Absolutely Free: The Complete Libretto

Foreword to the "Absolutely Free Libretto"

all the words on the record
ABSOLUTELY FREE - THE COMPLETE LIBRETTO
ABSOLUTELY FREE - THE M. O. I. AMERICAN PAGEANT
both complete librettos to accompany the VERVE recording V/V6-5013 by THE MOTHERS of INVENTION.
words & music by FRANK ZAPPA
© 1967 FRANK ZAPPA MUSIC BMI, a subsidiary of Third Story Music BMI

FOREWORD

Music has always shown how people think and feel, according to John Tasker Howard. He is probably right. The music of the MOTHERS speaks of the feelings of what might be described as THE VAST MINORITY. The feelings of the people on the fringe of everything... the ones who don't care if they're IN or OUT... don't care if they're HIP, HEP, SWINGIN' or ZORCH. This is the audience the MOTHERS want to reach... those few who have the power within themselves to cause or motiviate social change but have never used it for one reason or another. If you are reading this and understand it (even if you have short hair and watch TV 18 hours a day), it is time that you realized WHO and WHAT YOU ARE. It is time you realized what the words to our songs mean.

This album was recorded the week before Thanksgiving, November 1966 in Los Angeles at the Sunset-Highland Studios of T.T.G. Inc., in a series of 4 sessions (about 25 studio hours). It was edited and re-mixed in New York City at the MGM Studios in 5 sessions (about 35 studio hours) the following week. The album was finally released around May 26, 1967... the reason for the delay? Partly because of this libretto. The original plan was to include within the album, the words in this brochure. The record company attempted to censor the words and a long involved discussion ensued. We were forced to manufacture this product.

The music itself took several years to compose (AMERICA DRINKS & GOES HOME was written in 1964... most of the other segments were written before or shortly after FREAK OUT!, our first album, was released in 1966). We hope that this material will help you to enjoy our work on a more personal level.

Thank you
Frank Zappa
for the MOTHERS of Invention

THESE are words to the songs on our new album "ABSOLUTELY FREE." This is not a reprint of the actual libretto that is published in the United States to accompany this record. It is a hasty attempt to give the Bristish listener a chance to more fully understand the message inherent in the album.

Pauline Butcher, secretary at large, in a gruelling five hour session, was subjected to the awful task of translating the garbled nonsense on our album into a form that I hope most of you can understand.

Some of the terms, abbreviations and colloquial expressions used in the lyrics may not be familiar to Britis [sic] listeners. Along with the actual words to the songs this special version of the libretto will include brief technical explanations for you.

FRANK ZAPPA

No 1 in a series UndergroundOratorios [sic]
PLASTIC PEOPLE
The insincere ass holes who run almost everybody's country are plastic people. References to Sunset Boulevard, Pandora's Box, CIA, and Laurel Canyon, all relate tothe [sic] first youth riots in Los Angeles last year.
[Lyrics of Plastic People follow.]

THE DUKE OF PRUNES
The Duke of Prunes is a surrealistic love song. Euphemistic sexual imagery popular in country blues tunes, with which many of you might already be familiar, is transmuted in this particular piece from the basic " ... me, suck me, till my eyes roll back baby" to "prune me, cheese me, go-kart ... " or something like that. This song is very strange.
[Lyrics of The Duke Of Prunes follow.]

AMNESIA VIVACE
A dashing duke is attempting to pick up to cheer leaders in a parking plot who bash him in the face with a rock leading to Amnesia:
(MUMBLING FREE ASSOCIATION)
Duke, duke, duke, duke
Prunes, prunes, prunes, prunes, prunes
What is your name?
It's nice to see you again
You'll be my duchess of prunes
My duchess of prunes.

THE DUKE REGAINS HIS CHOPS
[Lyrics of The Duke Regains His Chops follow.]

CALL ANY VEGETABLE
The best clue to this song might lie in the fact that people who are inactive in a society ... people who do not live up to their responsibilities are vegetables. I fell that these people, even if they are inactive, apathetic or unconcerned at this point, can be motivated toward a more useful sort of existence. I believe that if you call any vegetable it will respond to you. [Lyrics of Call Any Vegetable follow.]

INVOCATION & RITUAL DANCE OF THE YOUNG PUMPKIN
Young pumpkin dances and sweats round a desk leading to Amnesia.

SOFT SELL CONCLUSION AND ENDING
[Lyrics of Soft Sell Conclusion And Ending follow.]

AMERICA DRINKS

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