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I'll leave this commented out in case someone wants to add in the text description.
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* Cal Schenkel: album cover design
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* DesignStudentsOrgasm: Cal Schenkel's gorgeous album cover design, complete with a star sign map in the background, full of puns, intellectual references and inside jokes about people from Zappa's community.
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* {{Gonk}}: Bobby, the named character in "San Ber'dino" has a head like a potato. At the end of the song, the singer expresses pity on Bobby over his appearance.
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* {{Constellations}}: The back cover of the album is a parody of the constellations. All the star signs are either puns, intellectual references or inside jokes about Zappa's entourage and/or his music. Some constellations and stars, however, do actually exist: ''Alcyone'' (spoofed as UsefulNotes/AlCapone), ''Algieba'' (spoofed as ''Algebra''), ''Alkaid'', ''Alpherats'', ''Aquarius'' (spoofed as ''Aquarium''), ''Aries'' (The Ram), ''Bellatrix'' (spoofed as ''Beatrix''), ''Boötes'' (The Herdsman), ''Cancer'' (The Crab), ''Capella'' (spoofed as ACappella), ''Capricornus'', ''Coma Berenenices'', ''Corona Borealis'', ''Crux'' (Southern Cross), ''Draco'' (spoofed as ''Drano''), ''Formalhaut'' (spoofed as ''Formalhyde''), ''Gemini'' (spoofed as ''Jim and I (the Twins)''), ''Hercules'' (spoofed as ''Honkules''), ''Leo'' (the Lion), ''Libra'' (the Scales), ''Musca'' (The Fly), ''Orion'' (the Hunter), ''Pisces'', ''Pyxis'', ''Regulus'', ''Sagittarius'' (The Archer), ''Sheratan'' (spoofed as ''Sheraton'', the hotel chain), ''Sirius'' (spoofed as ''Serious''), ''Taurus'' (The Bull), ''Ursa Major'' and ''Ursa Minor'' (spoofed as ''Ursula Major'' and ''Ursula Minor'' ), ''Vega'', ''Virgo'' (the Virgin) and ''Wasat'' (spoofed as ''Whazzat'' ("what's that?")), ''Yed Prior'' (spoofed as ''Yet on Prior'')
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* FictionalConstellations: The back cover of the album is a parody of the constellations. All the star signs are either puns, intellectual references or inside jokes about Zappa's entourage and/or his music. Some constellations and stars, however, do actually exist: ''Alcyone'' (spoofed as UsefulNotes/AlCapone), ''Algieba'' (spoofed as ''Algebra''), ''Alkaid'', ''Alpherats'', ''Aquarius'' (spoofed as ''Aquarium''), ''Aries'' (The Ram), ''Bellatrix'' (spoofed as ''Beatrix''), ''Boötes'' (The Herdsman), ''Cancer'' (The Crab), ''Capella'' (spoofed as ACappella), ''Capricornus'', ''Coma Berenenices'', ''Corona Borealis'', ''Crux'' (Southern Cross), ''Draco'' (spoofed as ''Drano''), ''Formalhaut'' (spoofed as ''Formalhyde''), ''Gemini'' (spoofed as ''Jim and I (the Twins)''), ''Hercules'' (spoofed as ''Honkules''), ''Leo'' (the Lion), ''Libra'' (the Scales), ''Musca'' (The Fly), ''Orion'' (the Hunter), ''Pisces'', ''Pyxis'', ''Regulus'', ''Sagittarius'' (The Archer), ''Sheratan'' (spoofed as ''Sheraton'', the hotel chain), ''Sirius'' (spoofed as ''Serious''), ''Taurus'' (The Bull), ''Ursa Major'' and ''Ursa Minor'' (spoofed as ''Ursula Major'' and ''Ursula Minor'' ), ''Vega'', ''Virgo'' (the Virgin) and ''Wasat'' (spoofed as ''Whazzat'' ("what's that?")), ''Yed Prior'' (spoofed as ''Yet on Prior'')
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa and the final album by the Mothers of Invention. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa aficionados, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa and the final studio album by the Mothers of Invention. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa aficionados, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa aficionados, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa.Music/FrankZappa and the final album by the Mothers of Invention. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa aficionados, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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'''Side 2'''
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'''Side 2'''
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Atrocious spelling, unnecessary apostrophe
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa afectionado's, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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''One Size Fits All'' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa afectionado's, aficionados, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
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How To Create A Works Page explicitly says "No bolding is used for work titles."
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'''One Size Fits All''' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa afectionado's, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
'''Tracklist'''
'''Tracklist'''
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'''Personnel'''
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** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Music/BroadwayTheHard Way''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
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** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Music/BroadwayTheHard Way''), (''Music/BroadwayTheHardWay''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
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** Other miscellaneous explanations for star signs on the map: ''forsoothe'' (Middle English expression which means "in truth, indeed"), ''abracadabra'' (wizard spell), ''gainsayer'' (a biblical expression for one who contradicts against the word), ''itinerary'' (a guide book for travellers), ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (species of the begonia flower), ''promiscuous'' (lustful behaviour, Zappa later named a song on his album "Broadway The Hard Way" (1987) this), ''mysogynis'' (mysognism: hatred of women, something Zappa's satirical lyrics were often accused of), ''periscope'' (a device used in submarines to look above the water level), ''alimentary'' (the alimentary tract is the tubular passage of mucous membrane and muscle extending about 8.3 meters from mouth to anus.). Thusfar unindentified signs are ''Beatrix'', ''Miro'', ''Auriga'', ''Boffo'', ''Maxpax'', ''Uvda'', ''Zegreb'', ''Ofie Yucas'', ''Navel'', ''Nato'', ''Paula'', ''Pectoral'', ''David Boötes'', ''Arktourist'', ''Necta'', ''Fiscal'', ''Aldebumen'', ''Jocasey'', ''Pollack'', ''Algenon'', ''Enough'', ''Alioto'', ''Althea'', ''Rascallion'', ''Madder'', ''Wizened'', ''Yazoo Delta'', ''Sal Hepatica'', ''Savey'' and ''Scat''.
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** Other miscellaneous explanations for star signs on the map: ''forsoothe'' (Middle English expression which means "in truth, indeed"), ''abracadabra'' (wizard spell), ''gainsayer'' (a biblical expression for one who contradicts against the word), ''itinerary'' (a guide book for travellers), ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (species of the begonia flower), ''promiscuous'' (lustful behaviour, Zappa later named a song on his album "Broadway The Hard Way" ''Music/BroadwayTheHardWay'' (1987) this), ''mysogynis'' (mysognism: hatred of women, something Zappa's satirical lyrics were often accused of), ''periscope'' (a device used in submarines to look above the water level), ''alimentary'' (the alimentary tract is the tubular passage of mucous membrane and muscle extending about 8.3 meters from mouth to anus.). Thusfar unindentified signs are ''Beatrix'', ''Miro'', ''Auriga'', ''Boffo'', ''Maxpax'', ''Uvda'', ''Zegreb'', ''Ofie Yucas'', ''Navel'', ''Nato'', ''Paula'', ''Pectoral'', ''David Boötes'', ''Arktourist'', ''Necta'', ''Fiscal'', ''Aldebumen'', ''Jocasey'', ''Pollack'', ''Algenon'', ''Enough'', ''Alioto'', ''Althea'', ''Rascallion'', ''Madder'', ''Wizened'', ''Yazoo Delta'', ''Sal Hepatica'', ''Savey'' and ''Scat''.
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** "San Ber'dino" also introduces the character Potato-Head Bobby, who would return in songs like "Advance Romance" (''Music/BongoFury'' (1975)), "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1977)) and as the character ''Sister Potato-Head Bobby Brown'' on "Thing-Fish" (1984). Interesting side notes are that the Mammy Nuns on this album all have heads that look like potatoes and have served time in "San Quentim".
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** "San Ber'dino" also introduces the character Potato-Head Bobby, who would return in songs like "Advance Romance" (''Music/BongoFury'' (1975)), "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1977)) and as the character ''Sister Potato-Head Bobby Brown'' on "Thing-Fish" ''Music/ThingFish'' (1984). Interesting side notes are that the Mammy Nuns on this album all have heads that look like potatoes and have served time in "San Quentim".
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** "Florentine Pogen", "Andy", "Inca Roads" and "Sofa #1" were all performed live on Zappa's double album "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life" (1991).
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** "Florentine Pogen", "Andy", "Inca Roads" and "Sofa #1" were all performed live on Zappa's double album "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life" ''Music/TheBestBandYouNeverHeardInYourLife'' (1991).
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** "Can't Afford No Shoes" is a satire on the economic recession. The line "Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try" refers the mantra "Hare Rama" from the Hara Krishna movement, worshipping Hindu deity Rama. Zappa would refer to Hara Rama again in "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" from "You Are What You Is" (1980)
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** "Can't Afford No Shoes" is a satire on the economic recession. The line "Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try" refers the mantra "Hare Rama" from the Hara Krishna movement, worshipping Hindu deity Rama. Zappa would refer to Hara Rama again in "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" from "You Are What You Is" (1980)''Music/YouAreWhatYouIs''(1980)
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** When Zappa toured with Flo & Eddie (Music/TheTurtles) in the early 1970s he conjured up a bizarre story about a cigar smoking God creating the universe from his flying sofa in the presence of a "chrome dinette". These images appear on the album cover and are alluded to in "Sofa", which has both an instrumental as well as a lyrical version on "One Size Fits All". The instrumental version would later be performed live on Zappa's LiveAlbum ''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1978) and "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 1" (1988). "Ya Hozna" from Zappa's "Them Or Us" (1984) is "Sofa" played backwards. "Divan" on "Playground Psychotics" (1992) is the exact same work. In the song "Stick It Out" from ''Music/JoesGarage'' (1979) lines like "Don't get no jizz upon that sofa" and "see the chrome, etc.,..." also allude to the Sofa suite and chrome, which is another conceptual continuity item in Zappa's work.
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** When Zappa toured with Flo & Eddie (Music/TheTurtles) in the early 1970s he conjured up a bizarre story about a cigar smoking God creating the universe from his flying sofa in the presence of a "chrome dinette". These images appear on the album cover and are alluded to in "Sofa", which has both an instrumental as well as a lyrical version on "One Size Fits All". The instrumental version would later be performed live on Zappa's LiveAlbum ''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1978) and "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 1" (1988). "Ya Hozna" from Zappa's "Them Or Us" ''Music/ThemOrUs'' (1984) is "Sofa" played backwards. "Divan" on "Playground Psychotics" (1992) is the exact same work. In the song "Stick It Out" from ''Music/JoesGarage'' (1979) lines like "Don't get no jizz upon that sofa" and "see the chrome, etc.,..." also allude to the Sofa suite and chrome, which is another conceptual continuity item in Zappa's work.
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** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Broadway The Hard Way''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
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** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Broadway The Hard (''Music/BroadwayTheHard Way''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
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* Johnny "Guitar" Watson: flambe vocals
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* Johnny "Guitar" Watson: flambe Music/JohnnyGuitarWatson: flambé vocals
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* AndStarring: Zappa's prime guitar influence Johnny "Guitar" Watson plays along on the tracks "San Ber'dino" and "Andy". Music/CaptainBeefheart provides harmonica, but is credited under the name "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" because he was contractually unable to record under his own name.
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* AndStarring: Zappa's prime guitar influence Johnny "Guitar" Watson Music/JohnnyGuitarWatson plays along on the tracks "San Ber'dino" and "Andy". Music/CaptainBeefheart provides harmonica, but is credited under the name "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" because he was contractually unable to record under his own name.
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'''Side 1'''
'''Side 2'''
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* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" (1978) and ''Music/{{Lather}}'' (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
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* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" ''Music/StudioTan'' (1978) and ''Music/{{Lather}}'' (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
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* CameFromTheSky: "Inca Roads".
--> ''Did a vehicle come from somewhere, out there''
--> ''Just to land in the Andes''
--> ''To find a place to park itself?''
--> ''Or was it something different?''
--> ''Did a vehicle come from somewhere, out there''
--> ''Just to land in the Andes''
--> ''To find a place to park itself?''
--> ''Or was it something different?''
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** The phrase "Round things are boring" on the album cover are the last words on ''Music/LumpyGravy''.
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** The phrase "Round things are boring" on the back of the album cover are the last words on ''Music/LumpyGravy''.
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** The constellation "Per Diem" is a CallBack to a character from "The Legend of Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus" in the liner notes of ''Music/TheGrandWazoo'' (1972).
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* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" (1978) and "Läther" (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
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* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" (1978) and "Läther" ''Music/{{Lather}}'' (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
* OneWordTitle: "Sofa".
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* WordSaladLyrics: Many songs have rather nonsensical lyrics.
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* WordSaladLyrics: Many songs have rather nonsensical lyrics.lyrics.
----
----
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** Some star signs are references to real life celebrities, such as ''Mark Spitz'' (broke a record in 1972 by winning seven Olympic gold medals in swimming, an achievement that has been surpassed by Michael Phelps in 2008), ''Charo'' (Mexican singer and actress), ''Dar Al Zanuck'' (a pun on Hollywood producer Darryl A. Zanuck), ''Ed Ruscha'' (American pop art painter), ''Gemma'' (the Dutch scientist Gemma Frisius), ''Bolivar'' (Bolivian politician Simon Bolivar), ''Al Surratt'' (drummer of The Boogie Men), ''UsefulNotes/AlCapone'' and ''Lotte Lenya'' (wife of composer Music/KurtWeill, who played Rosa Klebb in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'').
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** Some star signs are references to real life celebrities, such as ''Mark Spitz'' (broke a record in 1972 by winning seven Olympic gold medals in swimming, an achievement that has been surpassed by Michael Phelps in 2008), ''Charo'' (Mexican singer and actress), ''Dar Al Zanuck'' (a pun on Hollywood producer Darryl A. Zanuck), ''Ed Ruscha'' (American pop art painter), ''Gemma'' (the Dutch scientist Gemma Frisius), ''Bolivar'' (Bolivian politician Simon Bolivar), ''Al Surratt'' (drummer of The Boogie Men), ''UsefulNotes/AlCapone'' and ''Lotte Lenya'' ''Creator/LotteLenya'' (wife of composer Music/KurtWeill, who played Rosa Klebb in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'').
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/one_size_fits_all_1732.jpg]]
'''One Size Fits All''' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa afectionado's, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
'''Tracklist'''
# "Inca Roads" (8:45)
# "Can't Afford No Shoes" (2:38)
# "Sofa No. 1" (2:39)
# "Po-Jama People" (7:43)
# "Florentine Pogen" (5:27)
# "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" (1:04)
# "San Ber'dino" (5:57)
# "Andy" (6:03)
# "Sofa No. 2" (2:47)
'''Personnel'''
* Music/FrankZappa: guitar, vocals, composition
* George Duke: keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
* Napoleon Murphy Brock: flute, tenor sax, vocals
* Chester Thompson: drums
* Tom Fowler: bass
* Ruth Underwood: percussion
* James Yourman: bass
* Johnny "Guitar" Watson: flambe vocals
* Bloodshot Rollin' Red (pseudonym of Music/CaptainBeefheart): harmonica.
!! Po-Jama Tropes:
* ACappella: One star sign on the constellation map on the back cover is named this way.
* AncientAstronauts: The lyrics of "Inca Roads" are a sendup of the "theories" of Erich von Däniken. In the first half of the song the protagonist wonders whether aliens made a vehicle fly to land in the Andes and "build a place to leave a space for such a thing to land." Eventually the song get sillier as it is implied that the aliens only build them to have sex on them.
* AndStarring: Zappa's prime guitar influence Johnny "Guitar" Watson plays along on the tracks "San Ber'dino" and "Andy". Music/CaptainBeefheart provides harmonica, but is credited under the name "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" because he was contractually unable to record under his own name.
* BigCreepyCrawlies, BugWar and StrongAnts: The giant ants on the back side of the album cover.
* BilingualBonus: "Sofa No.2" has lyrics in German.
* BookEnds: "Sofa No. 1" and "Sofa No.2", which closes the album. The initials of "One Size Fits All" can be re-arranged to spell "Sofa".
* CallBack and ContinuityNod:
** The album cover features four hands. Single hands appear often on Zappa's album covers (''Music/UncleMeat'',''Music/BurntWeenySandwich'', ''Music/OverNiteSensation'',...) and are part of his conceptual continuity.
** The phrase "Round things are boring" on the album cover are the last words on ''Music/LumpyGravy''.
** The giant ants on the back cover tie in with Zappa's love for referencing B-monster movie imagery.
** When Zappa toured with Flo & Eddie (Music/TheTurtles) in the early 1970s he conjured up a bizarre story about a cigar smoking God creating the universe from his flying sofa in the presence of a "chrome dinette". These images appear on the album cover and are alluded to in "Sofa", which has both an instrumental as well as a lyrical version on "One Size Fits All". The instrumental version would later be performed live on Zappa's LiveAlbum ''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1978) and "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 1" (1988). "Ya Hozna" from Zappa's "Them Or Us" (1984) is "Sofa" played backwards. "Divan" on "Playground Psychotics" (1992) is the exact same work. In the song "Stick It Out" from ''Music/JoesGarage'' (1979) lines like "Don't get no jizz upon that sofa" and "see the chrome, etc.,..." also allude to the Sofa suite and chrome, which is another conceptual continuity item in Zappa's work.
** Space imagery is seen in the album cover art and alluded to in "Inca Roads".
** Car imagery, another Zappa conceptual continuity item, is alluded to in "Inca Roads", "Florentine Pogen" and "San Ber'dino", in the lines:
--> ''No no zulch is the auto works''
--> ''I'm telling you''
--> ''That's where they take''
--> ''All the cars that they hurt''
** "Arf!" is heard during "Pojama People" and near the end of "Evelyn, A Modified Dog". The word is part of Zappa's conceptual continuity on other albums as well. The constellation "Knarf (uview)" on the back cover refers to "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" from ''Music/RoxyAndElsewhere''. [[note]] An echidna is an Australian marsupial. [[/note]] Also interesting is that "Knarf" spells "Frank" backwards.
** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Broadway The Hard Way''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
** Near the end of "Florentine Pogen" the sound "hratche-plche" is made, which was also heard halfway "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''.
** "Chester's gorilla" in "Florentine Pogen" recalls "King Kong" from ''Music/UncleMeat''.
** "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" observes "someone within the Steinway", which is a CallBack to the album ''Music/LumpyGravy'', which was largely recorded inside a piano. A large weight was set on the piano's sustain, so it was always depressed, creating a spacey and ambient resonance as the piano strings vibrated with the sound waves of the person speaking.
--> ''Evelyn, a dog, having undergone''
--> ''Further modification''
--> ''Pondered the significance of short-person behavior''
--> ''In pedal-depressed panchromatic resonance''
--> ''And other highly ambient domains...''
*** In "Them Or Us: The Book" (1984) Zappa reveals that Evelyn is a collie, not a poodle. "Garlic breath" is mentioned, which ties in with "a garlic aroma that could level Tacoma" in "Jewish Princess" from ''Music/SheikYerbouti''.
** "San Ber'dino" alludes to cowboys in the line "She's in love with a boy from the rodeo/ who pulls the rope on the chute/ when they let those suckers go" and "Andy" references western movie actor Andy Devine. Zappa had a particular [[BerserkButton distaste]] for cowboy music.
** "San Ber'dino" also introduces the character Potato-Head Bobby, who would return in songs like "Advance Romance" (''Music/BongoFury'' (1975)), "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1977)) and as the character ''Sister Potato-Head Bobby Brown'' on "Thing-Fish" (1984). Interesting side notes are that the Mammy Nuns on this album all have heads that look like potatoes and have served time in "San Quentim".
** "San Ber'dino" also alludes to "dark green air and you can choke all day", which might be a CallBack to "Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution" from ''Music/UncleMeat''.
** "Florentine Pogen", "Andy", "Inca Roads" and "Sofa #1" were all performed live on Zappa's double album "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life" (1991).
* {{Constellations}}: The back cover of the album is a parody of the constellations. All the star signs are either puns, intellectual references or inside jokes about Zappa's entourage and/or his music. Some constellations and stars, however, do actually exist: ''Alcyone'' (spoofed as UsefulNotes/AlCapone), ''Algieba'' (spoofed as ''Algebra''), ''Alkaid'', ''Alpherats'', ''Aquarius'' (spoofed as ''Aquarium''), ''Aries'' (The Ram), ''Bellatrix'' (spoofed as ''Beatrix''), ''Boötes'' (The Herdsman), ''Cancer'' (The Crab), ''Capella'' (spoofed as ACappella), ''Capricornus'', ''Coma Berenenices'', ''Corona Borealis'', ''Crux'' (Southern Cross), ''Draco'' (spoofed as ''Drano''), ''Formalhaut'' (spoofed as ''Formalhyde''), ''Gemini'' (spoofed as ''Jim and I (the Twins)''), ''Hercules'' (spoofed as ''Honkules''), ''Leo'' (the Lion), ''Libra'' (the Scales), ''Musca'' (The Fly), ''Orion'' (the Hunter), ''Pisces'', ''Pyxis'', ''Regulus'', ''Sagittarius'' (The Archer), ''Sheratan'' (spoofed as ''Sheraton'', the hotel chain), ''Sirius'' (spoofed as ''Serious''), ''Taurus'' (The Bull), ''Ursa Major'' and ''Ursa Minor'' (spoofed as ''Ursula Major'' and ''Ursula Minor'' ), ''Vega'', ''Virgo'' (the Virgin) and ''Wasat'' (spoofed as ''Whazzat'' ("what's that?")), ''Yed Prior'' (spoofed as ''Yet on Prior'')
* DesignStudentsOrgasm: Cal Schenkel's gorgeous album cover design, complete with a star sign map in the background, full of puns, intellectual references and inside jokes about people from Zappa's community.
* EpicRocking: "Inca Roads" (8:45), "Po-Jama People" (7:38), "San Ber'dino" (5:51) and "Andy" (6:03).
* FunWithAcronyms: The initials of "One Size Fits All" can be re-arranged to spell out "Sofa", one of the tracks on the album.
* GratuitousGerman: "Sofa" has German lyrics, though the translation from English to German isn't particular well done.
* GratuitousLatin: Several star signs on the back cover are expressions of Latin origin, such as ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (two begonia plants), ''plesbicites'' (a vote by the electorate determining public opinion on a matter of national importance), ''per diem'' ("each day", daily allowance for expenses), ''modus operandi'' ("method of operation",to describe someone's habits of working.) and ''alibi'' (a defense by an accused person to demonstrate he couldn't have committed the crime)
* HurricaneOfPuns: Various constellations on the back side of the album cover are an IncrediblyLamePun on words that start with the same letter, for instance: ''Ras Aldazzl'' (razzle dazzle), ''Ras Perry'' (raspberry), ''Honkules'' (a pun on the constellation ''Hercules'' and the English word ''honk'' for attractive person), ''Jim & I "The Siamese Twins"'' (a pun on ''Gemini'' (twins), one of the 13 Zodiac signs), ''Sadalsoar'' (the skin ailment ''saddle sores''), ''Yed On Prior'' (the word "yet on prior", but also a pun on the real star "Yed Prior". Also, there is a star sign on Zappa's cover nearby called "occasion", which provides the phrase: "yet on prior occasion"), ''Al Nozzle'' (a nozzle, which ties in with Zappa references to noses in his work), ''Cunard'' (seems to be a corruption of the French word "canard" ("duck"), which also ties in with the later Zappa compositions "Canarsie" ("Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar", actually a reference to Canarsie, a Brooklyn neighborhood) and "Canard Du Jour" (from the same album), ''Whazat'' (pun on "what's that").
* {{Instrumental}}: "Sofa # 1".
* MeaningfulName: "One Size Fits All" is an advertising term to indicate that a product would fit in all instances.
* MinisculeRocking: "Evelyn, A Modified Dog", a track that hardly takes up a minute.
* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" (1978) and "Läther" (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
* NonAppearingTitle: The album title does not appear in any of the lyrics.
* OneManSong: "Andy".
* OneWomanSong: "Evelyn, A Modified Dog".
* PerpetualPoverty: "Can't Afford No Shoes".
* ProductPlacement:
** "Florentine Pogen", which in itself references a Swedish cookie brand.
--> ''Deep in the street she drove a '59 Morgan.''
** "Evelyn, A Modified Dog"
--> ''Somewhere near the Steinway or even from within.''
** "San Ber'dino"
--> ''She lives in Mojave in a Winnebago''. [[note]] A brand of mobile-homes [[/note]]
--> ''(...)Zulch is the auto work'' [[note]] "Zulch" was a car repair shop in San Bernardino, California. Nowadays it's called "Big "Z"". [[/note]]
* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
** Some of the star signs on the album cover are references to people from Zappa's entourage and family, including ''Pumpkin'' (nickname of his wife Gail, also a reference to ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), ''Unit'' (reference to Moon Unit, his daughter), ''Dweezil'' (his son, Dweezil), ''Ahmet'' (Zappa's younger son, Ahmet), ''Diva'' (his youngest daughter, Diva, who was born in 1979 and only added to the art work after the CD release in 1988), ''Lala Sloatman'' (Zappa's niece, who later dated Corey Haim and Chris Robinson (Music/TheBlackCrowes)), ''Herbycon'' (his manager Herb Cohen), ''Zubin Mehta'' (a conductor who worked together with Zappa and was also referenced on "Billy The Mountain" from ''Music/JustAnotherBandFromLA''), ''Chunky, Novi & Ernie'' (a band whose debut album cover was designed by Cal Schenkel and where Zappa provided backing vocals.), Leo Limón (an illustrator who collaborated with Zappa), ''Dogess'' (one of Zappa's dogs, whose name is a pun on the word "goddess"), ''Tweezers''(consequently one of Zappa's cats), ''Alison Wickwire'', ''Laura'' (friends of Schenkel from his art department), ''Aunt Letty'' and ''Katy'' (relatives of Schenkel), ''Ed Barbar'' (a used-car salesman who lived in Southern California and who Zappa used to now.). ''Henna Brillo'' is the nickname of groupie Janet Ferguson. ''Black'' might be a reference to Zappa's former drummer Jimmy Carl Black. The asteroid ''Zappafrank'' (which exists in RealLife, by the way!) was also only added after the CD release.
** Some star signs are references to real life celebrities, such as ''Mark Spitz'' (broke a record in 1972 by winning seven Olympic gold medals in swimming, an achievement that has been surpassed by Michael Phelps in 2008), ''Charo'' (Mexican singer and actress), ''Dar Al Zanuck'' (a pun on Hollywood producer Darryl A. Zanuck), ''Ed Ruscha'' (American pop art painter), ''Gemma'' (the Dutch scientist Gemma Frisius), ''Bolivar'' (Bolivian politician Simon Bolivar), ''Al Surratt'' (drummer of The Boogie Men), ''UsefulNotes/AlCapone'' and ''Lotte Lenya'' (wife of composer Music/KurtWeill, who played Rosa Klebb in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'').
** Fictional characters are also alluded on the map. ''Kojac (Kolchek)'' refers to the TV detective series ''Series/{{Kojak}}'' and ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker''. ''Gorgo'' is the monster in a British horror movie: ''Film/{{Gorgo}}''. ''Ali Baba'' is the protagonist in ''Literature/AliBabaAndTheFortyThieves'' and ''Oedipus'', the character who married his mother in Greek mythology. ''Muscateer'' refers to ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' [[note]] whom Zappa would refer to again on "The Blue Light" from "Tinseltown Rebellion" (1981): "Your pathos, your Porthos, your Aramis", a shout-out to Athos, Porthos and Aramis [[/note]].
** Several star signs refer to cars or parts of vehicles, such as ''Pinto'', ''Alpha Romeo'', ''El Nash'', ''Steering Wheel'', ''Horn Relay'', ''Fan Belt'' (also referenced in the song "Florentine Pogen"), ''Acc. Flasher'' (accumulator flasher) and ''R. Dir Sig. Lamp'' (real direction signal lamp).
** Animal species are referenced in the star signs ''Bufo Speciosus'' (the Texas Toad), ''Bufo Borealis'' (the Western toad), ''Silverfish'' (an insect species), ''Thorax'' (the bull), ''Hyaenas'' and ''Muscaceeto'' (mosquito). ''Baleen'' and ''sperm'' refer to whale species, which are also drawn on the constellation map.
** Some of the signs refer to types of food, mostly vegetables which references ''Music/AbsolutelyFree'': ''Borscht'' (vegetable soup), ''Asparagus'', ''Betelnuts'', ''Castoroil'' (castor oil, ''Aspic'' (gelatinous covering), ''Ras Perry'' (raspberry) and ''Legume'' (the French word ''légume'' (=vegetable)).
** Musical terms are also hinted at with ''ACappella'' and ''muzak'' (elevator music).
** Other star signs namedrop parts of the London Underground system (''Edgware Road'', ''Charing Cross'', ''Waterloo'', ''Marylebone'', ''Bayswater'', ''Queensway''), the New York subway system on the yellow line (''125th'', ''Lenox'', ''Houston'', ''Spring Garden St.'', ''Canal'', ''Yellow'') and the Philadelphia subway system on the Orange Line: ''Orange'', ''Wyoming'', ''Huntingpark'' and ''Olney''. Other location references are ''Dublin'' (capital of Ireland), ''Atlanta Ga.'' (Atlanta, Georgia), ''Algerian'' (inhabitants of Algeria), ''Willow Gr.'' (Willow Grove), ''Muscatel'' (Muscatel, California), ''Cubans'' (inhabitants of Cuba), ''Mochajava'' (corruption of the Mojave Desert, where Zappa spent his teenage years) and ''Grunion Run'' (a location in California, that inspired an early Zappa band, the Hollywood Persuaders, to write a song about it.)
** Again other star signs are chemical and/or mathematical elements: ''Alcaselzer'' (pun of the aspirin ''Alka-Seltzer''), ''algebra'' , ''differential'' (math), ''alkali'' (alkali metals), ''alkaloid'', ''drano'' (a drain cleaning product), ''Dristan'' (chemical product), ''Teflon'', ''formaldehyde'' (chemical product), ''sal Ammoniac'' (mineral), ''sal hepatica'' (salt laxative), ''molybdenum'' (chemical element), ''protein'', ''yttrium'' and ''zircon'' (also referencing "zircon encrusted tweezers", a conceptual continuity item found in "Dinah-Moe Humm" and "Montana" on ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. Zappa also named his cat Tweezer, according "They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 2").
** Then there are star signs which are colours (''Orange'', ''Yellow'', ''6 Red'' and ''Black''), hotel chains (''Hilton'', ''Sheraton'') and currency units, such as ''peso'' (in Hispanic countries),''dinar'' (used in the Middle East) and ''zloty groszy'' (used in Poland until 1996).
** Other miscellaneous explanations for star signs on the map: ''forsoothe'' (Middle English expression which means "in truth, indeed"), ''abracadabra'' (wizard spell), ''gainsayer'' (a biblical expression for one who contradicts against the word), ''itinerary'' (a guide book for travellers), ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (species of the begonia flower), ''promiscuous'' (lustful behaviour, Zappa later named a song on his album "Broadway The Hard Way" (1987) this), ''mysogynis'' (mysognism: hatred of women, something Zappa's satirical lyrics were often accused of), ''periscope'' (a device used in submarines to look above the water level), ''alimentary'' (the alimentary tract is the tubular passage of mucous membrane and muscle extending about 8.3 meters from mouth to anus.). Thusfar unindentified signs are ''Beatrix'', ''Miro'', ''Auriga'', ''Boffo'', ''Maxpax'', ''Uvda'', ''Zegreb'', ''Ofie Yucas'', ''Navel'', ''Nato'', ''Paula'', ''Pectoral'', ''David Boötes'', ''Arktourist'', ''Necta'', ''Fiscal'', ''Aldebumen'', ''Jocasey'', ''Pollack'', ''Algenon'', ''Enough'', ''Alioto'', ''Althea'', ''Rascallion'', ''Madder'', ''Wizened'', ''Yazoo Delta'', ''Sal Hepatica'', ''Savey'' and ''Scat''.
** "Inca Roads" and "Florentine Pogen" have shout-outs to Zappa band members Ruth Underwood and Chester Thompson, particularly Chester's encounter with a particular ugly groupie. Zappa's band had a "booger-bear award" for the band member who scored with the ugliest groupie. One of Chester's conquests was a girl so ugly Zappa compared her to a "gorilla". Even in the liner notes of "One Size Fits All" Chester is described as "drums, gorilla victim." The lines "why don't you sharpen it, then?" and "Mother, Mary 'n' Joseph" refer to a carpenter who once came to repair something for Zappa and talked in himself: "Screwdriver don't work. Why don't you sharpen it then?". Zappa also witnessed him hit his thumb and exclaim: "Mother Mary and Joseph!"
** On page 22 of ''Literature/TheRealFrankZappaBook'' Zappa recalls that he and his brother used to wear flannel pyjamas "with a trap door in the back", which is alluded to during "Po-Jama People".
** "Florentine Pogen" refers to Zappa's road manager Marty Perellis, whose name is also seen on the fire extinguisher on the album cover of ''Music/OverNiteSensation''.
** "San Ber'dino" refers to the Mojave Desert, where Zappa spent his teenage years. The song also has a few lines referring to Zappa's jailtime in 1964, when he had to spent a few months in prison for making a pornographic tape (basically creating silly noises with a young woman). One of the prison rooms was called "Tank C" and only had one small shower at the end of the cell block for 44 man. Zappa felt so disgusted that he didn't shave or took a shower while he was there, according to ''Literature/TheRealFrankZappaBook''.
--> ''Well there's forty-four men''
--> ''Stashed away in tank "C"''
--> ''An' there's only one shower''
--> ''But it don't apply to Bobby''
** Nigey Lennon, once one of Zappa's lovers and band members [[note]] Her claims are still a matter of controversy as she did indeed provide many details and photographs of Zappa, but many of the other band members don't really remember her. Some, like Ray Collins, Don Preston and Howard Kaylan do recall her being present in Zappa's company, but not as a musician. This has cast doubt, but at the same time her claims haven't been disproven either. [[/note]], has claimed on page 136 of her autobiography "Being Frank" (1995) that she felt many allusions in the song "Andy" were about her.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: "Po-Jama People".
* ShoutOut:
** The giant ants on the backside of the album cover seem to be a reference to the B-movie ''Film/{{Them}}'' (1953).
** "Can't Afford No Shoes" references the 1934 Buddy Moss blues song "Hey Ladwy Mama" at one point. Interestingly enough this blues classic also makes mention of shoes:
--> ''Meet me down at the river, you can bring me my shoes and clothes''
--> ''Oh Lordy mama, great God almighty''
--> ''Said meet me down at the river, bring me my shoes and clothes''
--> ''Says I ain't got so many, but I got so far to go''
** "Florentine Pogen" briefly quotes the song "Louie Louie".
** "Andy" has a shout-out to western actor Andy Devine. According to Zappa the "thong rind" is the callous that builds up when one wears thong sandels.
--> ''Andy Devine had a thong rind''
--> ''It was sublime, but the wrong kind.''
* SingerNameDrop:
** Near the end of "Inca Roads" percussionist Ruth Underwood is namedropped:
--> ''On Ruth! On Ruth! Haha, that's Ruth!''
** "Inca Roads" and "Florentine Pogen" namedrops drummer Chester Thompson and refer to Chester's "thing" and "gorilla", referring a particular ugly groupie he encountered.
* TakeThat:
** "Inca Roads" satirizes AncientAstronauts theories.
** "Can't Afford No Shoes" is a satire on the economic recession. The line "Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try" refers the mantra "Hare Rama" from the Hara Krishna movement, worshipping Hindu deity Rama. Zappa would refer to Hara Rama again in "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" from "You Are What You Is" (1980)
--> ''Is Hare Rama really wrong? If you wander around with a napkin on/ With a bell on a stick an' your hair is all gone / The geek shall inherit nothin' ''?
** "San Ber'dino"
--> ''You may think they're dumb and' lonely''
--> ''But you're wrong''
--> '' 'Cause their love is strong''
* WesternZodiac: Some star signs on the back cover of the album are parodies of the zodiac signs: Agittarius (pun on ''Sagittarius''), Airies (pun on ''Aries''), Aquarium (pun on ''Aquarius''), Cancer, Capricorn (extra name: "Gus Goat"), Jim & I "The Siamese Twins" (pun on ''Gemini''), Leo Limón (parody of ''Leo'' and reference to Zappa illustrator Leo Limón), Libra (also referenced in the Zappa songs "Dancin' Fool" (''Music/SheikYerbouti'') and "Stick It Out" (''Music/JoesGarage''), Thorax "The Bull" (pun on ''Taurus'') and Virgil (a pun on ''Virgo'')
* WordSaladLyrics: Many songs have rather nonsensical lyrics.
'''One Size Fits All''' is a 1975 album by Music/FrankZappa. It has never been popular with the general audience, but is a fan favorite among Zappa afectionado's, highly regarded as one of his best. The album is best remembered for tracks such as "Inca Roads", "Sofa" and "San Ber'dino".
'''Tracklist'''
# "Inca Roads" (8:45)
# "Can't Afford No Shoes" (2:38)
# "Sofa No. 1" (2:39)
# "Po-Jama People" (7:43)
# "Florentine Pogen" (5:27)
# "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" (1:04)
# "San Ber'dino" (5:57)
# "Andy" (6:03)
# "Sofa No. 2" (2:47)
'''Personnel'''
* Music/FrankZappa: guitar, vocals, composition
* George Duke: keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
* Napoleon Murphy Brock: flute, tenor sax, vocals
* Chester Thompson: drums
* Tom Fowler: bass
* Ruth Underwood: percussion
* James Yourman: bass
* Johnny "Guitar" Watson: flambe vocals
* Bloodshot Rollin' Red (pseudonym of Music/CaptainBeefheart): harmonica.
!! Po-Jama Tropes:
* ACappella: One star sign on the constellation map on the back cover is named this way.
* AncientAstronauts: The lyrics of "Inca Roads" are a sendup of the "theories" of Erich von Däniken. In the first half of the song the protagonist wonders whether aliens made a vehicle fly to land in the Andes and "build a place to leave a space for such a thing to land." Eventually the song get sillier as it is implied that the aliens only build them to have sex on them.
* AndStarring: Zappa's prime guitar influence Johnny "Guitar" Watson plays along on the tracks "San Ber'dino" and "Andy". Music/CaptainBeefheart provides harmonica, but is credited under the name "Bloodshot Rollin' Red" because he was contractually unable to record under his own name.
* BigCreepyCrawlies, BugWar and StrongAnts: The giant ants on the back side of the album cover.
* BilingualBonus: "Sofa No.2" has lyrics in German.
* BookEnds: "Sofa No. 1" and "Sofa No.2", which closes the album. The initials of "One Size Fits All" can be re-arranged to spell "Sofa".
* CallBack and ContinuityNod:
** The album cover features four hands. Single hands appear often on Zappa's album covers (''Music/UncleMeat'',''Music/BurntWeenySandwich'', ''Music/OverNiteSensation'',...) and are part of his conceptual continuity.
** The phrase "Round things are boring" on the album cover are the last words on ''Music/LumpyGravy''.
** The giant ants on the back cover tie in with Zappa's love for referencing B-monster movie imagery.
** When Zappa toured with Flo & Eddie (Music/TheTurtles) in the early 1970s he conjured up a bizarre story about a cigar smoking God creating the universe from his flying sofa in the presence of a "chrome dinette". These images appear on the album cover and are alluded to in "Sofa", which has both an instrumental as well as a lyrical version on "One Size Fits All". The instrumental version would later be performed live on Zappa's LiveAlbum ''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1978) and "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 1" (1988). "Ya Hozna" from Zappa's "Them Or Us" (1984) is "Sofa" played backwards. "Divan" on "Playground Psychotics" (1992) is the exact same work. In the song "Stick It Out" from ''Music/JoesGarage'' (1979) lines like "Don't get no jizz upon that sofa" and "see the chrome, etc.,..." also allude to the Sofa suite and chrome, which is another conceptual continuity item in Zappa's work.
** Space imagery is seen in the album cover art and alluded to in "Inca Roads".
** Car imagery, another Zappa conceptual continuity item, is alluded to in "Inca Roads", "Florentine Pogen" and "San Ber'dino", in the lines:
--> ''No no zulch is the auto works''
--> ''I'm telling you''
--> ''That's where they take''
--> ''All the cars that they hurt''
** "Arf!" is heard during "Pojama People" and near the end of "Evelyn, A Modified Dog". The word is part of Zappa's conceptual continuity on other albums as well. The constellation "Knarf (uview)" on the back cover refers to "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" from ''Music/RoxyAndElsewhere''. [[note]] An echidna is an Australian marsupial. [[/note]] Also interesting is that "Knarf" spells "Frank" backwards.
** "Louie Louie" is quoted in "Florentine Pogen", a song Zappa enjoyed referencing often in his work, including "Plastic People" and "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese" (''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), "At The Gas Station" (''Music/LumpyGravy''), "Louie Louie" (''Music/UncleMeat''), "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" (''Music/BongoFury''), "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk" (''Broadway The Hard Way''), "Ruthie-Ruthie" (''You Can't Do That Stage Anymore, Volume 1'') and "Welcome to the United States" (''Music/TheYellowShark'').
** Near the end of "Florentine Pogen" the sound "hratche-plche" is made, which was also heard halfway "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''.
** "Chester's gorilla" in "Florentine Pogen" recalls "King Kong" from ''Music/UncleMeat''.
** "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" observes "someone within the Steinway", which is a CallBack to the album ''Music/LumpyGravy'', which was largely recorded inside a piano. A large weight was set on the piano's sustain, so it was always depressed, creating a spacey and ambient resonance as the piano strings vibrated with the sound waves of the person speaking.
--> ''Evelyn, a dog, having undergone''
--> ''Further modification''
--> ''Pondered the significance of short-person behavior''
--> ''In pedal-depressed panchromatic resonance''
--> ''And other highly ambient domains...''
*** In "Them Or Us: The Book" (1984) Zappa reveals that Evelyn is a collie, not a poodle. "Garlic breath" is mentioned, which ties in with "a garlic aroma that could level Tacoma" in "Jewish Princess" from ''Music/SheikYerbouti''.
** "San Ber'dino" alludes to cowboys in the line "She's in love with a boy from the rodeo/ who pulls the rope on the chute/ when they let those suckers go" and "Andy" references western movie actor Andy Devine. Zappa had a particular [[BerserkButton distaste]] for cowboy music.
** "San Ber'dino" also introduces the character Potato-Head Bobby, who would return in songs like "Advance Romance" (''Music/BongoFury'' (1975)), "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (''Music/ZappaInNewYork'' (1977)) and as the character ''Sister Potato-Head Bobby Brown'' on "Thing-Fish" (1984). Interesting side notes are that the Mammy Nuns on this album all have heads that look like potatoes and have served time in "San Quentim".
** "San Ber'dino" also alludes to "dark green air and you can choke all day", which might be a CallBack to "Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution" from ''Music/UncleMeat''.
** "Florentine Pogen", "Andy", "Inca Roads" and "Sofa #1" were all performed live on Zappa's double album "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life" (1991).
* {{Constellations}}: The back cover of the album is a parody of the constellations. All the star signs are either puns, intellectual references or inside jokes about Zappa's entourage and/or his music. Some constellations and stars, however, do actually exist: ''Alcyone'' (spoofed as UsefulNotes/AlCapone), ''Algieba'' (spoofed as ''Algebra''), ''Alkaid'', ''Alpherats'', ''Aquarius'' (spoofed as ''Aquarium''), ''Aries'' (The Ram), ''Bellatrix'' (spoofed as ''Beatrix''), ''Boötes'' (The Herdsman), ''Cancer'' (The Crab), ''Capella'' (spoofed as ACappella), ''Capricornus'', ''Coma Berenenices'', ''Corona Borealis'', ''Crux'' (Southern Cross), ''Draco'' (spoofed as ''Drano''), ''Formalhaut'' (spoofed as ''Formalhyde''), ''Gemini'' (spoofed as ''Jim and I (the Twins)''), ''Hercules'' (spoofed as ''Honkules''), ''Leo'' (the Lion), ''Libra'' (the Scales), ''Musca'' (The Fly), ''Orion'' (the Hunter), ''Pisces'', ''Pyxis'', ''Regulus'', ''Sagittarius'' (The Archer), ''Sheratan'' (spoofed as ''Sheraton'', the hotel chain), ''Sirius'' (spoofed as ''Serious''), ''Taurus'' (The Bull), ''Ursa Major'' and ''Ursa Minor'' (spoofed as ''Ursula Major'' and ''Ursula Minor'' ), ''Vega'', ''Virgo'' (the Virgin) and ''Wasat'' (spoofed as ''Whazzat'' ("what's that?")), ''Yed Prior'' (spoofed as ''Yet on Prior'')
* DesignStudentsOrgasm: Cal Schenkel's gorgeous album cover design, complete with a star sign map in the background, full of puns, intellectual references and inside jokes about people from Zappa's community.
* EpicRocking: "Inca Roads" (8:45), "Po-Jama People" (7:38), "San Ber'dino" (5:51) and "Andy" (6:03).
* FunWithAcronyms: The initials of "One Size Fits All" can be re-arranged to spell out "Sofa", one of the tracks on the album.
* GratuitousGerman: "Sofa" has German lyrics, though the translation from English to German isn't particular well done.
* GratuitousLatin: Several star signs on the back cover are expressions of Latin origin, such as ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (two begonia plants), ''plesbicites'' (a vote by the electorate determining public opinion on a matter of national importance), ''per diem'' ("each day", daily allowance for expenses), ''modus operandi'' ("method of operation",to describe someone's habits of working.) and ''alibi'' (a defense by an accused person to demonstrate he couldn't have committed the crime)
* HurricaneOfPuns: Various constellations on the back side of the album cover are an IncrediblyLamePun on words that start with the same letter, for instance: ''Ras Aldazzl'' (razzle dazzle), ''Ras Perry'' (raspberry), ''Honkules'' (a pun on the constellation ''Hercules'' and the English word ''honk'' for attractive person), ''Jim & I "The Siamese Twins"'' (a pun on ''Gemini'' (twins), one of the 13 Zodiac signs), ''Sadalsoar'' (the skin ailment ''saddle sores''), ''Yed On Prior'' (the word "yet on prior", but also a pun on the real star "Yed Prior". Also, there is a star sign on Zappa's cover nearby called "occasion", which provides the phrase: "yet on prior occasion"), ''Al Nozzle'' (a nozzle, which ties in with Zappa references to noses in his work), ''Cunard'' (seems to be a corruption of the French word "canard" ("duck"), which also ties in with the later Zappa compositions "Canarsie" ("Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar", actually a reference to Canarsie, a Brooklyn neighborhood) and "Canard Du Jour" (from the same album), ''Whazat'' (pun on "what's that").
* {{Instrumental}}: "Sofa # 1".
* MeaningfulName: "One Size Fits All" is an advertising term to indicate that a product would fit in all instances.
* MinisculeRocking: "Evelyn, A Modified Dog", a track that hardly takes up a minute.
* MythologyGag: The star constellation map references a lot of Zappa relatives and crew members, but also provides shout-outs to songs from Zappa's previous albums. The presence of the toad species ''Bufo Speciosus'' and ''Bufo Borealis'' is a CallBack to "the toads of the short forest" who were referenced earlier on albums like ''Music/WeaselsRippedMyFlesh'', ''Music/ChungasRevenge'' and ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. The star sign ''Hot Rats'' namedrops ''Music/HotRats''. The ''Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner'' is an image from the liner notes of ''Music/ChungasRevenge''. Several star signs also refer to vegetables, which ties in with imagery from ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''. ''Abracadabra'' probably inspired "Debra Kadabra" on ''Music/BongoFury''. ''D Crux'' is a real star sign (''Crux''), but also refers to "the crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe" from ''Music/{{Apostrophe}}''. ''RDNZL'' would later become the name of an instrumental on Zappa's "Studio Tan" (1978) and "Läther" (1993). ''Applecor'' might be a reference to an incident in the 1960s where Zappa led two drunk marines on stage during a show and had them say something in the microphone ("Eat the apple, fuck the corps") before they destroyed a doll under Zappa's command: "Pretend this is a gook baby.'' After the doll was ravaged the audience was in such a shock that Zappa ended the show there.
* NonAppearingTitle: The album title does not appear in any of the lyrics.
* OneManSong: "Andy".
* OneWomanSong: "Evelyn, A Modified Dog".
* PerpetualPoverty: "Can't Afford No Shoes".
* ProductPlacement:
** "Florentine Pogen", which in itself references a Swedish cookie brand.
--> ''Deep in the street she drove a '59 Morgan.''
** "Evelyn, A Modified Dog"
--> ''Somewhere near the Steinway or even from within.''
** "San Ber'dino"
--> ''She lives in Mojave in a Winnebago''. [[note]] A brand of mobile-homes [[/note]]
--> ''(...)Zulch is the auto work'' [[note]] "Zulch" was a car repair shop in San Bernardino, California. Nowadays it's called "Big "Z"". [[/note]]
* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
** Some of the star signs on the album cover are references to people from Zappa's entourage and family, including ''Pumpkin'' (nickname of his wife Gail, also a reference to ''Music/AbsolutelyFree''), ''Unit'' (reference to Moon Unit, his daughter), ''Dweezil'' (his son, Dweezil), ''Ahmet'' (Zappa's younger son, Ahmet), ''Diva'' (his youngest daughter, Diva, who was born in 1979 and only added to the art work after the CD release in 1988), ''Lala Sloatman'' (Zappa's niece, who later dated Corey Haim and Chris Robinson (Music/TheBlackCrowes)), ''Herbycon'' (his manager Herb Cohen), ''Zubin Mehta'' (a conductor who worked together with Zappa and was also referenced on "Billy The Mountain" from ''Music/JustAnotherBandFromLA''), ''Chunky, Novi & Ernie'' (a band whose debut album cover was designed by Cal Schenkel and where Zappa provided backing vocals.), Leo Limón (an illustrator who collaborated with Zappa), ''Dogess'' (one of Zappa's dogs, whose name is a pun on the word "goddess"), ''Tweezers''(consequently one of Zappa's cats), ''Alison Wickwire'', ''Laura'' (friends of Schenkel from his art department), ''Aunt Letty'' and ''Katy'' (relatives of Schenkel), ''Ed Barbar'' (a used-car salesman who lived in Southern California and who Zappa used to now.). ''Henna Brillo'' is the nickname of groupie Janet Ferguson. ''Black'' might be a reference to Zappa's former drummer Jimmy Carl Black. The asteroid ''Zappafrank'' (which exists in RealLife, by the way!) was also only added after the CD release.
** Some star signs are references to real life celebrities, such as ''Mark Spitz'' (broke a record in 1972 by winning seven Olympic gold medals in swimming, an achievement that has been surpassed by Michael Phelps in 2008), ''Charo'' (Mexican singer and actress), ''Dar Al Zanuck'' (a pun on Hollywood producer Darryl A. Zanuck), ''Ed Ruscha'' (American pop art painter), ''Gemma'' (the Dutch scientist Gemma Frisius), ''Bolivar'' (Bolivian politician Simon Bolivar), ''Al Surratt'' (drummer of The Boogie Men), ''UsefulNotes/AlCapone'' and ''Lotte Lenya'' (wife of composer Music/KurtWeill, who played Rosa Klebb in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'').
** Fictional characters are also alluded on the map. ''Kojac (Kolchek)'' refers to the TV detective series ''Series/{{Kojak}}'' and ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker''. ''Gorgo'' is the monster in a British horror movie: ''Film/{{Gorgo}}''. ''Ali Baba'' is the protagonist in ''Literature/AliBabaAndTheFortyThieves'' and ''Oedipus'', the character who married his mother in Greek mythology. ''Muscateer'' refers to ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' [[note]] whom Zappa would refer to again on "The Blue Light" from "Tinseltown Rebellion" (1981): "Your pathos, your Porthos, your Aramis", a shout-out to Athos, Porthos and Aramis [[/note]].
** Several star signs refer to cars or parts of vehicles, such as ''Pinto'', ''Alpha Romeo'', ''El Nash'', ''Steering Wheel'', ''Horn Relay'', ''Fan Belt'' (also referenced in the song "Florentine Pogen"), ''Acc. Flasher'' (accumulator flasher) and ''R. Dir Sig. Lamp'' (real direction signal lamp).
** Animal species are referenced in the star signs ''Bufo Speciosus'' (the Texas Toad), ''Bufo Borealis'' (the Western toad), ''Silverfish'' (an insect species), ''Thorax'' (the bull), ''Hyaenas'' and ''Muscaceeto'' (mosquito). ''Baleen'' and ''sperm'' refer to whale species, which are also drawn on the constellation map.
** Some of the signs refer to types of food, mostly vegetables which references ''Music/AbsolutelyFree'': ''Borscht'' (vegetable soup), ''Asparagus'', ''Betelnuts'', ''Castoroil'' (castor oil, ''Aspic'' (gelatinous covering), ''Ras Perry'' (raspberry) and ''Legume'' (the French word ''légume'' (=vegetable)).
** Musical terms are also hinted at with ''ACappella'' and ''muzak'' (elevator music).
** Other star signs namedrop parts of the London Underground system (''Edgware Road'', ''Charing Cross'', ''Waterloo'', ''Marylebone'', ''Bayswater'', ''Queensway''), the New York subway system on the yellow line (''125th'', ''Lenox'', ''Houston'', ''Spring Garden St.'', ''Canal'', ''Yellow'') and the Philadelphia subway system on the Orange Line: ''Orange'', ''Wyoming'', ''Huntingpark'' and ''Olney''. Other location references are ''Dublin'' (capital of Ireland), ''Atlanta Ga.'' (Atlanta, Georgia), ''Algerian'' (inhabitants of Algeria), ''Willow Gr.'' (Willow Grove), ''Muscatel'' (Muscatel, California), ''Cubans'' (inhabitants of Cuba), ''Mochajava'' (corruption of the Mojave Desert, where Zappa spent his teenage years) and ''Grunion Run'' (a location in California, that inspired an early Zappa band, the Hollywood Persuaders, to write a song about it.)
** Again other star signs are chemical and/or mathematical elements: ''Alcaselzer'' (pun of the aspirin ''Alka-Seltzer''), ''algebra'' , ''differential'' (math), ''alkali'' (alkali metals), ''alkaloid'', ''drano'' (a drain cleaning product), ''Dristan'' (chemical product), ''Teflon'', ''formaldehyde'' (chemical product), ''sal Ammoniac'' (mineral), ''sal hepatica'' (salt laxative), ''molybdenum'' (chemical element), ''protein'', ''yttrium'' and ''zircon'' (also referencing "zircon encrusted tweezers", a conceptual continuity item found in "Dinah-Moe Humm" and "Montana" on ''Music/OverNiteSensation''. Zappa also named his cat Tweezer, according "They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 2").
** Then there are star signs which are colours (''Orange'', ''Yellow'', ''6 Red'' and ''Black''), hotel chains (''Hilton'', ''Sheraton'') and currency units, such as ''peso'' (in Hispanic countries),''dinar'' (used in the Middle East) and ''zloty groszy'' (used in Poland until 1996).
** Other miscellaneous explanations for star signs on the map: ''forsoothe'' (Middle English expression which means "in truth, indeed"), ''abracadabra'' (wizard spell), ''gainsayer'' (a biblical expression for one who contradicts against the word), ''itinerary'' (a guide book for travellers), ''Rex Begonia'' and ''Corona Begonia'' (species of the begonia flower), ''promiscuous'' (lustful behaviour, Zappa later named a song on his album "Broadway The Hard Way" (1987) this), ''mysogynis'' (mysognism: hatred of women, something Zappa's satirical lyrics were often accused of), ''periscope'' (a device used in submarines to look above the water level), ''alimentary'' (the alimentary tract is the tubular passage of mucous membrane and muscle extending about 8.3 meters from mouth to anus.). Thusfar unindentified signs are ''Beatrix'', ''Miro'', ''Auriga'', ''Boffo'', ''Maxpax'', ''Uvda'', ''Zegreb'', ''Ofie Yucas'', ''Navel'', ''Nato'', ''Paula'', ''Pectoral'', ''David Boötes'', ''Arktourist'', ''Necta'', ''Fiscal'', ''Aldebumen'', ''Jocasey'', ''Pollack'', ''Algenon'', ''Enough'', ''Alioto'', ''Althea'', ''Rascallion'', ''Madder'', ''Wizened'', ''Yazoo Delta'', ''Sal Hepatica'', ''Savey'' and ''Scat''.
** "Inca Roads" and "Florentine Pogen" have shout-outs to Zappa band members Ruth Underwood and Chester Thompson, particularly Chester's encounter with a particular ugly groupie. Zappa's band had a "booger-bear award" for the band member who scored with the ugliest groupie. One of Chester's conquests was a girl so ugly Zappa compared her to a "gorilla". Even in the liner notes of "One Size Fits All" Chester is described as "drums, gorilla victim." The lines "why don't you sharpen it, then?" and "Mother, Mary 'n' Joseph" refer to a carpenter who once came to repair something for Zappa and talked in himself: "Screwdriver don't work. Why don't you sharpen it then?". Zappa also witnessed him hit his thumb and exclaim: "Mother Mary and Joseph!"
** On page 22 of ''Literature/TheRealFrankZappaBook'' Zappa recalls that he and his brother used to wear flannel pyjamas "with a trap door in the back", which is alluded to during "Po-Jama People".
** "Florentine Pogen" refers to Zappa's road manager Marty Perellis, whose name is also seen on the fire extinguisher on the album cover of ''Music/OverNiteSensation''.
** "San Ber'dino" refers to the Mojave Desert, where Zappa spent his teenage years. The song also has a few lines referring to Zappa's jailtime in 1964, when he had to spent a few months in prison for making a pornographic tape (basically creating silly noises with a young woman). One of the prison rooms was called "Tank C" and only had one small shower at the end of the cell block for 44 man. Zappa felt so disgusted that he didn't shave or took a shower while he was there, according to ''Literature/TheRealFrankZappaBook''.
--> ''Well there's forty-four men''
--> ''Stashed away in tank "C"''
--> ''An' there's only one shower''
--> ''But it don't apply to Bobby''
** Nigey Lennon, once one of Zappa's lovers and band members [[note]] Her claims are still a matter of controversy as she did indeed provide many details and photographs of Zappa, but many of the other band members don't really remember her. Some, like Ray Collins, Don Preston and Howard Kaylan do recall her being present in Zappa's company, but not as a musician. This has cast doubt, but at the same time her claims haven't been disproven either. [[/note]], has claimed on page 136 of her autobiography "Being Frank" (1995) that she felt many allusions in the song "Andy" were about her.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: "Po-Jama People".
* ShoutOut:
** The giant ants on the backside of the album cover seem to be a reference to the B-movie ''Film/{{Them}}'' (1953).
** "Can't Afford No Shoes" references the 1934 Buddy Moss blues song "Hey Ladwy Mama" at one point. Interestingly enough this blues classic also makes mention of shoes:
--> ''Meet me down at the river, you can bring me my shoes and clothes''
--> ''Oh Lordy mama, great God almighty''
--> ''Said meet me down at the river, bring me my shoes and clothes''
--> ''Says I ain't got so many, but I got so far to go''
** "Florentine Pogen" briefly quotes the song "Louie Louie".
** "Andy" has a shout-out to western actor Andy Devine. According to Zappa the "thong rind" is the callous that builds up when one wears thong sandels.
--> ''Andy Devine had a thong rind''
--> ''It was sublime, but the wrong kind.''
* SingerNameDrop:
** Near the end of "Inca Roads" percussionist Ruth Underwood is namedropped:
--> ''On Ruth! On Ruth! Haha, that's Ruth!''
** "Inca Roads" and "Florentine Pogen" namedrops drummer Chester Thompson and refer to Chester's "thing" and "gorilla", referring a particular ugly groupie he encountered.
* TakeThat:
** "Inca Roads" satirizes AncientAstronauts theories.
** "Can't Afford No Shoes" is a satire on the economic recession. The line "Chump Hare Rama, ain't no good to try" refers the mantra "Hare Rama" from the Hara Krishna movement, worshipping Hindu deity Rama. Zappa would refer to Hara Rama again in "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" from "You Are What You Is" (1980)
--> ''Is Hare Rama really wrong? If you wander around with a napkin on/ With a bell on a stick an' your hair is all gone / The geek shall inherit nothin' ''?
** "San Ber'dino"
--> ''You may think they're dumb and' lonely''
--> ''But you're wrong''
--> '' 'Cause their love is strong''
* WesternZodiac: Some star signs on the back cover of the album are parodies of the zodiac signs: Agittarius (pun on ''Sagittarius''), Airies (pun on ''Aries''), Aquarium (pun on ''Aquarius''), Cancer, Capricorn (extra name: "Gus Goat"), Jim & I "The Siamese Twins" (pun on ''Gemini''), Leo Limón (parody of ''Leo'' and reference to Zappa illustrator Leo Limón), Libra (also referenced in the Zappa songs "Dancin' Fool" (''Music/SheikYerbouti'') and "Stick It Out" (''Music/JoesGarage''), Thorax "The Bull" (pun on ''Taurus'') and Virgil (a pun on ''Virgo'')
* WordSaladLyrics: Many songs have rather nonsensical lyrics.
