51 years ago, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, a name he wisely shortened to The Mothers, released Absolutely Free, a mocking, cutting and in places musically complex album of 60's social commentary.

The final track, "America Drinks and Goes Home" reflects the disdain the guitarist-composer-vocalist had for "cocktail lounge" music of the 50's and early 60's, when "combos" played in bars and lounges around America by fourth-rated musicians offering predictable blends of light (very light) jazz ("Caravan"), by-the-numbers pop standards ("Bill Bailey," "Stardust," "Quiet Village," "All of Me").

Zappa (1940-1993) played guitar in some of these bands, loathed the experience and wrote "America Drinks" in two versions, a brief interlude on the album and the final track, a vicious, scathing satire recreating the atmosphere, music and sound effects, enhanced by the fact that the Mothers were all skilled enough musicians to ably play that music badly (in part because they could play it perfectly if need be). They were even able to reproduce it during their legendary 1967 residency at the Garrick Theater in Greenwich Village. The lyrics were a mix of pop standard cliches.

On the record, Ray Collins handled tne vocal and "emcee" duties with keyboardist Don Preston conjuring up an incompetent pianist trying (and failing) to emulate Erroll Garner. Band manager Herb Cohen added the cash register sound effects and one of the voices was future Monty Python member Terry Gilliam.

1967: "American Drinks and Goes Home" from Absolutely Free.

Zappa's music, controversial though it was, gained acceptance among classical musicians as well as jazz players. French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, who favored more a progressive approach, recorded King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa, in 1969, including "America Drinks." The album was released in 1970.

More interesting was a 1974 take by Woody Herman, who made "Woodchopper's Ball" a jazz standard in the 1930's, known for his legendary First, Second and Third Herds, filled with progressive jazz luminaries. Herman played many of his best known songs onstage but also refused to remain in the past. He eagerly embraced the changes rock music brought to all musical forms and added younger player to his subsequent Herds "America Drinks and Goes Home" wasn't off limits. It appeared (instrumentally, no vocal) on their 1974 Thundering Herd album for Fantasy Records.

January, 1974: "America Drinks and Goes Home" by Woody Herman and his Orchestra, arranged by Alan Broadbent.