Artist:  Frank Zappa

Title:  Hot Rats

Date:  1969

Label: Reprise Records

Cover Artwork:  Cal Schenkel

Interior Artwork:  John Williams

Notes:  Billed on the cover as a "movie for your ears".   Featuring Capt. Beefheart sharing vocals on "Willie the Pimp" and a large cast scattered throughout the album; one of Frank's finest.  Recorded between August and September of 1969, this was a departure from some of his earlier satirical works.  "Peaches" has been covered many times since in all sorts of guises.  It's not uncommon to see jazz and orchestral renditions of this piece.  The back cover is the uncropped front minus the lettering.

Line Up:

Frank Zappa: vocals, guitars, octave bass, percussion
Ian Underwood: piano, organus maximus, flute, clarinets, saxes
Capt. Beefheart: vocals
Sugar Cane Harris: violin
Jean Luc Ponty: violin
John Guerin: drums
Paul Humphrey: drums
Ron Selico: drums
Max Bennet: bass
Shuggy Otis: bass
 

Track Listing

Side 1

Peaches en Regalia
Willie the Pimp
Son of Mr. Green Genes

Side 2

Little Umbrellas
The Gumbo Variations
It Must be a Camel