The Mothers Of Invention* – We're Only In It For The Money

Official Release #4

Zappa intended to release this album with the 'Sgt. Pepper album' pastiche as the cover. This was vetoed and it became the inner spread, with the original inner concept becoming the cover (again a parody of said album, with band members on a yellow background, but a subtlety lost on the censors). By the time this was issued on CD Zappa had more control. His vision for the release was reinstated with the 'Sgt. Pepper' imagery on covers. This was the first Schenkel sleeve design for FZ. Ironically, the original US insert, according to the artist, was actually printed on the same press-run (at Queens Litho) as the Sgt.Pepper insert. Vinyl sleeves may also credit the track correctly labeled 'Lonely Little Girl' as 'It's His Voice On the Radio'.

The Verve cat# system was V=mono & V6=stereo. A '/' was introduced for cover print to indicate content was either mono or stereo (i.e. V/V6) and an 'X' to indicate a further change to content. (The year-earlier release of Zappa "Freak Out!" issues demonstrates this system more clearly). Blue labels indicate earlier pressings to black labels.

There are 'counterfeit' issues of 'WOIIFTM' in circulation. These usually have hand-written matrices (or none) - V6 5045X is one popular example of this, with no visible track separation & Sunset Blvd address (+audio less sharp). Note: Original US V&V65054 do have hand-written matrices.

In the text balloon on sleeve back Frank Zappa Says : "Is This Phase One Of Lumpy Gravy?" making a reference to the album Lumpy Gravy.

Censorship: Beyond Zappa's control, MGM censored several tracks on early issues. "Absolutely Free" was edited to remove the word "balling", changing the context. On "Let's Make The Water Turn Black", the line "...I still remember Mama, with her apron and her pad..." was removed as it was thought "pad" referred to a sanitary napkin, rather than 'order pad'. A Lenny Bruce reference in "Harry, You're A Beast" and a spoken segment of "Concentration Moon" referring to The Velvet Underground was also deleted. Zappa later declined to accept an award for the album, stating "I prefer the award be presented to the guy who modified this record, because what you're hearing is more reflective of his work than mine."

A thorough explanation of censorship and the differences between vinyl and CD versions of this album can be found here: http://www.lukpac.org/~handmade/patio/vinylvscds/money.html .

Uncensored versions containing ao. the line "Also, at the same time, I get to work with the Velvet Underground, which is as shitty a group as Frank Zappa's group" on track "Concentration Moon", are rumored to exist.

Using the terms of the site mentioned above, "First version" in Format relates to versions not being uncensored, but still containing
- the line "kick the shit out of me on the street" on track "Who Needs The Peace Corps?"
- the word "balling" in "I don't do publicity balling for you anymore", and the words "flower power sucks" on track "Absolutely Free"
- the backwards "Mother People" verse on track "Hot Poop"
- the lines "And I still remember Mama with her apron and her pad / Feeding all the boys at Ed's Cafe" on track "Let's Make The Water Turn Black"