Frank Zappa - 1971 [1997] "200 Motels"

The 200 Motels soundtrack to Frank Zappa's film 200 Motels was released by United Artists Records in 1971. Like the film, the album covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town of Centerville and bassist Jeff quitting the group, as did his real life counterpart, Jeff Simmons, who left the group before the film began shooting and was replaced by actor Martin Lickert for the film.

The soundtrack to Frank Zappa's strange early-'70s film 200 Motels was always doomed to be a peripheral entry in his discography. The movie's story was not easy to follow, and neither is the record (not that plot was ever a big focus of the production). It's typically wacky Zappa of the era, with unpredictable sharp turns between crunchy rock bombast, orchestration, and jazz/classical influences, as well as interjections of wacky spoken dialogue. Those who like his late-'60s/early-'70s work -- not as song-oriented as his first albums, in other words, but not as "serious" or as silly as his later records -- will probably like this fine, although it's not up to the level of Uncle Meat. It's funny in spots as well, especially the part where a disgruntled sideman gets tempted away from the band to do his own thing (a libretto that was, apparently, based on real-life incidents concerning Zappa sideman Jeff Simmons, who left during the project). On the other hand, there's a growing tendency to deploy the smutty, cheap humor that would soon dominate much of Zappa's work.

Typically zany Zappa for the period. If you're looking for serious rock, like Overnight Sensation or Apostrophe, this isn't for you. While it has some good rock numbers, they are far too few and far between and don't last long enough for my taste. However, if you liked the film, you will enjoy the album. For me, it brings back fond memories of watching the film in a small college auditorium with a great sound system, stoned on my ass.

The album peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard 200, though reviewers deemed it a peripheral part of Zappa's catalog.

 Track listing:

CD 1
1-1     Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture     1:59
1-2     Mystery Roach     2:32
1-3     Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers     0:48
1-4     This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Prologue)     0:55
1-5     Tuna Fish Promenade     2:29
1-6     Dance Of The Just Plain Folks     4:40
1-7     This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Reprise)     0:58
1-8     The Sealed Tuna Bolero     1:40
1-9     Lonesome Cowboy Burt     3:59
1-10     Touring Can Make You Crazy     2:52
1-11     Would You Like A Snack?     1:23
1-12     Redneck Eats     3:02
1-13     Centerville     2:31
1-14     She Painted Up Her Face     1:41
1-15     Janet's Big Dance Number     1:18
1-16     Half A Dozen Provocative Squats     1:57
1-17     Mysterioso     0:48
1-18     Shove It Right In     2:32
1-19     Lucy's Seduction Of A Bored Violinist & Postlude     4:01

CD 2
2-1     I'm Stealing The Towels     2:14
2-2     Dental Hygiene Dilemma     5:11
2-3     Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?     2:59
2-4     Daddy, Daddy, Daddy     3:11
2-5     Penis Dimension     4:37
2-6     What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning     3:32
2-7     A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes     1:08
2-8     Magic Fingers     3:53
2-9     Motorhead's Midnight Ranch     1:28
2-10     Dew On The Newts We Got     1:09
2-11     The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts     0:41
2-12     The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth     1:10
2-13     The Girl's Dream     0:54
2-14     Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce     1:00
2-15     Strictly Genteel (The Finale)     11:10
    Bonus Tracks
2-16     CUT1 "Coming Soon!..."     0:56
2-17     CUT2 "The Wide Screen Erupts..."     0:57
2-18     CUT3 "Coming Soon!..."     0:31
2-19     CUT4 "Frank Zappa's 200 Motels..."     0:11
2-20     Magic Fingers (Single Edit)     2:57

Personnel:

    Frank Zappa – bass guitar, guitar, drums, producer, orchestration
    George Duke – trombone, keyboards
    Ian Underwood – keyboards, woodwinds
    Big Jim Sullivan - guitar, orchestration
    Martin Lickert – bass guitar
    Aynsley Dunbar – drums
    Ruth Underwood – percussion
    Jimmy Carl Black – vocals
    Howard Kaylan – vocals
    Jim Pons – voices
    Mark Volman – vocals, photography
    Theodore Bikel – narrator
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra