Customer Reviews

You Are What You Is

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, everyone else has piled on the superlatives and the denigrations, so I might as well add my own 2 cents. You Are What You Is is simultaneously wonderful and a fascinating misfire. It's sprawling and overreaching, but unlike some of Frank's other albums (think Thing-Fish) it manages to contain itself to a certain degree. Even better, the lyrics are mostly smart (except for Conehead, and Jumbo Go Away, which...well, it's just MEAN, darnit).

Anyway, I like this album very much. So why is it a misfire? Copies of earlier mixes of these songs are easily obtainable, and if Frank had mixed the entire album the way he did those songs (from the Crush All Boxes LP), I would enjoy the whole shebang a lot more.

And a warning! This album has TONS of REALLY BAD ISSUES. The original Ryko, the original Zappa Records, and the '95 Rykodisc release all sound AWFUL, and it's all Zappa's fault: he reprocessed the album realllllly badly, and it shows. And this isn't some audiophile-only-on-my-$30,000-stereo-system bad....this is VERY, VERY BAD. Dropouts, phasing, what have you. Thankfully, an earlier EMI issue was fine, and engineer-god Spencer Chrislu fixed it back in 1998. Problem is, you can't tell the '98 CDs from the '95 CDs just by looking at them, but all new copies should be fine (if your disc is +69 minutes long, it's the good version). Complex, but necessary. Hope this helps!

I was introduced to Frank Zappa's music twenty years ago through his then-new LP, "You Are What You Is," and a well-worn copy of "We're Only In It For The Money," which I picked up at a record show. They remain my two favorite Zappa albums. Some people like to put down "You Are What You Is" for its lack of FZ guitar solos, but I've never considered it a drawback. Musically and satirically, this was Zappa's strongest LP in years. The targets of his satire were many, including: Teenage rebellion ("Teen-age Wind,") high-society pretentiousness and snobbery ("Society Pages,") the new wave/punk nightclub scene ("Mudd Club,") Country music ("Harder Than Your Husband," featuring former Mothers of Invention bandmate Jimmy Carl Black on lead vocals) and religion (the three-song suite of "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," "Dumb All Over" and "Heavenly Bank Account"). For those who really LISTEN to lyrics, the anti-drug message of "Charlie's Enormous Mouth" is chilling: "She's got dirt all around the hole/Where they dumped her box in/They call it THE GRAVE/Which is as good a place as any for a chump to repose in." Just another O.D. statistic.

As another reviewer has already mentioned, this CD was remastered in 1998. If you have an earlier Rykodisc pressing of this CD, you should definitely upgrade. This isn't some minor improvement only a trained ear would notice--this is night and day. I've compared the old and new Ryko CDs to the original vinyl LP. The remastered CD is faithful to the sound of the LP, with the added dynamic range and clarity of the CD format. By comparison, the earlier Ryko CD sounds TERRIBLE--one of the worst CD mastering jobs I've heard: The EQ (equalization) is completely messed-up, the vocals are out-of-phase on many tracks, there's a bad dropout on "Mudd Club" and there's a low-level background hum through the ENTIRE disc. It's too bad Ryko didn't put a "REMASTERED EDITION" sticker on the shrink wrap of the new disc. Since the outer packaging is unchanged from a 1995 release, you need to buy the disc and open it up to find out if it's the good pressing. The remastered disc is over 69 minutes long and has a notation at the bottom of page 3 of the CD booklet, stating that the CD was remastered in 1998 by Spencer Chrislu.

I didn't notice any negative reviews here, and that doesn't surprise me since Zappa is one of the most important figures in American music, and for fans of his satire stuff, this is a fine album. Personally, I like a little bit of Franks humor and satire mixed in with good healthy doses of his incredible music. I'm sure there are other fans who are the same, and they should know that with the exception of 3rd Movement from Sinister Footwear, there are no instrumentals, and no brilliant compositions to speak of. This album has a huge audience and is loved by many Zappa fans, so I don't want to knock it much really. The humor and satire here are first rate, but that's all this album is really about. My low rating is from the standpoint of Frank and his music. If these songs had been spread out on two or three albums and intercut with his brilliant musical compositions, (a la Waka Jawaka), they would be just fine. It's just too one dimensional, and focusing on too little of what Frank has to offer. I can't think of any other albums of his to compare it to. Even his other pop/satire oriented albums such as Overnight Sensation and One Size Fits All had plenty of excellent music and playing. This album was an uncharacteristic one off. Depends on what you like. I just thought someone should offer a different perspective on this album.

When I purchased the album back when it was first released, I had been listening to FZ for 11 years and liked everything up until this point, so at first listen, "You Are" was not -- it didn't seem to live up to earlier recordings. But it has grown on me since. His take on evangelists and religion is quite prescient, considering the current state of affairs; his take on race as well. A lack of FZ guitar solos might put off "purists," but at this stage in his career FZ was more intent on sending messages with his music. I would strongly suggest this CD just for the three songs "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," "Dumb All Over" and "Heavenly Bank Account," solely for their religious/political message, but there are other great songs here: "Mudd Club" and "Charlie's Enormous Mouth," two songs that dove-tail nicely together as they accurately describe the "pop" mentality back then; looking right, being seen at all the right places, listening only to the right music all in a cocaine-addled haze. Cocaine was the marijuana of the '80's. Then there is the little-mentioned "Doreen," another of FZ's satirical takes on love and broken hearts -- it shoulda been a top-40 hit! There are many reasons to buy this CD -- the FZ "purists" who say they only like the "Mothers" era always elicit a laugh from me -- FZ was (is) the Mothers! Change some of the lyrics in "Mudd Club" and you could rename it "Purist Club." This recording easily stands up with "Freak Out" and "We're Only In It For the Money" and might be topped by only a few live recordings: "Just Another Band From L.A.," "The Fillmore," "Live in New York" and the incredible "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2." Plus, "You Are What You Is" features two of the best vocalists ever to sing in a rock band: Ike Willis and Ray White. Saw FZ at the Wisconsin State Fair in 1984 ... maybe '85 ... and the band featured both as singers and Strat abusers. You will not be disappointed if you buy this CD but be sure to get the later version, the 1998 remix.

"You Are What You Is" has always been one of my favorite records. It is sprawling (2 records) and covers an enormous range of genres and emotions from the dopey to the some of the nastiest, most trenchant commentary ever put on record. Also one of the first rap songs ever made (and among the best) called "Dumb All Over." Steve Vai is all over it on rhythm guitar. It has some of Ray White's best R&B vocals ("Doreen"). This probly could have been organized into two separate records since there are 2 or 3 general themes to all of the music crammed on this. But I think if that had been done none of them would have sold better (it's all truly wacked music). Frank's suite of "gospel" songs skewering evangelists has some of his best lines ("That's right, you asked for it. Remember there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over.")

I like this record because Frank is truly angry and puts it to use over gospel music but puts enough lighter music interspersed so it is not like getting hit on the head with a mallet. And the "light" stuff is savagely ridiculing stupid Dead Heads, bad country music, Jim Morrison, dumb girls, "beautiful guys" -- you get the picture. Weirdly, it does all fit as a piece.

"Dumb All Over" and "You Are What You Is" are the two songs central to the albums. "You Are What You Is" is both a funny and disarming song about black people trying to act like they are white, and white people trying to be black. It's a disturbing and a very interesting, serious and humorous song about race. There is something in the song that could be found offensive and humorous by overly sensitive members of both races, which is what he intended. In the album he has two exceptionally talented black musicians singing lead vocals (Ike Willis and Ray White) and in 1980 virtually no "rock musicians" (ie. white musicians) had lead black singers or musicians. For those alive in 1980 (and today as well) the number of mixed-race rock and roll bands is still ... well ... nearly zero. In this period bands like K.C. and the Sunshine Band's records were publicly burned at a Cleveland Indians baseball game in 1979 by white people only because they sounded "too black."

Frank's song "Dumb All Over" is arguably his best song ever. It is a pure rap (probly inspired in its delivery by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 'The Message') and lyrically his most vicious by far. Every word remains eerily true in 2005. Listen to it.

In contrast, "Joes Garage" -- which came out just before "You Are What You Is" -- is a somewhat sentimental trip to the past. "You Are What You Is" is a direct and pungent skunk-spraying on the present and future. Frank hits the right targets, does it well, and it contains very tight and excellent music that fit the material well. By this time in Frank's career, most "critics" were complaining why he did not put out a release like "We're Only In It For the Money." In this release, he did exactly that, but the "critics" were too stupid or coked out to realize it.

Give this a listen.

This album is one of my top five Zappa albums. It's really a unique album in the Zappa lexicon, a political/social satire without any really complex musical passages. The only instrumental/complex musical song is Theme from the Third Movement of Sinister Footwear. Instead, Zappa uses complex arragements on the vocals, some of the best vocals that he ever recorded. Ike Willis, Ray White, and Zappa's own voice really blend here superlatively. Old friends like Jimmy Carl Black come back here too (on Teen Age Wind and Harder than Your Husband).

The album covers many topics (it was originally a 2 LP set, one of many released by Zappa), and many of its songs are still timely. Zappa takes on right wing evangelicals years before it became fashionable. It's impossible to listen to songs like The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing, Heavenly Bank Account, and especially Dumb All Over and not think of today. The album has a great anti-drug song in Charlie's Enormous Mouth. The song Teen Age Wind is hilarious too, and is a bit anti-drug. The title track has to be one of my all time favorite Zappa songs. Doreen has a kick a** guitar solo buried in it, one of Zappa's best. Every song pretty much works, excpet Conehead. It's the only song I don't really like here, mainly because it came out years after the Conehead phase on SNL. Despite playing this album over and over again, it never gets tired. The album was kind of ignored in the 1980's, especially when Ship Arriving came out a year later, and Zappa had his huge hit Valley Girl.

Just another phenomenal Zappa album. There's a lot of those, you know.

Humor does belong in music (humor belongs everywhere) and if you don't believe it I challenge you to listen to this. Yes, some of the lyrics may offend some, but they never overshadow the songs or musicianship. This always brings a smile to my face and sounds, dare I say, upbeat. Not one second of dead space or skipped tunes, that's why it's about as perfect as it gets and is a must-have disc. Enjoy!

I have listened to this album A LOT the last five years and EVERY TIME I listen to it I hear something new that I haven't heard before. The reason for that is the endless amount of overdubbing featured on this album; There are voice parts, sounds, even instruments that you might not notice the first 20 times this disc spins in your player. Considering the amount of overdubs on this early eighties studio album, the sound quality is extraordinary. Remember: it's all analog.
The musical genre might best be described as "blues-oriented rock'n'roll" BUT it's all disguised in genius song writing and good musicianship. This album will have you humming along to odd-time-signatures, whether you'll know it or not.
All tracks but "Sinister Footwear" are vocal tracks, and they're all full of humour.
Within the genre of "blues-oriented rock'n'roll", the styles do vary; The title track is ska, "Mudd Club" is a crazy reggae, "Suicide Chump" is very bluesy, but all songs are smothered in what can only be described as "Zappaism". There's even a country song called "Harder Than Your Husband". I'm NOT a fan of country-music, but the professionalism of the musicians and the sound engineers "take the edge off".
Featured on this album, among close to 20 different musicians, is Steve Vai whom Zappa has written guitar lines for that no one else could play at the time and it gets insane at times. In the booklet Vai is suitably credited for "strat abuse".
Other musicians are Ike Willis, Ray White, Tommy Mars, Ed Mann, David Logeman among many others... even Mothers Jimmy Carl Black (on vocals) and Motorhead Sherwood (on vocals and tenor sax) guest!
It's hard to understand how Zappa found time to record and produce 70+ recordings during his career - especially considering that results were often this good.
Deeply recommended listening to.

If you get the Ryko '95 version, we could say you're doomed. There's no way you can really enjoy this album with such a horrendous mix. Too much high frequencies, dropouts (listen to "Mudd Club"), etc. etc.
The '98 version, remastered by Spencer Chrislu sounds great. Anyway, it is not a great sounding album compared to other Zappa releases.
Regarding music, this is song-based Zappa. The music's role here is supporting the lyrics, but the band surely sounds tight. In fact, that supporting music is really complex and rich. Zappa's lyrics are generally ingenious and have no mercy at all. Televangelists, stupid teenagers, drug addicts, politicians, religious fanatics, whiteys, niggers, THE HUMAN RACE, THE EARTH!
And don't worry if you don't like Steve Vai. I don't like him either, but don't confused his solo career with his collaborations with Zappa. He's just playing "stunt guitar" (it means, the complex things that Zappa could write but no perform himself).
Another treat here is the cast of vocalists. Ike Willis, Ray White and Bob Harris. They all do a magnificent job.
Summing up: if you're looking for 40-minute-long King Kong-type jams, this is not the right place. Now, if you're looking for kinda funny material a la "Sheik Yerbouti", this is the one for you. (I would like to add that this is far better than "Sheik...", an album that I never liked really). Inspired 80's Zappa.

This album helped me survive the early 80's, when the rock music scene didn't have that much to offer one with my preferences. It follows the general formula that Frank developed in the 70's except that it had less instrumental content. But if anything, the lyrics were an even harsher slap in the face. When Frank sang: "Then God is dumb, and maybe a little ugly on the side", those that knew what he was saying was not blasphemous, being aimed at those in the industry, were still chilled by the words.

Why are musicians today incapable of taking us on sonic journeys such as these? When the kid in "Teenage Wind" whines about not making it to the Grateful Dead concert, we are not moved by his plight, but when we hear the texture of the song, with the dynamic contrasts highlighted by incredible vocal fills, we are moved. The entire disc has that Zappa flow. His fans know what it is, but many never learn to hear it. For example, many critical of Frank have stereotyped him to me as a burned out druggie and when I play "Charlie's Enormous Mouth" or other anti-drug statements, they are not convinced because they are biased. In my opinion, these people could not get past the hair, the nose and the uncompromising stare that was Frank Zappa. As he once implied, he was ugly, but to those of us capable of really looking at him, there is much beauty to behold.