Frank Zappa will be releasing a compilation album on June 30th titled “Funky Nothingness”. You can pre -order a copy here. Ahead of its release we get the single Work With Me Annie and Annie Had A Baby. Both are covers of R&B songs originally recorded by Hank Ballard And The Midnighters in the 1950s. Zappa's versions were recorded in the early 1960s and included on his album "The Lost Episodes," which is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks. It was first released in 1972 as a single and later appeared on the 1973 album "Over-Nite Sensation”, with The Mothers Of Invention.
The first part is a slow, bluesy number with a catchy melody. The second part of the song, "Annie Had A Baby," is a more upbeat and funky number. Both songs feature explicit lyrics and sexual innuendos that were common in R&B music from that era. The lyrics of Work With Me Annie describe a man trying to convince a woman to engage in sexual activities with him, while Annie Had A Baby tells the story of a young woman who becomes pregnant out of wedlock. Zappa's versions of these songs are faithful to the original recordings in terms of musical style and instrumentation, but he adds his own unique twist with his guitar solos and vocal delivery.
The songs showcase Zappa's ability to take a traditional R&B song and make it his own by infusing it with his trademark humor and irreverence. Many fans have debated if these should have been released or not. They don’t think it meets the Zappa standard and he didn’t for a reason. From my perspective, I think we are fortunate to have these types of opportunities. I like what I am hearing and find it is what I would expect from him. We don't get a video, just a stream of the music. In this case I find that enough. Check it out below.
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