This the fifth, and final before the break up, album released by The Mothers of Invention. It was released through Bizarre/Reprise on April 21, 1969 as a double album. It was meant to be the soundtrack to a film, that was sadly never finished.

The album was recorded from October 1967 to February 1968, the exceptions being the CD bonus tracks. Made up of both live and studio material, Uncle Meat has been praised by critics for the diversity of its compositions, the virtuosity of its performances, and its innovations in audio effects. A fan favorite, its tracks have been sampled (Madvillain used “Sleeping in a Jar” for “Meat Grinder”), covered (The Residents did a version of “King Kong”), and perhaps most famously redone by Zappa himself over the years (see “Son of Mr. Green Genes” especially). It introduced many new characters and motifs into the Zappa continuity, while also following up on old favorites like Suzy Creamcheese.