Frank Johnson's Favorites is a Ralph Records sampler album released in 1981. It is the second Ralph Records album credited to various artists after Subterranean Modern.
Background[]
Frank Johnson was the imaginary housemate of The Residents during the 1960s. He died in 1970. Around 1981, Ralph Records bought a computer. Sensing the same fear of the computer as they had feared Frank, The Residents decided to name him after this imaginary roommate.
Ralph Records decided to make the computer randomly select 14 song from the Ralph Records uncatalogued for an exciting and new randomly generated sampler LP. When the label reciveved Frank's selections in less than 4 second, they noticed that two of the tracks had never existed, and as such, were cast out.
The compilation was released July 11th 1981[1]. It features four tracks with The Residents, Loser/Weed, Smelly Tongues, Womb to Worm, and Flying. Melvyn's Repose was first released on this compilation.
Track Listing[]
- Tuxedomoon - Dark Companion (4:10)
- Fred Frith - What a Dilemma (3:12)
- Renaldo & the Loaf - Melvyn's Repose (2:05)
- MX-80 Sound - O Type (3:36)
- The Residents - Loser=Weed (2:09)
- Snakefinger - Smelly Tongues (2:24)
- Yello - I.T. Splash (2:37)
- MX-80 Sound - White Night (4:17)
- Snakefinger - Womb to Worm (3:13)
- The Residents - Flying (3:22)
- Art Bears - Collapse (3:00)
- Tuxedomoon - Crash (5:26)
Liner notes[]
FRANK JOHNSON PICKS THE HITS[]
Frank Johnson is the Ralph Records computer. A long time ago there was another Frank Johnson. he was the imaginary housemate of The Residents. Frank was smarter then The Residents in a sort of stupid logical way. The original Frank died in 1970. A short time ago when the Ralph computer first arrived, everybody was a little afraid of it. Afraid in the way that The Residents used to fear Frank. No reason to resist the obvious (reincarnation being what it is, and all), Frank Johnson is the Ralph Records computer. Frank was asked to select songs for an LP from all the material in the vault. Frank thought for about four seconds and selected the cuts you find on this record. Frank also selected two additional tracks which are not on this album. There is no record of the songs ever having existed. It is just like Frank to peek and poke at the future.
Credits[]
- 'Dark Companion' Written by Tuxedomoon
- 'What A Dilemma' Written by Fred Frith
- 'Melvyn's Repose' Written by Renaldo & the Loaf
- 'O Type' Written by Anderson/Stim
- 'Loser ≅ Weed' & 'Smelly Tongues' Written by: The Residents
- 'I.T Splash' Written by Blank/Meier
- 'White Night' Written by Anderson/Stim
- 'Womb to Worm' Written by Snakefinger
- 'Flying' Written by Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr
- 'Collapse' Written by Cutler/Frith
- 'Crash' Written by Belfer/Reininger