FRANK ZAPPA DISCOGRAPHY-CRUISING WITH RUBEN & THE JETS

Cruising With Ruben & The Jets is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1968, and controversially reissued in an alternate mix with recently recorded bass and percussion in 1984.

The album is designed as a simultaneous parody of and tribute to the doo-wop music Frank and many of the Mothers grew up with and worked tirelessly on. The album has been called a collision of high and low art, with Stravinsky-style chord changes and uncommon tempos used on purposely trite and banal adolescent pop love songs. The backing vocals at the end of "Fountain of Love", for example, sing the opening melody from Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
Going into “Ruben”, the listener cannot expect this to be like any of the other Mothers albums due to the material, in which not one of the quirky lyrics exist, with them being restored with simple love songs in the vein of “Go Cry On Somebody Else’s Shoulder” and “Motherly Love” from “Freak Out!” The doo-wop sound takes a few listens to get accustomed to, and after the third or fourth try, it’ll be sure to grab your attention. Unlike on other Mothers albums, the guitar isn’t as prominent, with Ray Collins’ falsetto using the stage, making the music even more authentic, fooling even more people.

Tracklist:

Cheap Thrills
Love Of My Life
How Could I Be Such A Fool
Deseri
I’m Not Satisfied
Jerry Roll Gum Drop
Anything
Later That Night
You Didn’t Try To Call Me
Fountain Of Love
“No. No. No.”
Anyway The Wind Blows
Stuff Up The Cracks

Personnel:

• Musicians

Frank Zappa – rock guitar, keyboards, sound effects, vocals, bass, drums
Jimmy Carl Black – guitar, percussion, drums, rhythm guitar
Ray Collins – guitar, vocals
Roy Estrada – bass, electric bass, sound effects, vocals, voices
Bunk Gardner – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Don Preston – bass, piano, keyboards
Euclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood – baritone saxophone, tambourine, guitar, vocals, wind
Art Tripp – drums, percussion
Ian Underwood – guitar, piano, keyboards, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, wind

• Production

Producer: Frank Zappa
Engineer: Dick Kunc
Cover Art: Cal Schenkel
Cover Design: Cal Schenkel
Artwork: Cal Schenkel