Even if one doesn\u2019t care for his public persona, it\u2019s a long-settled point of fact that Frank Zappa is among the most significant composers of the 20th century. Zappa\u2019s iconoclastic approach to music established him as both an outsider and cultural commentator; his wit and intellect made him one of the most groundbreaking artists on the popular music landscape. Taking aim at culture\u2019s sacred cows (religion, politics, sex and more), his skewering satire and often prurient lyrical matter guaranteed that he\u2019d never achieve widespread popularity.<\/p>\n
But on more than one occasion, Zappa came close. His mid-\u201970s work found its way onto progressive FM radio (at least when his lyrics adhered to FCC guidelines), and Zappa did some of his most accessible work in that period. A commercial high point (and one of several critical pinnacles) in Zappa\u2019s body of work came with the release of 1974\u2019s Apostrophe(\u2019)<\/em>. Released in March 1974, Frank Zappa\u2019s 18th album reached the Top 10 on Billboard<\/em>\u2019s album charts, and gave him his first-ever charting single. On the occasion of that album\u2019s 50th anniversary, here are five fascinating (and safe for airplay!) tunes from Zappa\u2019s Apostrophe(\u2019)<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t Eat the Yellow Snow\u201d<\/strong>
\nAmong Zappa\u2019s most well-known tunes, the leadoff track on Apostrophe(\u2019) is a characteristically wacky and humorous number. It makes use of the 7\/4 time signature, a tricky meter that appears rarely in pop music (Pink Floyd\u2019s \u201cMoney\u201d and King Crimson\u2019s \u201cFrame by Frame\u201d are among the few other well-known examples). The brief tune was actually released as a single, incorporating two other tracks from the LP, \u201cNanook Rubs It\u201d and the tour-de-force \u201cSt. Alfonso\u2019s Pancake Breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n