THE 1969 WARNER/REPRISE SONGBOOK PRO 331 (-69) US

When finding issues part of the Warner/Reprise "Loss Leaders" sampler serie I always expect good music and audio plus more or less rare tracks or edits. This was the first in the serie and it has all of that. For me it feels comfy getting Zappa, Electric Prunes, Family, Fugs, Tiny Tim, Wild Man Fischer and Jimi Hendrix at the same place. And if I'm in a pop mood there's also Everly Brothers, Joni Mitchell, Kinks, Neil Young and Van Morrison to enjoy, together with ten more acts. Compiling itself sometimes odd but never boring. A few exemples. Side 3 starts with Tiny Tim laughing as intro to a Suzy Creamcheese monolog that in its turn opens a Zappa/Mothers medley with cuts from "Uncle Meat"...then continuing with a Fugs "It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest" medley and ending up with the Arlo Guthrie live take "The Pause Of Mr. Claus", where he's ranting and singing about FBI and Santa. Side 1 and 2 takes off with spoken outtakes from Wild Man Fischer's "Songs For Sale" as introduction for Jethro Tull's "My Sunday Feeling" and Everly Brothers "T For Texas". If any of those combinations should be regarded as fit or clash depends on where you are. Non of the chosen cuts were hits at the time, but obviously considered worthy by the compilers and they sure work for me today put together like this. It may seem weird all girl pics on sleeve are from members of the "GTO:s" combo not part of the track list, but since they were Zappa's proteges at the time it figures. My favorites - Jimi Hendrix "Red House" (same alternate version that also showed up on the US "Smash Hits"), Electric Prunes "Finders Keepers", Family "Second Generation Woman", Kinks "Picture Book" and most of the others. This was US only, also reissued mid seventies on the "Burbank" label. The label design shown here was used 1970-73 (first green had a "W" logo on top), so this can be called a second press. It came in a glossy fold/out cover with a glued in four page booklet containing pics and info on all the involved. (SÄM*) (YZÄ*) (LÖZZ*)