Broadway the Hard Way: Frank Zappa: Amazon.ca: Music

1. Elvis Has Just Left The Building

2. Planet Of The Baritone Women

3. Any Kind Of Pain

4. Dickie's Such An Asshole

5. When The Lie's So Big

6. Rhymin' Man

7. Promiscuous

8. The Untouchables

9. Why Don't You Like Me?

10. Bacon Fat

11. Stolen Moments

12. Murder By Numbers

13. Jezebel Boy

14. Outside Now

15. Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel

16. What Kind Of Girl?

17. Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Hard Way indeed, April 18 2004

By

Patrik Lemberg (Tammisaari Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Broadway the Hard Way (Audio CD)

There are a lot of new songs on this disc that had not been recorded by Zappa prior to (and naturally not after) his world-tour in 1988 (his last). This is the first out of three albums ["Broadway the Hard Way", "The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life", and "Make a Jazz Noise Here"] to be released with material only from the (4+ month long) 1988 tour. It generally features the least amount of guitar-solos of the three, but consists musically of everything from country to jazz. There's even a rap number, which musically (considering it's the late 80's) is pretty up to date.
Incidentally, some numbers from this tour can also be found on "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore" volumes 4 and 6.
There are no overdubs on this album, but a lot of the songs are cut together, part by part, from different shows. "Why Don't You Like Me?", for instance, is cut together (at seven points) from four different shows, and the 9+ minute "Jesus Thinks you're A Jerk" is cut together (at 22 points), from 12 different shows. At times the cutting is very noticeable (and hurts the rhythm section), but for the most part it works. There are only six songs that are performed uncut from beginning to end. One of them is Sting's "Murder by Numbers", performed by the man himself - yes, during a concert in Chicago on March 3rd, Sting joined Zappa and his band on stage, and sang this number. What is amazing about this band is that they knew 190+ songs of which Zappa could call off any at any point. During the tour the band performed 116 songs in front of an audience - here are 17. A warning, though: You may have heard "Why don't you like me?" and "What Kind of Girl?" before without knowing it; they're renamed (because of new lyrics) versions of "Tell Me You Love Me" and "What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are?"
Five years ago, when this albums was new to me--and I didn't know anything about the recording-details--I'd have given it 5/5 stars. Now, after an endless amount of careful listening I can't say I'd feel comfortable giving it more than 3.5 or 4 ...hard to decide, because it IS a great band!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Going out with a blast !!!, Oct 23 2003

By

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Broadway the Hard Way (Audio CD)

Except for the cover to this album (ugggggg... 80's soft pastel... how un-zappesque ???) this album is one of my favorite of Zappa's more "comedy" oriented stuff. - - It was the '88 Presidential Election... Zappa had the League of Women Voters in the lobby registering people to vote... and in addition to his seemingly billions of greatest hits, Zappa debut'ed this... practically a whole album of very contemporary political/cultural satire making fun of everything from Michael Jackson to C Everett Coup, Young Urban Professional Women - - and let's not forget Ronnie Ray-gun and Contra-gate ! - - Though you'll get more of his far out Waka Jawaka of the '80s band on Make A Jazz Noise Here and The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life... this album focuses more heavily on the parody, though the musical content will blow any other album away too... I was at his show in Philly, Feb. 13 (?)1988, and I consider to this day STOLEN MOMENTS a musical listening high point of my life !

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5.0 out of 5 stars 10 stars!, Oct 20 2003

By

K. Tucker "i need sleep" (insomnia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Broadway the Hard Way (Audio CD)

This is THE best live album ever! Zappa does it all here, great playing, humor, political commentary. Sting even stops by to sing a song from his days with The Police, "Murder by Numbers". A great version of "Outside Now" from Joe's Garage Acts 2-3 is aslo here. Overall this album is in my top 3 Zappa albums, I love every second of it! Buy it NOW!! You will not be sorry!

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites.
This is one of Zappa's best and definitely his most under-rated. It has some of his best lyrics and the '88 band is one of my favorites. Read more

Published on July 21 2003 by Tyler W. Harrington

3.0 out of 5 stars A long, demanding CD
The numerous political songs are a bit much for the average fan of Zappa or prog music in general, that expects a little more "entertainment" in the process. Read more

Published on Oct 31 2002 by critic-ailleurs

2.0 out of 5 stars You're No Fun Any More
I am a big fan of Frank Zappa which is why I took the "Sarcasm Can Only Go So Far" review with a grain of salt. Read more

Published on Oct 6 2002 by Glenn R. Ellison

2.0 out of 5 stars Sarcasm can only go too far...
Although I am a rabid FZ fan, this is one of those albums that I just can't get used too. It has slightly dated from when it was originally released for starters. Read more

Published on Jun 20 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh how I miss Frank!
George W. Bush needs someone like our dear departed Frank Zappa, to set the record straight! In "Broadway the Hard Way" he takes on Jim and Tammy Baker, Pat... Read more

Published on May 20 2001 by J. Swift

5.0 out of 5 stars ex-cellent.hilarious
I agree with the other ratings: *****

Great new stuff. Even if you don't appreciate all the confinement loaf and republican jokes (politics is not my cup of tea), the tunes are... Read more

Published on April 19 2001 by theslime

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW
Since I can only spend 1.000 words I cannot be comprehensive. When I discovered Zappa seriously, the first record I actually bought was The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life,... Read more

Published on Dec 4 2000 by R. Bruynesteyn

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Angry 80s Activist FZ
Overall, a great recording from a fantastic FZ band, clearly the most direct and biting of all of the 80s activist Zappa recordings. Read more

Published on Dec 1 2000 by Sir Charles Panther

5.0 out of 5 stars Zappa: exhilarating and awesome . Fun is a science
First time I hear about Zappa I was in my seventeen's and the friend who lend me the record was a non-believer fan. Read more

Published on Feb 16 2000 by Jos� Luis Rodr�guez

5.0 out of 5 stars One of franks best
With this ensemble of musicians you can pretty much play anything frank throws at you.The lyrics are a very biting satire of american politics. Read more

Published on Oct 3 1999 by sixtyone@sk.sympatico.ca