FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

• Halloween 77 (2017), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 28, 1977, early show
• Halloween 77 (2017), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 28, 1977, late show
• Halloween 77 (2017), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 29, 1977, early show
• Halloween 77 (2017), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 29, 1977, late show
• Halloween 77 (2017), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 31, 1977
  • same version in Baby Snakes (The Movie) (1979), as Bobby Brown Goes Down
    • same version on AAAFNRAA—Baby Snakes—The Compleat Soundtrack (2012), as Bobby Brown Goes Down
• Hammersmith Odeon (2010), as Bobby Brown, performed in London, UK, January 26, 1978
• Sheik Yerbouti (1979), as Bobby Brown, performed in London, UK, January 27, 1978 (with overdubs)
  • same version on Strictly Commercial (1995)
  • same version on Zappa en la Radio (1997)
  • same version on Zappatite—Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks (2016)
  • same version, remixed, on Have I Offended Someone? (1997), as Bobby Brown Goes Down
• BTB II: At The Circus (1992), as Bobby Brown, performed in Munich, Germany, c. August-September 1978
• BTB I: Saarbrücken 1978 (1991), as Bobby Brown, performed in Saarbrücken, Germany, September 3, 1978
• Zappa '80—Mudd Club/Munich (2023), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in Munich, Germany, July 3, 1980
• Buffalo (2007), as Bobby Brown, performed in Buffalo, NY, October 25, 1980
• Halloween 81 (2020), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in New York, NY, October 31, 1981, early show
• Does Humor Belong In Music? (Video) (1985), as Bobby Brown, performed in New York, NY, August 26, 1984
• You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (1989), as Bobby Brown Goes Down, performed in Seattle, WA, December 17, 1984
  • same version on Cheap Thrills (1998)

 

Tour(s) on which song is known to have been performed (main source: FZShows, v. 7.1)

• September-December 1977 (North America)—known performances: 17
• January-February 1978 (Europe)—known performances: 11
• August-October 1978 (Europe & North America)—known performances: 24
• February-April 1979 (Europe)—known performances: 4
• March-May 1980 (North America)—known performances: 19
• May-July 1980 (Europe)—known performances: 33
• October-December 1980 (North America)—known performances: 21
• September-December 1981 (North America)—known performances: 13
• May-July 1982 (Europe)—known performances: 18
• July-September 1984 (North America)—known performances: 26
• September-October 1984 (Europe)—known performances: 24
• October-December 1984 (North America)—known performances: 23
• February-March 1988 (North America)—known performances: 3
• April-June 1988 (Europe)—known performances: 9

 

Comments

Foggy G, "The Songs That Were Played," We're Only In It For The Touring

1977-78: Essentially performed as on "Sheik Yerbouti", which is excusable this time around being as this is the first tour the song appears.

1978 Aug-Oct: Essentially performed as it was always performed.

1979: Played at least three times—twice in March, and then later as an encore during the "chock-full-of-surprises" 4/1 show. Performed as it was destined always to be performed, regardless of year, band size, or Frank's mood.

1980 Mar-Jul: Even with this smaller, somewhat humbler band, Frank is able to play this song as its always been played—as with the large groups, the medium groups, the puny groups. Some things just never change.

1980 Oct-Dec: While Steve Vai's presence on this tour does wonders for the "You Are WhatYou Is" material, it seems to have absolutely no effect on this tune. Imagine that.

1981: Yes, the same version we have all grown to know and love. No changes, but with a story as perfect as this, why should there be?

1982: Imagine a world where this song was once—possibly twice—performed differently. Too hard to imagine? Hurting your brain? Okay, forget about it then. It's not like that ever would have happened, so...

1984: Essentially played as on YCDTOSA Volume III. A common vehicle for Secret Word usage.

1988: In the grand tradition of "Bobby Brown"'s, this song ends its brilliant career exactly the same way it started (accounting for obvious differences in instrumentation, obviously). Why change a good thing, right?

 

Conceptual Continuity

Potato-Headed Bobby:

• Advance Romance
• San Ber'dino
• The Illinois Enema Bandit
• THING-FISH

More Bobbies in:

• Sy Borg
• Bob In Dacron

Hi-Yo Silver! (Masked Man's A Fag!)

• Jewish Princess ("Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!")
• Tinsel Town Rebellion (on Does Humor Belong In Music? (1986)) ("Hi-Yo, Woody! Hi-Yo, Pecker! Hi-Yo, Silver!")
• Cosmik Debris (on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (1989)) ("Now what kind of a Masked Man are you anyway?", "With the oil of Hi-Yo, Silver", "Ah, Masked Man's a fag!")
• Advance Romance (on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (1989)) ("Hi-Yo, Silver!")
• Bobby Brown (on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (1989)) ("An' none of the jocks even think about Tonto","Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!")
• Keep It Greasey (on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (1989)) ("Thank you, Masked Man!", "Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!")
• The Illinois Enema Bandit (on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6 (1992)) ("And then the judge would say, 'No Silver jokes!'")
• Massagio Galore ("Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!")