Broadway the Hard Way
Encyclopedia
Broadway the Hard Way is a Frank Zappa
live album recorded at various performances along his 1988 world tour. It was first released as a 9-track vinyl through Zappa's mail order label Barking Pumpkin in October 1988, and subsequently as a 17-track CD through Rykodisc
in 1989.
This album was compiled from Zappa's last tour in 1988, in a band format. Broadway is mostly focused on acute satire
of contemporary figures, both political and social. Throughout the album Zappa's individual targets include Richard Nixon
and Ronald Reagan
on "Dickie's Such An Asshole", Jesse Jackson
on "Rhymin' Man", Jim
and Tammy Faye Bakker and Pat Robertson
on "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk", and Michael Jackson
and his family on "Why Don't You Like Me?"
The album contains a relatively large number of covers, from the jazz standard "Stolen Moments" to the The Police
song "Murder by Numbers" (with a guest appearance by Sting himself). "Outside Now" is from Joe's Garage
, and "Why Don't You Like Me" can be easily recognized as a remake of Zappa's "Tell Me You Love Me". "Rhymin' Man" is filled with melodic quotes from evergreens such as "Happy Days Are Here Again
", "Hava Nagila
", "La Cucaracha
" and "Frère Jacques
". In "What Kind of Girl" there is a line from "Strawberry Fields Forever
" and also includes a part from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" while "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" quotes "Louie Louie
", "Rock of Ages" and Marius Constant's Theme from "The Twilight Zone
".
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
live album recorded at various performances along his 1988 world tour. It was first released as a 9-track vinyl through Zappa's mail order label Barking Pumpkin in October 1988, and subsequently as a 17-track CD through Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
in 1989.
This album was compiled from Zappa's last tour in 1988, in a band format. Broadway is mostly focused on acute satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
of contemporary figures, both political and social. Throughout the album Zappa's individual targets include Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on "Dickie's Such An Asshole", Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
on "Rhymin' Man", Jim
Jim Bakker
James Orsen "Jim" Bakker is an American televangelist, a former Assemblies of God minister, and a former host of The PTL Club, a popular evangelical Christian television program.A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry...
and Tammy Faye Bakker and Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
on "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk", and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and his family on "Why Don't You Like Me?"
The album contains a relatively large number of covers, from the jazz standard "Stolen Moments" to the The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
song "Murder by Numbers" (with a guest appearance by Sting himself). "Outside Now" is from Joe's Garage
Joe's Garage
Joe's Garage is a 1979 rock opera by Frank Zappa. Zappa stated that along with Lumpy Gravy, this album was one of his finest achievements. It was originally released as two separate albums, the first comprising Act I, and the second part as a double-album which made up Acts II & III. All three...
, and "Why Don't You Like Me" can be easily recognized as a remake of Zappa's "Tell Me You Love Me". "Rhymin' Man" is filled with melodic quotes from evergreens such as "Happy Days Are Here Again
Happy Days Are Here Again
"Happy Days Are Here Again" is a song copyrighted in 1929 by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen and published by EMI Robbins Catalog, Inc./Advanced Music Corp...
", "Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila
"Hava Nagila" is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.-History:...
", "La Cucaracha
La Cucaracha
"La Cucaracha" is a traditional Spanish folk corrido that became popular in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. It has additionally become a verse played on car horns.-Origins:...
" and "Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
"Frère Jacques" , in English sometimes called "Brother John" or "Brother Peter", is a French nursery melody. The song is traditionally sung in a round. When the first singer reaches the end of the first line the next person starts at the beginning...
". In "What Kind of Girl" there is a line from "Strawberry Fields Forever
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of a Salvation Army house named "Strawberry Field" near his childhood home."Strawberry Fields...
" and also includes a part from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" while "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" quotes "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
", "Rock of Ages" and Marius Constant's Theme from "The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
".
Side one
- "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" – 2:24
- "Planet of the Baritone Women" – 2:48
- "Any Kind of Pain" – 5:42
- "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" – 9:15
Side two
- "Dickie's Such an Asshole" – 6:37
- "When the Lie's So Big" – 3:38
- "Rhymin' Man" – 3:51
- "Promiscuous" – 2:03
- "The Untouchables" (Nelson RiddleNelson RiddleNelson Smock Riddle, Jr. was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid 1980s...
, Zappa) – 3:05
CD version
- "Elvis Has Just Left the Building" – 2:24
- "Planet of the Baritone Women" – 2:48
- "Any Kind of Pain" – 5:42
- "Dickie's Such an Asshole" – 5:45
- "When the Lie's So Big" – 3:38
- "Rhymin' Man" – 3:50
- "Promiscuous" – 2:02
- "The Untouchables" (Riddle) – 2:26
- "Why Don't You Like Me?" – 2:57
- "Bacon Fat" (Andre WilliamsAndre WilliamsAndre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
, Dorothy Brown, Zappa) – 1:29 - "Stolen MomentsStolen Moments (song)"Stolen Moments" is a jazz standard composed by Oliver Nelson. It is a sixteen-bar piece , though the solos are on a conventional minor key 12 bar blues structure....
" (Oliver NelsonOliver NelsonOliver Edward Nelson was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger and composer.-Early life and career:...
) – 2:57 - "Murder by Numbers" (Sting, Andy SummersAndy SummersAndy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...
) – 5:37 - "Jezebel Boy" – 2:27
- "Outside Now" – 7:49
- "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel" – 6:40
- "What Kind of Girl?" – 3:17
- "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" – 9:15
Personnel
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, producer, main performer, vocals - Kurt McGettrick – baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
- Scott ThunesScott ThunesScott Thunes is a former bass player with Frank Zappa, Wayne Kramer, Steve Vai, Andy Prieboy, Mike Keneally, Fear, The Waterboys and others....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Albert Wing – tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Ed Mann – percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Chad WackermanChad WackermanChad Wackerman is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Ike WillisIke WillisIke Willis is a singer and guitarist who was a regular sideman for Frank Zappa, first joining Zappa's band for the fall 1978 tour and remaining in the band for several years. He did not tour with Zappa in 1981 and 1982 for personal reasons, but returned to touring with Zappa for his final two...
– guitar, vocals - Eric Buxton – vocals
- Paul Carman – alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Walt Fowler – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Mike KeneallyMike KeneallyMichael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
– synthesizer, vocals, guitar - Sting – lead vocal on "Murder By Numbers"
- Bruce FowlerBruce FowlerBruce Lambourne Fowler is a prominent American trombone player and composer. He notably played trombone on many Frank Zappa records, as well as with Captain Beefheart, and in the Fowler Brothers Band...
– tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Robert Martin – keyboards, vocals