Customer Reviews
Zappa's most accessible album - By: Mr. Shumit Rehman, 16 Mar 2007 
I had to share a room with a Zappa fanin college & the songs were funny after a few beers but the musicianship or the melodies never grabbed me by the Colones. Then another Zappa fan introduced me to Watermelon, we heard it with the lights low, our minds upin the clouds & the friend setting off his flash gun at random moments during this extraordinary instrumental. Its 30 years ago & I can remember it like yesterday. Then he said Joe's Garage part 1 was even better. So the next time I had some money(student days) I bought my first Zappa album & was I amazed. I heard it all through the night & I so wanted to express my gratitude to my friend that I wrote him a letter (look it upin wikipedia youngsters) to thank him. There have been very few albums that have so lit up my life & without doubt Joe's Garage Part 1 is up there with Sgt Pepper et al. part 2 is not as good as part 1 but that's like saying the Mona Lisa is not as good as Boticelli's Venus. They are both way above the others.
And now you can get both albums together , its a bargain, no guitarist, drummer, agnostic, will be disappointed with this phenomenal rock opera.
Astonishing music and musicianship for such silly titles.... - By: Music-lover, 24 Feb 2005 I just bought the CD version of this after not hearing it for a few years since my turntable expired... Well, all I can say is WOW!! I had forgotten just how good this album is.
The reviewers below all hit the nail on the head with their selections of 'must hear' songs from this collection but for what it is worth there are a few other highlights I'd add to their list.
Firstly there is the middle eight to 'Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?". Its' thundering chords & vocal harmony crescendos are worth the admission price alone. Lovely lyrics here too...'I got it from the toilet seat, it jumped right up & grabbed my meat'!!!
Then you have the title track which is a real laugh for anyoine who has ever playedin or been involved with a 'garage' band. The track contains some of the best lyrics on the album. "and a cheesy little amp, with a sign on the front said 'Fender Champ' & a second hand guitar, it was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar". Priceless. Then you have the verbal delights of Joe's motherin the backgroud wailing 'turn it down' & 'don't you boys know any nice songs?'. We've been there right?
One of my favourite tracks is 'Wet T Shirt Night' as it is called on my vinyl version or 'Fembotin a Wet T-shirt' as it seems to be called here. This is a marvellous piece of music to begin with, upbeat & melodic. It ends with Zappa interviewing the contestants...'oh you were the girl who was stuck to seat 37 on Phaedo 3" & 'whaddaya say fellas, nice set of jugs?'
Then you have the surprise package of 'Lucille has meesed my mind up', a laid back reggae vamp with some amazing vocal work by Ike Willis. A great song.
Then we have one of the highlights of the set. The amazing 'Keep It Greasy' is probably the funkiest song I have ever heardin my life. Vinnie Colaiuta's drumming is exceptional here (and everywhere else too). This version is far better than the watered down one that appears on 'Does Humour Belongin Music'. Just try drumming along & you'll see what I mean! "Roll it over & grease it down, I'll drive you through the heart of town".
I know the others have already mentioned 'Watermelonin Easter Hay' but it is worth repeating that this is probably Zappa's best guitar solo on record, even better than Black Napkins on Zoot Allures! Packard Goose is pretty good playing too.
You have to get this one! It is right up therein my list of essential Zappa & secondin my opionion only to 'Live at the Roxy & Elsewhere'.
"Oh no, here comes that screaming sou-ind again".
Silly songs and transcendant Guitar; something for everyone - By: , 06 Jan 2005 This is quintessential Zappa as ROCK artist, no avant garde classical or even jazz, just good ol' rock 'n roll ... well, maybe not just; - it goes well past most peoples' idea of rock. A mini rock opera come social commentary & the best guitar solo you'll hear this side of heaven (or nirvana, or wherever the hell). I'm not a big fan of Zappa's "stupid songs" (his words), but even silly songs like "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" & "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" are absolutely brilliant. Some of Zappa's best solos are here - "Outside Now", "Packard Goose" & last but NOT least is what is universally agreed to be his all time best Guitar solo - "Watermelonin Easter Hay" - words can't come close to describing how beautiful, transcendant, gorgeous, (put your own superlative here). This Album is worth buying just for these solos!
Get it! - By: Patrik Lemberg, 06 Feb 2004 There's no reasonin the world for you not to get this one.
The music varies from rock to reggae to some of the "most-sense-making-Zappa-fusion-ever" to german pop-music.
The way Vinnie follows Zappa on some of the guitar-solo stuff is pretty amazing - That alone is reason enough to buy it.
The story of Joe itself is very funny - so if you don't get the music, at least you'll get a good laugh from the story (unless you're religious and/or offended by gay-people jokes).
Never before have you heard so many beautiful ballads on the same Zappa-record before, either. There's "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" (reggae), "Sy Borg" (reggae), "Outside Now" (eleven) - all sung by Ike Willis & "Watermelon In East Hay" - a 9 minute guitar dominated instrumentalin 11 with a pretty melody.
Some of the musicians are: Vinne Colaiuta, Ike Willis (both with Zappa on record for the very first time), Warren Cucurullo, Denny Walley, Peter Wolf, Tommy Mars, Arthur Barrow, Patrick O'Hearn, Ed Mann & many, many more...
Spread the word!
A token of Frank Zappa's Extreme - Perverse Genius - By: , 02 Sep 2000 If you disapprove of swearing, innuendo & blatant sexual references, don't read any further. Go & listen to S-Club 7 or Steps or something equally soul destroying. On the other hand if startling music & eyebrow-raising lyrics are your cup of tea - get your credit card ready.
Frank Zappa is not to everyone's taste. With songs entitled 'Why does it hurt when I pee?'; 'Dong Work for Yuda' & 'Crew Slut' you might think that the back of the CD would prepare you for the contents. Wrong on two counts. One - you might think that the titles are tonguein cheek & don't reflect the actual content. Secondly, you might think that the songs are somehow cheap & depend only on the dubious subject matter.
Make no mistake. The music is great. No GREAT. The instrumental breakin 'Catholic Girls' is worth the money on its ownin my book. Let alone the lyrics of 'Stick it Out' or the guitar workin 'Watermelonin Easter Hay'. Zappa's strengths are cracking musical themes & breaks combined with genuinely outrageous comedy & startling insights. If you don't believe me, listen to the 'Information is not knowledge' speechin Packard Goose, & gawp. There are probably many dedicated Zappa fans out there who will despise what I have said. But , tough - this album is indescribably good. Buy it, learn something & one day we may rid ourselves of people prancing on stage & miming. After all, it's not every day you buy an album from someone who has the marvellous accolade of being banned from every radio stationin the world.
