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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ba135b278ef8157199b37fb20b339ba2.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:350: ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.]]
3
4''The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life'' is a 1991 [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double]] LiveAlbum by Music/FrankZappa which, much like ''Music/BroadwayTheHardWay'' (1988) and the later ''Music/MakeAJazzNoiseHere'' (1991) is a compilation of recordings from Zappa's 1988 tour, the last one he did before his death in 1993. As the title implies, to him it was the most professional band he ever had. Many tracks are older songs by Zappa and [[CoverVersion covers]], all in very intriguing and different arrangements.
5
6"Boléro" had to be removed from European copies as there were complaints from Music/MauriceRavel's extant copyright holders. Later reissues have reinstated the performance.
7
8!!Tracklist
9!!!Disc One
10# "Heavy Duty Judy" (6:04)
11# [[Music/JohnnyCash "Ring of Fire"]] (2:00)
12# "Cosmik Debris" (4:32)
13# "Find Her Finer" (2:42)
14# [[Music/WereOnlyInItForTheMoney "Who Needs the Peace Corps?"]] (2:40)
15# "[[Music/TonyBennett I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]" (0:36)
16# [[Music/OverNiteSensation "Zomby Woof"]] (5:41)
17# "[[Music/MauriceRavel Boléro]]" (5:19)
18# "Zoot Allures" (7:07)
19# [[Music/HotRats "Mr. Green Genes" ]](3:40)
20# "Florentine Pogen" (7:11)
21# "Andy" (5:51)
22# [[Music/OneSizeFitsAll "Inca Roads"]] (8:19)
23# [[Music/OneSizeFitsAll "Sofa No. 1"]] (2:49)
24
25!!!Disc Two
26# [[Music/JimiHendrix "Purple Haze"]] (2:27)
27# [[Music/{{Cream}} "Sunshine of Your Love"]] (2:30)
28# "Let's Move to Cleveland" (5:51)
29# "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (0:46)
30# [[Film/TheGodfatherPartII "'Godfather Part II' Theme"]] (0:30)
31# "A Few Moments with Brother A. West" (4:00)
32# [[Music/ZootAllures "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 1"]] (5:19)
33# "Theme from ''Series/{{Bonanza}}''" (0:28)
34# "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" (4:54)
35# [[Music/ZootAllures "The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 2"]] (10:47)
36# "More Trouble Every Day" (5:28)
37# "Penguin in Bondage" (5:05)
38# "The Music/EricDolphy Memorial Barbecue" (9:18)
39# [[Music/LedZeppelin "Stairway to Heaven"]] (9:19)
40
41!!Personnel
42* Music/FrankZappa: lead guitar, vocals, Synclavier
43* Mike Keneally: vocals, synth, rhythm guitar
44* Bobby Martin: vocals, keyboards
45* Ike Willis: vocals, rhythm guitar, synthesizer
46* Kurt [=McGettrick=]: baritone sax, bass sax, contrabass clarinet
47* Ed Mann: vibes, marimba, electronic percussion
48* Paul Carman: alto, soprano and baritone sax
49* Bruce Fowler: trombone
50* Walt Fowler: trumpet, flugel horn, synthesizer
51* Scott Thunes: electric bass, mini-moog
52* Chad Wackerman: drums, electronic percussion
53* Albert Wing: tenor sax
54
55!! ''The Best Tropes You Never Read in Your Life''
56* AffectionateParody: The band's medley of "Sunshine Of Your Love" and "Purple Haze" is done in the style of Music/{{Devo}}.
57* AlliterativeTitle: "The '''B'''est '''B'''and You Never Heard in Your Life".
58* AlternateAlbumCover: The album has received three over the years. The first one, used in 1991 and pictured above, consisted of a photograph of Zappa and co. performing during the 1988 tour, framed by blue {{underlighting}}. Due to the photograph being used without the permission of photographer Bruce Malone, Zappa opted to simply remove it on later releases, leaving the space in the middle blank. The 1995 reissue by Creator/{{Rykodisc}}, meanwhile, uses [[https://img.discogs.com/tAv2_arlq56pecxYS7P42DhGVAM=/fit-in/600x601/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4424552-1523484207-6274.jpeg.jpg an illustration]] by artist Cal Shenkel (who also did the 1995 cover art for ''Music/DoesHumorBelongInMusic''); the censored version of the 1991 cover would be reinstated on the 2012 [=UMe=] reissue.
59* BoleroEffect: Naturally "Boléro".
60* CallBack and ContinuityNod:
61** "Heavy Duty Judy" (''Music/ShutUpNPlayYerGuitar'') "Cosmik Debris" (''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''), "Zoot Allures", "Find Her Finer" and "The Torture Never Stops" (''Music/ZootAllures''), "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" (''Music/WereOnlyInItForTheMoney''), "Zomby Woof" (''Music/OverNiteSensation''), "Mr. Green Genes", "Florentine Pogen", "Andy", "Inca Roads", "Sofa" (''Music/OneSizeFitsAll''), "Let's Move To Cleveland" (''Music/DoesHumorBelongInMusic''), "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" (''Film/TwoHundredMotels''), "More Trouble Every Day", "Penguin In Bondage" (''Music/RoxyAndElsewhere'') and "The Music/EricDolphy Memorial Barbecue" (''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'') are all from previous Zappa albums.
62** During "Ring of Fire" Zappa makes an allusion to Senator Paul Hawkins and pyromania, which is a nod to the track "Porn Wars" from ''Music/FrankZappaMeetsTheMothersOfPrevention'' (1985).
63** During "Find Her Finer" Zappa sings "wrap like a mudshark until you'll finally find her", which a reference to the mudshark from ''Music/FillmoreEastJune1971'' (1971).
64** Near the end of "Mr. Green Genes" the line "Isn't it romantic?" can be heard, a throwback to "Punky's Whips" from ''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1977).
65** Ike Willis sings "Purple Haze" in his Kingfish impression from ''Music/ThingFish'' (1984) and also talks about a "potato-headed surprise", referencing the character Potato-Headed Bobby from ''Music/OneSizeFitsAll'' and ''Music/BongoFury''.
66** "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin In Bondage" satirize televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. Zappa poked fun at him before during "What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are?" from ''Music/BroadwayTheHardWay'' (1988) and during the intro of "Stink-Foot" on ''Music/MakeAJazzNoiseHere'' (1991). He also parodied Music/TheBeatles songs "Norwegian Wood", "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" by rewriting the lyrics to refer to Swaggart's sex scandal. Copyright problems have prevented the songs from being included on official Zappa albums, but they can be heard on several bootlegs.
67* {{Corpsing}}: Mike Keneally cracks up during "Ring of Fire" and Zappa too during "Cosmik Debris". During "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" nobody is able to hold a straight face during some of Zappa's ad-libs.
68* CorruptChurch: "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin in Bondage" take potshots at corrupt and hypocritical televangelist Jimmy Swaggart.
69* CoverAlbum: Zappa plays highly unique covers of Music/JohnnyCash's "Ring of Fire", Music/TonyBennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", Music/MauriceRavel's "Boléro", Music/JimiHendrix' "Purple Haze", Music/{{Cream}}'s "Sunshine of Your Love", the traditional "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling", the theme from ''Film/TheGodfather'', the theme from ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'' and Music/LedZeppelin's [[Music/LedZeppelinIV "Stairway to Heaven"]].
70* DistinctDoubleAlbum: 28 songs, 14 each on each disc.
71* EpicRocking: The 7:11 "Florentine Pogen", 8:19 "Inca Roads", 10:47 "The Torture Never Stops Part 2", the 9:19 "The Music/EricDolphy Memorial Barbecue", and the 9:21 "Stairway to Heaven".
72* FaceOnTheCover: Zappa performing on stage.
73* FadingIntoTheNextSong: All tracks fade into one another, because it's a live album.
74* GenreRoulette: Not surprisingly for a Zappa album, but he plays all his songs in different arrangements and styles. Even the covers aren't safe: "Ring of Fire" is done in a {{Reggae}} arrangement. "Boléro" gets a {{Jazz}} rendition. "Stairway to Heaven" starts off in {{Reggae}} and ends in a trumpet and trombone performance.
75* HurricaneOfPuns:
76** In "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" Mike Keneally sings "I'll buy a book of Indian lore", whereupon the band intentionally incorrectly imitates a group of Native Americans. In the original context of the song the lore is from UsefulNotes/{{India}}.
77** During "Purple Haze" Ike Willis names Music/IsaacHayes, Gabby Hayes, Willie Mays, Helen Hayes,...
78* {{Instrumentals}}: "Heavy Duty Judy", "Boléro", "Zoot Allures", "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling", "The Music/EricDolphy Memorial Barbecue".
79* InTheStyleOf: "[[Music/LedZeppelinIV Stairway to Heaven]]" performed in a {{reggae}} style, with the guitar solo played by the horn section. It's SugarWiki/BetterThanItSounds. "[[Music/JohnnyCash Ring of Fire]]" is also given a reggae arrangement, while other songs are given arrangements in other styles; see GenreRoulette above.
80* LiveAlbum: All tracks are lifted from concerts.
81* {{Lampshading}}: "Ring of Fire"
82--> '''Mike Keneally''': Love...
83--> '''Background chorus''': It's hot...
84--> '''Mike Keneally''': ...Is a burning thing.
85--> '''Frank Zappa''': That's right, it's the same verse again!
86--> '''Mike Keneally''': [''cracks up briefly''] And it leaves...a fiery ring...
87--> '''Frank Zappa''': It's one way of learning English.
88* MickeyMousing: Zappa does this during some of the performances. For instance, after the line "there is a songbird who sings" in "Stairway to Heaven" a bird whistle is heard.
89* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed:
90** "Ring of Fire", "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" and "Sunshine of Your Love" have Mike Keneally impersonating Music/JohnnyCash.
91** "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" by Music/TonyBennett is covered, a song Zappa described as "one of the ugliest songs ever written" in ''They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 1''.
92* NonAppearingTitle: The album title doesn't appear in any of the lyrics.
93* RagingStiffie: "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", about televangelist Jimmy Swaggart:
94--> ''And I pump up my sanctified erection.''
95* RingOfFire: Zappa covers the song.
96* SecretWord: Zappa announces, "Ring of Fire" as the "secret of word tonight" in "Heavy Duty Judy" and uses it as a RunningGag throughout the album.
97* ShoutOut:
98** "Who Needs the Peace Corps" references ''Series/TheTonightShow''
99--> ''Heeeeeeere's Johnny!''
100** The background singers quote from "Stayin' Alive" by Music/TheBeeGees halfway "Inca Roads".
101** "Sunshine of Your Love" namedrops soul singer Music/IsaacHayes, actor Gabby Hayes [[note]] Windy Walliday in ''Series/HopalongCassidy'' [[/note]], baseballer Willie Mays and actress Helen Hayes, all as a {{pun}} on "Purple '''Haze'''. Near the end "Jarabe Tapatio" ("The Mexican Hat Dance") is quoted.
102** Zappa covers the theme music of ''Film/TheGodfather'' and ''Series/{{Bonanza}}''.
103** During "The Torture Never Stops" the theme melody of ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' is quoted.
104** "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" briefly quotes from Julius Fucik's "Entry the Gladiators". The "ha ha ha ha ha ha ha" vocals are a reference to Music/LaurieAnderson's hit "O Superman". "Sharkey" is a character in several of Anderson's songs, thus explaining why Zappa says: "And then Sharkey says..." Mike Keneally:
105--> ''Those readers unfamiliar with Laurie Anderson's work might not realize that we're parodying her in the middle section of 'Lonesome'---'Sharkey' is a character in several of her songs. I suggested including the relentless "ha ha ha ha ha ha" vocal part, ripped off from her song 'O Superman', and I came to regret it on some evenings when Frank decided to keep the section going on forever.''
106** During "The Music/EricDolphy Memorial Barbecue" Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz" is quoted.
107** Near the end of "Stairway to Heaven" the trumpets quote from "The Teddy Bears' Picnic".
108* SpokenWordInMusic: Zappa's spoken interludes between songs, for starters, and "A Few Moments with Brother A. West" is a mock-evangelical protest speech by A. West against Zappa.[[note]]Many people, including some of the audience, mistook West for a real evangelist, but in fact West was a musician and artist who designed the cover of ''Broadway the Hard Way'' and also illustrated ''The Real Frank Zappa Book''. West is also a convicted sex offender.[[/note]]
109* TimeMarchesOn: "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin in Bondage" are all rewritten to poke fun at corrupt televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who, in 1988, was caught in the presence of a prostitute and cried crocodile tears on live television while confessing "his sin to God". In 1989 he was caught red-handed with another prostitute.
110--> ''Wednesday I watched Jimmy Swaggart''
111--> ''Watched him weepin' all over the place''
112--> ''An' I watched him weepin' an' weepin' an' weepin' ''
113--> ''And that shit rollin' down his face''
114--> ''(Oh . . . I sinned!)''
115--> ''An' then I watched him weep some more''
116--> ''An' he kept on weepin' again''
117--> ''(Oh, forgive me, Assembly O' God!)''
118--> ''And they smacked him on his little hand''
119--> ''And he went out makin' more money''
120* {{Underlighting}}: Used to highlight the text and photograph on the 1991 cover art; as the photo is absent on most later releases (barring the 1995 reissue), this ends up causing a blue glow to frame a blank space.

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