Help, I'm a Rock
"Help, I'm a Rock" | ||||
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Hollywood, California | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:12 (single version) 8:37 (album version) | |||
Tom Wilson | ||||
The Mothers of Invention singles chronology | ||||
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"Help, I'm a Rock" is a song written by American musician Frank Zappa. It was recorded by Zappa along with the rock band the Mothers of Invention on the group's debut album Freak Out!, which was released on Verve Records on June 27, 1966.[3]
Background
The Mothers of Invention entered TTG Studios to record "Help, I'm a Rock"—among other tracks for the Freak Out! album—after record producer Tom Wilson signed the group to MGM Records under the incorrect assumption that they were a traditional blues ensemble. As a testament to its absurdity, Zappa explained "Help, I'm a Rock" was created spontaneously as "just a thing that spewed out. What was happening was what was in the air that night".[4] For the composition's unusual droning background sounds, the band encompassed screams, duck calls, alien beeps and chatter, tribal chants, and erotic moans that simulated a female orgasm.[5] In the liner notes to Freak Out!, Zappa wrote the tongue-in-cheek statement: "'Help, I'm a Rock' is dedicated to Elvis Presley. Note the interesting formal structure and the stunning four-part harmony toward the end". He concludes his comments on the song by jokingly remarking about "the obvious lack of commercial potential. Ho hum".[6]
"Help, I'm a Rock" is a three part suite consisting of: "Okay to Tap Dance", "In Memoriam
A section of "Help, I'm a Rock" called "Third Movement: It Can't Happen Here" was also featured as the
In 1967, psychedelic rock group the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band recorded the song on their second album Part One.[8] Richie Unterberger described the rendition as a concept that "flung them into freakier pastures", with its style being "emulated convincingly on the group original '1906', an apt soundtrack to a bummer acid trip with its constant spoken refrain, 'I don't feel well'".[8]
References
- ^ Lang, Dave (January 1998). "An Absurdist's Guide to Punk, Vol. 1". Perfect Sound Forever.
- ISBN 978-0803260054. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ "Pretty Pat". globalia.net. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ a b "No. 28 "Help I'm a Rock"". psychedelicsight.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ Contour, Francois. "Help, I'm a Rock - Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ a b Zappa, Frank (2012), Freak Out! (CD booklet), Zappa Records
- ^ Hoffman, Jesse. "The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!". itsfluffy.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "Part One - Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.