Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch

by Frank Zappa

Type: Album
Released: 3 May 1982
Label: Barking Pumpkin
Country: United States
Length: 34:23
Community rating: 3.6/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Featuring the massive, culturally ubiquitous hit 'Valley Girl', Frank Zappa's 1982 release is a masterclass in dizzying musical complexity hidden behind a facade of absurd humor. The album juxtaposes incredibly tight, manic progressive rock instrumentals loaded with uncommon time signatures against quirky, highly playful satirical comedy, cementing Zappa's relentless avant-garde vision.

Genres

Descriptors: avant-garde, fusion, progressive, uncommon-time-signatures, experimental, satirical, theatrical, dissonant

Tracklist

Credits

Frank Zappa - primary artist, composed by, arranged by, producer [produced by], liner notes, performer [music performed by], lead guitar, vocals
Mark Pinske - engineer [for basics & over-dubs]
Bob Stone - engineer [for over-dubs & re-mix]
John Vince - graphics
Roger Price - illustration [cover illustration]
Glotzer Management - management
Bennett Glotzer - management [forearm]
Jo Hansch - mastered by [disc mastering]
Arthur Barrow - performer [music performed by], bass
Patrick O'Hearn - performer [music performed by], bass
Scott Thunes - performer [music performed by], bass
Chad Wackerman - performer [music performed by], drums
Steve Vai - performer [music performed by], guitar [impossible guitar parts]
Tommy Mars - performer [music performed by], keyboards
Bobby Martin - performer [music performed by], keyboards, saxophone [sax], vocals
Ed Mann - performer [music performed by], percussion
Ray White - performer [music performed by], rhythm guitar, vocals
Bob Harris - performer [music performed by], vocals
Ike Willis - performer [music performed by], vocals
Lisa Popeil - performer [music performed by], vocals
Moon Zappa - performer [music performed by], vocals, lyrics by [monologue improvised by]
Roy Estrada - performer [music performed by], vocals