BOOK:The Frank Zappa Songbook, Vol. 1

Frank Zappa Music, Inc. and Munchkin Music co., Los Angeles USA_1973
128 pages, the print-run is not known. They generally are paperback, still a hardcover version exists.
Photos in book:, Bernard Gardner, Terry Moore Alice Ochs, Ed Caraeff, Ray Leong
Illustrations in book:, Richard E. Brown, Corny Cole, Gary Lund, Leo Limon
Cover by Cal Schenkel
English language
Transcriptions and all piano arrangements by Ian Underwood, with one exception (Piano Intro to "Little House", by FZ).

The Frank Zappa Songbook, Vol. 1

The Frank Zappa Songbook, Vol. 1 is a collection of sheet music, 8 full page photos and a few illustrations by Cal Schenkel. Pages 7-9 are involved in storylines from Ruben & The Jets, Uncle Meat and The Legend of Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus & His Grand Wazoo. The similar stuff which you can find in the album liner notes.

The Songbook includes piano transcriptions and also a part of FZ's manuscripts, which happen to be classified "of limited interest". That principally means that they're not playable. The manuscripts consist of a first sketch from the recording session of Waka/Jawaka.Two extracts from the "Pleated Gazelles" section of 200 Motels: "Nun Suit" and "The Girl, In a Statement to the Press, Explains" (full score). The full score (orchestra) for "Can I Help You with this Dummy", which was at first scheduled for use in 200 Motels.


Here you can find piano transcriptions for:




Brown Shoes Don't Make It,
Mother People,
Igor's Boogie,
Penis Dimension,
How Could I Be Such a Fool,
Let's Make the Water Turn Black,
Oh No,
America Drinks and Goes Home,
Son of Suzy Creamcheese,
Excerpt from Music for Electric Violin and Low-Budget Symphony Orchestra
(piano with concert pitch melody line),
Excerpt from Music for Electric Violin and Low-Budget Symphony Orchestra
(transposed Bb Clarinet part),
I'm Not Satisfied,
Mom & Dad,
Absolutely Free,
Uncle Meat,
The Idiot Bastard Son,
Piano Introduction to Little House I Used to Live In (revised)