1975 Sep-Dec: Not performed as the complete song, the lyrics premiered on this tour and appeared in both "Black Napkins" and "Any Downers". During several performances of these tunes, Frank recited several lines of lyrics from "Packard Goose", and explained his reasons for his animosity towards the press. As they are recited here, the lyrics more closely resemble the early "Packard Goose" performances from the Fall '78 tour than they do the later "Joe's Garage" lyrics.
1978 Aug-Oct: Pay attention, coz things are bound to get confusing. While several of the vocal parts actually premiered on the Fall '75 tour, the musical monster that we know and possibly love premiered on this tour. The verse/chorus sections are essentially the same as on "Joe's Garage.", with extra lines occasionally appearing in the second verse. "They go to the party just to chew on the cheese, and they act like they all have some great expertise, they tell you that Rock 'n' Roll is dead, oh, spare me please." [Thanks Naurin, and nice rhyming Frank] The "Mary" section- musically speaking- was intact since tour rehearsals, though the spoken lines were not yet fully developed. By the final '78 performance on Halloween, the Mary section immediately followed the second chorus (no "journalism" section), with Frank beginning with the "Information is Knowledge" line. After "Music is the Best", however, Frank says, "However denied... Wherever its tried...However... Is never... Forever" [Note from Charles Ulrich: I hear this as: "However denied/Whenever it's tried/A lever/Is never/Forever"]. For the Halloween show, the solo section as we know it then follows, though it is not as pronounced as it is on "Joe's Garage", and has a much heavier, keyboard content. For previous shows, we either got no solo and a longer rant on the evils of journalism (9/15), or we got a solo over the calmer "Mary" progression. Finally, depending on the show, we get a Frank solo only, or a Frank/Shankar battle. (Did you get all that?) I love the "Joe's Garage" version (is this still an unpopular opinion?), and although these versions do not have the power of that release, they are still worth hearing, if just for historical purposes only.
1982: Essentially performed as on "Joe's Garage", with the standard deviation coming in Frank's somewhat shorter solo. During "Mary's speech", which is actually performed in its entirety, several members of the band recite the lines in droll unison, sounding almost robotic. While we obviously cannot have Dale doing this every time, the way Frank chose to do it on this tour does not really work. In my opinion, the '78 and '88 versions work better because Frank recites the lines himself, and he is able to give flavor to these not completely serious lyrics. And sorry, Wackerman, but this is when we really start to miss Vinnie.
1988: One of the puzzling "why was this not included on one of the three officially released '88 tour document?" omissions. One of the more frequently performed songs of the tour, this version of the Joe's Garage tune appears essentially as it does on the album, with one major difference- there is no guitar solo. Instead, after the line "Music is the Best", the band jumps head first into the "Royal March/Bartok" medley found on MAJNH. Then, once this surprise little treat ends, the band returns to the final verse of "Packard Goose" and finishes the song. This is one of the repeated little treats of the tour, and a good argument for why we need yet another live '88 release.
The earliest version of this song had an extra verse and chorus, and here's my attempt at transcribing:
Verse II:
They go to the party just to chew on the cheese
and they act like they all have some great expertise
they tell you rock 'n roll is dead, oh spare me please!
Hey Joe, who did you blow?
Moe pushed the button boy and you went to the show
I call you a fool but you're really too low
So stay where you belong
on the end of baby's dong (?)
so suck it good and strong,
it'll help your job along.
Verse III:
Fuck all you writers with a pen in your hand
I will be more specific so you might understand
You can all kiss my ass but because it's so grand
You best just stay away.
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey Joe, better book off of Moe
Better help fill that quota now, your rent makes you flow.
Better suck a little harder or the sheckles won't flow
And I don't need your thumb
So on your knees you bum
Just tell yourself it's yum
And suck until you're numb.
(break)
(Spoken, instead of "Journalism's kind of scary..."):
Suck Mo, just get down there and suck.
A little napkin for your knees perhaps?
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