It’s been nearly 50 years since Frank Zappa’s celebrated album, Over-Nite Sensation, first debuted. Now, the record is receiving box set treatment: the “super deluxe” Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition will drop on November 3rd via Zappa Records and UMe. Stream the first single, “Fifty-Fifty (Basic Tracks, Take 7),” below.
The reissue was produced and compiled by Zappa’s son, Ahmet Zappa, as well as “Zappa Vaultmeister,” Joe Travers. The original album was produced by Zappa, and featured a group of virtuosic musicians, including Tina Turner and a then-newly-reformed iteration of Zappa’s backing band, The Mothers, which had grown to include a number of jazz greats, like Jean-Luc Ponty and George Duke. Its original release date was September 7th, 1973 — it was certified Gold in November 1976, becoming one of Zappa’s most commercially-successful releases and bringing his sound to a wider audience.
Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition boasts a whopping 57 previously unreleased tracks, including masters, mix outtakes, two live concerts, and more. It’s all packaged as a five-disc set, including four CDs and a Blu-Ray version of the album remixed in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound. The deluxe package also comes with a 48-page booklet of photos, liner notes, an essay, and more. Pre-orders are ongoing.
Additionally, the reissue will be available on vinyl, coming in a 2xLP format and a limited edition 3xLP format, with colored vinyl, of course. The vinyl versions will include the original album, and few select tracks from the unreleased material, making the tracklist slightly different than the CD box set. Check out tracklists for all versions below. The reissue will also be available digitally on streaming platforms, and the Dolby Atmos mixes will even be accessible through “major hi-res streaming services.”
Earlier this year, a collection of Zappa’s rarities entitled Funky Nothingness was released.
Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition Artwork:
Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition 4xCD 1xBlu-Ray Audio Super Deluxe Tracklist:
Disc 1 — Over-Nite Sensation
01. Camarillo Brillo
02. I’m the Slime
03. Dirty Love
04. Fifty-Fifty
05. Zomby Woof
06. Dinah-Moe Humm
07. Montana
Disc 1 — Bonus Session Masters
08. Wonderful Wino (Complete Edit)*
09. Inca Roads (1973 Version, 2023 Mix)*
10. RDNZL (1973 Mix)*
11. For the Young Sophisticate (Dolby EQ Copy)
12. I’m the Slime (Single Version)
13. Montana (Single Edit With Intro)
Disc 1 — Bonus Vault Sensations
14. Inca Roads (Bolic Take-Home Mix)*
15. RDNZL (Take 2)*
16. X-Forts (Echidna’s Arf (Of You))*
Disc 2 — Bonus Vault Sensations (continued)
01. Camarillo Brillo (Alternate Mix)*
02. Face Down (I’m The Slime – Demo)*
03. I’m the Slime (Basic Track Outtake)*
04. Dirty Love (Session Rehearsal)*
05. Dirty Love (With Quad Guitar)*
06. Fifty-Fifty – Pipe Organ Intro Improvisations*
07. Fifty-Fifty (Basic Tracks, Take 7)*
08. Dinah-Moe Humm (Session Rehearsal)*
09. Dinah-Moe Humm (Bolic Take-Home Mix)*
10. Montana (Bolic Take-Home Mix)*
Disc 2 — Live In Hollywood, California, Hollywood Palladium – March 23, 1973
11. Montana*
12. Dupree’s Paradise (Intro)*
13. Dupree’s Paradise*
Disc 3 — Live In Hollywood, California, Hollywood Palladium – March 23, 1973 (continued)
01. Cosmik Debris*
02. “The Dynamic Sal Marquez!”*
03. Big Swifty*
04. “…The Successor To Willie The Pimp”*
05. The Curse of the Zomboids (I’m The Slime)*
05. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?*
06. FZ & The Percussion Section*
07. Palladium Jam – Part 1*
08. Palladium Jam – Part 2*
Disc 4 — Live In Detroit, Michigan, Cobo Hall – May 12, 1973
01. Cobo Hall ’73 Band Intros and Sound Check*
02. Exercise #4*
03. Dog Breath*
04. The Dog Breath Variations*
05. Uncle Meat*
06. Fifty-Fifty*
07. Inca Roads*
08. FZ Introduces the Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow Medley*
09. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow*
10. Nanook Rubs It*
11. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast*
12. Father O’Blivion*
13. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast (Reprise)*
14. Join the March*
15. Cosmik Debris*
16. Medley: King Kong/Chunga’s Revenge/Son Of Mr. Green Genes*
Disc 5 — Blu-Ray Audio — Over-Nite Sensation in Dolby Atmos* / Dolby TrueHD 5.1* / Dolby TrueHD 1973 Quadraphonic / 24-bit/192kHz Stereo / 24-bit/96kHz Stereo
01. Camarillo Brillo
02. I’m the Slime
03. Dirty Love
04. Fifty-Fifty
05. Zomby Woof
06. Dinah-Moe Humm
07. Montana
Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition 2xLP Tracklist:
LP1 – Side 1
01. Camarillo Brillo
02. I’m the Slime
LP1 – Side 2
01. Dirty Love
02. Fifty-Fifty
LP2 – Side 3
01. Zomby Woof
02. Dinah-Moe Humm
LP2 – Side 4
01. Montana
Over-Nite Sensation: 50th Anniversary Edition 3xLP Tracklist:
LP1 – Side 1 (45 rpm)
01. Camarillo Brillo
02. I’m the Slime
LP1 – Side 2 (45 rpm)
01. Dirty Love
02. Fifty-Fifty
LP2 – Side 3 (45 rpm)
01. Zomby Woof
02. Dinah-Moe Humm
LP2 – Side 4 (45 rpm)
01. Montana
LP3 – Side 5 (33-1/3 rpm)
01. Wonderful Wino (Complete Edit)*
02. Inca Roads (1973 Version, 2023 Mix)*
03. RDNZL (1973 Mix)*
04. For the Young Sophisticate (Dolby EQ Copy)
05. I’m the Slime (Single Version)
LP3 – Side 6 (33-1/3 rpm)
01. Montana (Live in Hollywood, California – March 23, 1973)*
02. Face Down (I’m The Slime Demo)*
03. Camarillo Brillo (Alternate Mix)*
04. Dirty Love (With Quad Guitar)*
* = previously unreleased
