thus explaining the song's name.
Some of the solos from these albums are featured in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
The Frank Zappa Guitar Book is a book of musical transcriptions of some of Frank Zappa's guitar solos. The Frank Zappa Guitar Book was distributed by The Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation in 1982, and is currently out of print. The book was transcribed by Steve Vai...
.
Similar albums: Guitar, Trance-Fusion
Trance-Fusion
Trance-Fusion is the name of an album of guitar solos completed by Frank Zappa shortly before his death, but not released until 2006. The album had previously been announced for release in 1999, and 2003 and again announced in 2005 in relation to the Zappa Plays Zappa tour...
, Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute
Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute
Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute is a posthumous album by Frank Zappa.According to the liner notes, Frank's son Dweezil talked with his father shortly before Frank's death about the songs Frank had written that he would consider to be his "signature" tunes. These were...
, The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa
The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa
The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa is a 1987 compilation album featuring guitar solos by Frank Zappa. It was issued as a cassette from Guitar World magazine, and has also been available in bootlegged versions as Guitar Hernia and Solo on Guitar...
.
Track listing
All songs by Frank Zappa except "Canard Du Jour" which was improvised by Zappa/PontyJean-Luc Ponty
Jean-Luc Ponty is a French virtuoso violinist and jazz composer.- Early years:Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians on 29 September 1942 in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano...
.
Side one
- "five-five-FIVE" – 2:35 (1979-02-19)
- "Hog Heaven" – 2:46 (1980-10-18)
- "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" – 5:35 (1979-02-18)
- "While You Were Out" – 6:09 (1979)
Side two
- "Treacherous Cretins" – 5:29 (1979-02-17)
- "Heavy Duty Judy" – 4:39 (1980-12-05)
- "Soup 'n Old Clothes" – 7:53 (1980-12-11)
Side one
- "Variations on the Carlos SantanaCarlos SantanaCarlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
Secret Chord Progression" – 3:56 (1980-12-11) - "Gee, I Like Your Pants" – 2:32 (1979-02-18)
- "Canarsie" – 6:06 (1979-02-19)
- "Ship Ahoy" – 5:26 (1976-02-03)
Side two
- "The Deathless Horsie" – 6:18 (1979-02-19)
- "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More" – 6:52 (1979-02-17)
- "Pink Napkins" – 4:41 (1977-02-17)
Side one
- "Beat It With Your Fist" – 1:39 (1980-10-30)
- "Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" – 8:45 (1979-02-19)
- "PinocchioPinocchioThe Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
's Furniture" – 2:04 (1980-12-05) - "Why Johnny Can't Read" – 4:04 (1979-02-17)
Side two
- "Stucco Homes" – 8:56 (1979)
- "Canard Du Jour" – 10:12 (1972)
Musicians
- Frank Zappa - Lead Guitar, Bouzouki
- Tommy MarsTommy MarsTommy Mars is a keyboard player, best known for his work with Frank Zappa.Born in Connecticut, U.S.A., 26 October 1951 Mars began piano lessons at age eight, and later his instrument range expanded to various keyboards and synthesizers. Mars graduated in 1972 from the Hartt College of Music in...
– Keyboards - Patrick O'HearnPatrick O'HearnPatrick O'Hearn is an American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and recording artist. While his musical repertoire spans a diverse range of music, he is an acclaimed New Age artist in his solo career...
– Bass, Dialogue - Denny Walley – Rhythm Guitar
- Ray WhiteRay WhiteRay White is a soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist, best known as a member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles. He was drafted into Zappa's band in the fall of 1976, being featured on rhythm guitar and vocals, forming a memorable vocal harmony partnership with Ike Willis on later tours in...
– Rhythm Guitar - Bob Harris – Keyboards
- Peter WolfPeter Wolf (producer)Peter F. Wolf is a composer, producer, songwriter and arranger. He was awarded the highest honor for artists from his birth country of Austria, the Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst .- Early years :Wolf studied classical piano at Vienna’s Conservatory of Music...
– Keyboards - Ed MannEd MannEd Mann has been "a drummer and piano dabbler since childhood", best known for his mallet percusion recorded and live work with Frank Zappa from 1977 to the end of Zappa's career.- Career :...
– Percussion - Ike WillisIke WillisIke Willis is a singer and guitarist who was a regular sideman for Frank Zappa, first joining Zappa's band for the fall 1978 tour and remaining in the band for several years. He did not tour with Zappa in 1981 and 1982 for personal reasons, but returned to touring with Zappa for his final two...
– Rhythm Guitar - Arthur BarrowArthur BarrowArthur Barrow is a multi-instrumental musician, best known for his stint as a bass guitar player for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Early life:...
– Bass - Terry BozzioTerry BozzioTerry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
– Drums, Dialogue - Vinnie ColaiutaVinnie ColaiutaVincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
– Drums - Warren CuccurulloWarren CuccurulloWarren Bruce Cuccurullo in Brooklyn, New York is an American rock musician who worked with Frank Zappa, was a founding member of Missing Persons, and has been a long term member of Duran Duran. He also has some notoriety in the porn industry after making nude appearances in a magazine and...
– Rhythm Guitar, Electric SitarElectric sitarAn electric sitar is a kind of electric guitar designed to mimic the sound of the traditional Indian instrument, the sitar. Depending on the manufacturer and model, these instruments bear varying degrees of resemblance to the traditional sitar... - Roy EstradaRoy EstradaRoy Estrada is an American musician and backing vocalist, best known for his bass guitar work with Frank Zappa and for co-founding Little Feat.-Biography:With drummer Jimmy Carl Black and Ray Collins, Estrada was an original member of Frank Zappa's...
– Vocals - Bob Harris – Keyboards
- Andre Lewis – Keyboards
- Eddie JobsonEddie JobsonEdwin "Eddie" Jobson is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77...
– Keyboards - Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
– Rhythm Guitar - Jean-Luc PontyJean-Luc PontyJean-Luc Ponty is a French virtuoso violinist and jazz composer.- Early years:Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians on 29 September 1942 in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano...
– Baritone Violin
Production staff
- Frank Zappa – Arranger, Composer, Conductor, Producer
- Kerry McNabb – Engineer
- Steve NyeSteve NyeSteve Nye is a music producer for several artists. Some of his better known artists include Bryan Ferry , Penguin Cafe Orchestra, XTC , Japan , David Sylvian , Clannad, TM Network, Scary Thieves , as...
– Engineer - Jo Hansch – Mastering
- John Swenson – Liner Notes
- John Livzey – Photography
- John Vince – Graphic Design
- Bob Stone – Remixing
- Joe Chiccarelli – Engineer, Mixing, Recording
- George Douglas – Engineer
- Tom Flye – Engineer
- Mick Glossop – Engineer