Absolutely Free

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Album History
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Absolutely Free
Released June 1967
See also:
IINK, Patio, KUR
The Old Masters, Box I
Threesome No. 1

Players

Tracks

LP

Side One
"Absolutely Free"
(1st in a series of underground oratorios)

  1. Plastic People (3:40)
  2. The Duke Of Prunes (2:12)
  3. Amnesia Vivace (1:01)
  4. The Duke Regains His Chops (1:45)
  5. Call Any Vegetable (2:19)
  6. Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin (6:57)
  7. Soft-Sell Conclusion (1:40)

Side Two
"The M.O.I. American Pageant"
(2nd in a series of underground oratorios)

  1. America Drinks (1:52)
  2. Status Back Baby (2:52)
  3. Uncle Bernie's Farm (2:09)
  4. Son Of Suzy Creamcheese (1:33)
  5. Brown Shoes Don't Make It (7:26)
  6. America Drinks & Goes Home (2:43)
CD

"Absolutely Free"
(1st in a series of underground oratorios)

  1. Plastic People (3:42)
  2. The Duke Of Prunes (2:13)
  3. Amnesia Vivace (1:01)
  4. The Duke Regains His Chops (1:48)
  5. Call Any Vegetable (2:20)
  6. Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin (7:00)
  7. Soft-Sell Conclusion (1:40)
  8. Big Leg Emma (2:31) - bonus track
  9. Why Don'tcha Do Me Right? (2:37) - bonus track

"The M.O.I. American Pageant"
(2nd in a series of underground oratorios)

  1. America Drinks (1:53)
  2. Status Back Baby (2:54)
  3. Uncle Bernie's Farm (2:11)
  4. Son Of Suzy Creamcheese (1:34)
  5. Brown Shoes Don't Make It (7:30)
  6. America Drinks & Goes Home (2:46)

Release Notes

Recorded Sunset-Highland Studios of TTG, November 15-18, 1966.
Produced by: Tom Wilson.
Director of engineering: Val Valentin.
Recording Engineer: Ami Hadani.
Remix Engineer: David Greene.
Cover art, layout, notes, design, etc.: Zappa
Front cover photo: Alice Ochs.

Liner Notes

Background Information

... Absolutely Free: The Complete Libretto

Zappa about the album:

"When it came time for us to do our second album, Absolutely Free, MGM proclaimed that we couldn't spend more than eleven thousand dollars on it. The recording schedules were ridiculous, making it impossible to perfect anything on the album. It was typical of the kind of bullshit we had to put up with until I got my own studio.
Gail and I moved to New York in 1967 to play in the Garrick Theater on Bleecker Street. The first place we stayed, before we could find an apartment, was the Hotel Van Rensselaer on Eleventh Street. We were living on a small room on one of the upper floors. I was working on the album cover illustration for Absolutely Free at a desk by the window. I remember the place being so dirty I couldn't keep the soot off the artwork."

The Real Frank Zappa Book.

Conceptual Continuity

Versions

ZFT # Version # # discs Format Catalog # Release
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Barcode
(EAN-13)
Artwork Comment
2 1.1
Original
Stereo
13 Tracks
1 LP MGM Verve
V6-5013
1967-06-26 None   US edition.
1 LP MGM Verve
SVLP 9174
1967-10[1] None   UK edition.
1 LP MGM Verve
MV 1120
  None   Japanese edition.
1 LP MGM Verve
710006
1967 None   German edition.
1.2
Original
Mono
13 Tracks
1 LP MGM Verve
V-5013
1967-06-26? None   US edition.
1 LP MGM Verve
VLP 9174
1967-10[1] None   UK edition.
1.1
Original
Stereo
13 Tracks
1 LP MGM Verve/Polydor
2317 035
1972-06[1] None   UK edition.
1.3
Remaster
Stereo
13 Tracks
1 LP Barking Pumpkin
BPR 7777-2
1985-04-19     Included in The Old Masters, Box I set.
Unknown 1 CS Zappa
TZAPPA 12
? 5016583601249?   UK edition.
1.4
Remaster
Stereo
&
2 Bonus Tracks
1 CD Rykodisc
RCD 10093
1989-01 0014431009327   US edition, AAD.
1 CD Zappa
CDZAP 12
1989-01[1] 5016583601225   UK edition, AAD. Matrix # ZAP 12 MPO 01 @@
1 CD Rykodisc
D40733
1989     Australian edition = Rykodisc RCD 10093 stickered with the Ozzie catalog #.
Unknown 1 CS Barking Pumpkin
D4 74214
1990-10-17 0013347421445   US edition.
1.4
Remaster
Stereo
&
2 Bonus Tracks
1 CD VideoArts
VACK 5022
1994-10-26 4988112405257   Japanese edition.
1 CS Rykodisc
RAC 10502
1995-05-02 0014431050244   US edition.
1 CD Rykodisc
RCD 10502
1995-05-02 0014431050220   US edition.
1 CD Gravadora Eldorado/Rykodisc
968026
1995 7897181221873   Brazilian edition.
1 CD VideoArts
VACK 5111
1995-09-25 4988112407749   Japanese edition.
1 CD VideoArts
VACK 5246
1996-05-30 4988112408463   Japanese edition = Rykodisc RCD 10502 repackaged with an obi strip and extra liner notes in Japanese
1 CD VideoArts
VACK 1204
2001-09-21 4988112412606   Japanese edition, mini-album papersleeve.
1 CD Rykodisc
RCD 40582/2
2002-03-21 None   US edition, included in the Threesome No. 1 box set. Matrix # IFPI L503 IFPI 8708 DISCTRONICS RCD 10502 01
1 CD Rykodisc
RCD 10592
2005-07-19 0014431059223   = VideoArts VACK 1204, the barcode is a sticker, the Ryko reference is not printed.
1 CD VideoArts
VACK 1328
2008-06-18 4988112417717   Japanese edition,
mini-album papersleeve.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Martin C. Strong, 2004, The Great Rock Discography, p. 1720.