Editing Absolutely Free (section)

==Album Cover and libretto==
The album was planned for release in January 1967 but ran into trouble when Verve objected to Zappa's idea of printing the lyrics on the back cover, as well as to the phrase "war means work for all" on a billboard included in the illustrated collage which had also been constructed by Zappa.<ref name = "Frank"/> Months passed before a compromise was reached: the lyrics would not be printed on the album, but it was allowed for an ad to be placed in the gatefold for listeners to send one dollar for a complete libretto booklet containing lyrics and plot explanations. 
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Huey">{{cite web |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/absolutely-free-mw0000198347 |title=Absolutely Free&nbsp;– The Mothers of Invention |first=Steve |last=Huey |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=26 June 2011}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2002|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0857125958|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Martin C. Strong|The Great Rock Bible]]''
| rev3score = 8/10<ref>{{cite book|title=The Great Rock Bible|last=Strong|first=Martin C.|author-link=Martin C. Strong|edition=1st|year=2024|isbn=978-1-9127-3328-6|publisher=[[Red Planet Books]]}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Kerrang!]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|1|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Slippery Customers |magazine=[[Kerrang!]] |date=28 January 1989 |last=Henderson|first=Paul |issue=223 |page=18 |issn=0262-6624 }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide]]''
| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|title=[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide]]|editor=Gary Graff|editor-link=Gary Graff|edition=1st|year=1996|location=London|isbn=978-0-7876-1037-1|publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]]}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[:it:Claudio Fabretti|OndaRock]]''
| rev6score = 9/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Marchini|first=Massimo|title=Frank Zappa|url=https://www.ondarock.it/songwriter/frankzappa.htm|access-date=7 March 2021|website=OndaRock|language=it}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name=RSguide>{{cite book |chapter=Frank Zappa |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |first=Rob |last=Sheffield |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |publisher=[[Fireside Books]] |location=London |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&q=frank+zappa|access-date=October 24, 2020 }}</ref>
| rev8 = Sputnikmusic
| rev8score = 5/5<ref>{{cite web|last=jimmy|first=praise|date=26 May 2013|title=Review: The Mothers of Invention - Absolutely Free|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/57014/The-Mothers-of-Invention-Absolutely-Free/|access-date=7 March 2021|website=Sputnikmusic}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev9Score = 8/10 <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/frank-zappathe-mothers-of-invention-reissues |title=Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention reissues |first=David |last=Cavanagh |website=uncut.co.uk |publisher=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |access-date=25 December 2016 |archive-date=26 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226145620/http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/frank-zappathe-mothers-of-invention-reissues |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|rev10 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
|rev10Score = B−<ref name="Robert">{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=20 December 1976|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6N9LAAAAIBAJ&pg=6134,4535773|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide to 1967|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|page=69|location=New York|access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>
| noprose = yes
}}