Plastic People should not be confused with The Plastic People of the Universe.
"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 | |
| Artist: | The Mothers of Invention |
| Album: | Absolutely Free |
| Released: | May 26, 1967 |
| Recorded: | November 15, 1966[1] |
| Genre: | Experimental rock |
| Length: | 3:42 |
| Label: | Verve |
| Composer: | Frank Zappa[2] |
| Producer: | 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]