Finally released on a pair of CDs in 1997 (26 years after it's initial release on vinyl), 200 MOTELS is the soundtrack to Frank Zappa's wacky 1971 motion picture of the same name, which starred Ringo Starr and Keith Moon, among others.
Although it enjoyed success as a "midnight movie" in the '70s/early '80s, 200 MOTELS is a difficult movie to comprehend, since the storyline is very abstract (some have hinted that it was made up on the spot!). But even when his music is difficult to understand, Zappa includes many interesting twists and turns, and the soundtrack for 200 MOTELS is no different.
Although Zappa composed and arranged all the music, The Mothers of Invention, were joined by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (!) and the Top Score Singers. But some of the material is exactly what you'd expect from an early-'70s Zappa and the Mothers release--such as a medley containing the tracks "She Painted Up Her Face," "Half A Dozen Provocative Squats," and "Shove It Right In".
CD1 01 - Semi-Fraudulent , Direct-From-Hollywood Overture 02 - Mystery Roach 03 - Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers 04 - This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (prologue) 05 - Tuna Fish Promenade 06 - Dance Of The Just Plain Folks 07 - This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (reprise) 08 - The Sealed Tuna Bolero 09 - Lonesome Cowboy Burt 10 - Touring Can Make You Crazy 11 - Would You Like A Snack 12 - Redneck Eats 13 - Centerville 14 - She Painted Up Her Face 15 - Janet's Big Dance Number 16 - Half A Dozen Provocative Squats 17 - Mysterioso 18 - Shove It Right In 19 - Lucy's Seduction Of A Bored Violinist & Postlude
01 - I'm Stealing The Towels 02 - Dental Hygiene Dilemma 03 - Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You 04 - Daddy, Daddy, Daddy 05 - Penis Dimension 06 - What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning 07 - A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes 08 - Magic Fingers 09 - Motorhead's Midnight Ranch 10 - Dew On The Newts We Got 11 - The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts 12 - The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth 13 - The Girl's Dream 14 - Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce 15 - Strictly Genteel (the finale) 16 - CUT 1 ''Coming Soon!...'' 17 - CUT 2 ''The Wide Screen Erupts...'' 18 - CUT 3 ''Coming Soon!...'' 19 - CUT 4 ''Frank Zappa's 200 Motels...'' 20 - Magic Fingers (Single Edit)
*1997 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust / MGM | RCD 10513~14 {1997 Ryko Remaster}
Personnel: Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention: Frank Zappa (guitar, bass); ... Full Description Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan, Jimmy Carl Black, Jim Pons (vocals); Ian Underwood (keyboards, winds); George Duke (keyboards, trombone); Martin Lickert (bass); Aynsley Dunbar, Ruth Underwood (drums).
Additional personnel: David Van Asch, Elgar Howarth (conductor); Theodore Bikel (narrator): The Top Score Singers, Classical Guitar Ensemble, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
