Plastic People
1967 song by The Mothers of Invention
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"Plastic People" is the first track of the Mothers of Invention's 1967 album Absolutely Free. A live version from 1969 is featured on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1, released in 1988, as Track 1 on disc 2, along with a "Louie, Louie/Plastic People"-like version titled "Ruthie-Ruthie" from 1974 as Track 10 on disc 1. It was also featured on the 1998 Mystery Disc release.
| "Plastic People" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Mothers of Invention | |
| from the album Absolutely Free | |
| Released | May 26, 1967 |
| Recorded | November 15, 1966[1] |
| Genre | Experimental rock, Protest song |
| Length | 3:42 |
| Label | Verve |
| Composer | Frank Zappa[2] |
| Producers | Frank Zappa, Tom Wilson |
The title was the inspiration for the name of the Czech band Plastic People of the Universe.[3] The tune is loosely based on Richard Berry's 1957 classic "Louie Louie". The song is a manifesto against conformity and materialistic culture, with Frank Zappa finally asking, "Go home/and check yourself/you think we're singing 'bout someone else?"
It is sampled throughout the GZA single "Cold World" from the Liquid Swords album.[4]