Understanding America

Understanding America
Compilation album by
Frank Zappa
ReleasedOctober 31, 2012
RecordedMarch 9, 1966 – February 26, 1988[1]
GenreRock, avant-garde
Length142:13
LabelZappa
Catalog Number: ZR 3892[2]
ProducerFrank Zappa
Frank Zappa chronology
Road Tapes, Venue #1
(2012) 		Understanding America
(2012) 		Finer Moments
(2012)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Critics At Large(very favourable)[4]

Understanding America is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was compiled and mastered by Zappa before his death in 1993 and released posthumously in 2012. Despite being released after UMe/Zappa Records had issued most of the albums in remastered form, all of the tracks included are sourced from the original 1986-1992 digital masterings.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Frank Zappa except as noted

Disc one
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
1."Hungry Freaks, Daddy"Freak Out!3:38
2."Plastic People"Absolutely Free3:42
3."Mom & Dad (Remix)"We're Only in It for the Money2:17
4."It Can't Happen Here"Freak Out!3:07
5."Who Are the Brain Police?"Freak Out!3:33
6."Who Needs the Peace Corps? (Remix)"We're Only in It for the Money2:35
7."Brown Shoes Don't Make It"Absolutely Free7:29
8."Concentration Moon (Remix)"We're Only in It for the Money2:17
9."Trouble Every Day"Freak Out!5:08
10."You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here"Freak Out!3:36
11."We're Turning Again"Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention4:55
12."Road Ladies"Chunga's Revenge4:08
13."What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are?"Fillmore East – June 19714:33
14."Camarillo Brillo"Over-Nite Sensation3:53
15."Find Her Finer"Zoot Allures3:34
16."Dinah-Moe Humm"Over-Nite Sensation6:02
17."Disco Boy"Zoot Allures4:19
18."200 Years Old (with Captain Beefheart)"Bongo Fury4:30
Disc two
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
1."I'm the Slime"Over-Nite Sensation2:35
2."Be in My Video"Them or Us3:37
3."I Don't Even Care" (Zappa, Watson)Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention3:48
4."Can't Afford No Shoes"One Size Fits All2:38
5."Heavenly Bank Account"You Are What You Is3:16
6."Cocaine Decisions"The Man from Utopia2:52
7."Dumb All Over"You Are What You Is4:03
8."Promiscuous"Broadway the Hard Way2:03
9."Thing-Fish Intro"Thing-Fish (1984) under the title "Prologue"2:56
10."The Central Scrutinizer"Joe's Garage, Act I2:50
11."Porn Wars Deluxe"Previously Unreleased25:51
12."Tinsel Town Rebellion"Tinseltown Rebellion3:43
13."Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk"Broadway the Hard Way9:18

Notes and references

  1. ^ Ulrich, Charles (May 13, 2018). The Big Note: A Guide to the Recordings of Frank Zappa. New Star Books. ISBN 1-554201-46-2.
  2. ^ "Zappa.com - FZ Official Discography - Understanding America (2012)". zappa.com. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  3. ^ Lymangrover, Jason. Understanding America at AllMusic
  4. ^ Courrier, Kevin (10 March 2013). "Critics At Large: American Composer: Frank Zappa's Understanding America". criticsatlarge.ca. Retrieved 31 March 2013.