Broadway the Hard Way is a Frank Zappa live album recorded at various performances along his 1988 world tour. It was first released as a 9-track vinyl through Zappa's mail order label Barking Pumpkin in October 1988, and subsequently as a 17-track CD through Rykodisc in 1989.
This album was compiled from Zappa's last tour in 1988, in a band format. Broadway is mostly focused on acute satire of contemporary figures, both political and social. Throughout the album Zappa's individual targets inclu...
Broadway the Hard Way is a Frank Zappa live album recorded at various performances along his 1988 world tour. It was first released as a 9-track vinyl through Zappa's mail order label Barking Pumpkin in October 1988, and subsequently as a 17-track CD through Rykodisc in 1989.
This album was compiled from Zappa's last tour in 1988, in a band format. Broadway is mostly focused on acute satire of contemporary figures, both political and social. Throughout the album Zappa's individual targets include Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan on "Dickie's Such An Asshole", Jesse Jackson on "Rhymin' Man", Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Pat Robertson on "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk", and Michael Jackson and his family on "Why Don't You Like Me?"
The album contains a relatively large number of covers, from the jazz standard "Stolen Moments" to the The Police song "Murder by Numbers" (with a guest appearance by Sting himself). "Outside Now" is from Joe's Garage, and "Why Don't You Like Me" can be easily recognized as a remake of Zappa's "Tell Me You Love Me". "Rhymin' Man" is filled with melodic quotes from evergreens such as "Happy Days Are Here Again", "Hava Nagila", "La Cucaracha" and "Frère Jacques". In "What Kind of Girl" there is a line from "Strawberry Fields Forever" and also includes a part from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" while "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" quotes "Louie Louie", "Rock of Ages" and Marius Constant's Theme from "The Twilight Zone".
"Promiscuous", which takes aim at surgeon general C. Everett Koop, is delivered in rapped verse.[2]
Despite the title, Zappa did not intend the material for a theatrical production, but the album received a Grammy nomination in 1990 for Best Musical Cast Show Album, losing to Jerome Robbins' Broadway.
Track listing
All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.
Original LP
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Elvis Has Just Left the Building"2:24
2."Planet of the Baritone Women"2:48
3."Any Kind of Pain"5:42
4."Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk"9:15
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Dickie's Such an Asshole"6:37
6."When the Lie's So Big"3:38
7."Rhymin' Man"3:51
8."Promiscuous"2:03
9."The Untouchables" (Nelson Riddle)3:05
CD version
No.TitleLength
1."Elvis Has Just Left the Building"2:24
2."Planet of the Baritone Women"2:48
3."Any Kind of Pain"5:42
4."Dickie's Such an Asshole"5:45
5."When the Lie's So Big"3:38
6."Rhymin' Man"3:50
7."Promiscuous"2:02
8."The Untouchables" (Riddle)2:26
9."Why Don't You Like Me?"2:57
10."Bacon Fat" (Andre Williams, Dorothy Brown, Zappa)1:29
11."Stolen Moments" (Oliver Nelson)2:57
12."Murder by Numbers" (Sting, Andy Summers)5:37
13."Jezebel Boy"2:27
14."Outside Now"7:49
15."Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel"6:40
16."What Kind of Girl?"3:17
17."Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk"9:15
Personnel
Frank Zappa – guitar, producer, main performer, vocals
Eric Buxton (an audience member) – spoken narrative during middle 8 on "The Untouchables"
Sting – lead vocal on "Murder by Numbers"
Ike Willis – guitar, vocals
Mike Keneally – synthesizer, vocals, guitar
Robert Martin – keyboards, vocals
Scott Thunes – bass guitar
Chad Wackerman – drums
Ed Mann – percussion
Paul Carman – alto saxophone
Albert Wing – tenor saxophone
Kurt McGettrick – baritone saxophone
Walt Fowler – trumpet
Bruce Fowler – trombone Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
