ccxxxii. ZAPPA, Frank: Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance

ccxxxii. ZAPPA, Frank (1940-1993)

THE EVOLUTION OF
Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance

Eight Versions

1. from The Lost Episodes (1996)
recorded 1961
FZ, guitar
Danny Helferin, piano
Chuck Foster, trumpet
Tony Rodriguenz, alto saxophone
Caronga Ward, bass
Chuck Glave, drums
(3:51)

2. from Lumpy Gravy, Part II (1968)
recorded 1963
FZ, guitar, bass, drums, percussion
Allison Buff, vocals
Paul Buff, organ
(1:55)

3. from Joe's Corsage (2004)
as I'm So Happy I Could Cry
recorded 1965
FZ, guitar, vocals
Ray Collins, vocals, tambourine
Roy Estrada, bass
Jimmy Carl Black, drums
(2:43)

4. from We're Only In It For The Money (1968)
recorded 1967
FZ, guitar, piano, vocals
Ian Underwood, piano, woodwinds
Don Preston, keyboards
Euclid James Motorhead Sherwood, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
Bunk Gardner, woodwinds
Roy Estrada, bass, vocals
Billy Mundi, drums, vocals
Jimmy Carl Black, drums, trumpet, vocals
Arthur Barrow, 1984 mix new bass tracks
Chad Wackerman, 1984 mix new drum tracks
(1:32)

5. from Joe's Camouflage (2014)
recorded 1975
FZ, guitar, vocals
Denny Walley, guitar, vocals
Robert "Frog" Camarena, vocals, guitar
Novi Novog, viola, keyboards, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock, vocals, saxophone, keyboards
Roy Estrada, bass
Terry Bozzio, drums
(1:55)

6. from Joe's Menage (2008)
recorded 1975
FZ, guitar, vocals
Norma Jean Bell, alto saxophone, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock, tenor saxophone, vocals
André Lewis, keyboards, vocals
Roy Estrada, bass, vocals
Terry Bozzio, drums, vocals
(2:10)

7. from FZ:OZ (2002)
recorded 1976
FZ, guitar, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock, tenor saxophone, vocals
André Lewis, keyboards, vocals
Roy Estrada, bass, vocals
Terry Bozzio, drums, vocals
(2:02)

8. from You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1992)
recorded 1978
FZ, guitar, vocal
Shankar, electric violin
Denny Walley, slide guitar, vocals
Tommy Mars, keyboards, vocals
Peter Wolf, keyboards
Ed Mann, percussion
Arthur Barrow, guitar
Patrick O'Hearn, bass
Vinnie Colaiuta, drums
(3:46)

Zappa's earliest efforts at writing catchy melodies is evident in (1) and (2) -- by 1963. In '65 he put some "love" lyrics to it (3)

"going back again to see that girl / I left behind me when I went out / to see this great big world / I know I love that girl / And I hope that she still wants me to be / Her one and only guy / Going back to see the girl I love / And I'm so happy I could cry"

Zappa would quickly disassociate himself from such pap by the time of the Money release (4). The song is now in a form with lyrics and melody cleverly married.

(5) is from a rehearsal (Novi!) and (6) (7) and (8) are from live performances from the mid- to late-70's.