FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

• Over-Nite Sensation 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (2023) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in Detroit, MI, May 12, 1973
• The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) as part of Don't Eat The Yellow Snow/St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast (Live), performed in Sydney, Australia, June 24, 1973
• One Shot Deal (2008) as part of Australian Yellow Snow, performed in Sydney, Australia, June 25, 1973
• The Roxy Performances (2018) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow—In Session, recorded at Bolic Sound, Inglewood, CA, December 12, 1973
  • parts of the same recording on Roxy—The Movie (2015) as part of End Credits (Don't Eat The Yellow Snow/Father O'Blivion)
  • last seconds on Apostrophe (') (1974) as basic track for the last seconds of Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, with overdubs from Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, CA, early 1974
    • same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow
    • parts of the same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as part of Apostrophe (') TV Ad
    • same version, different edit, released as a single (DiscReet DSS 1312, October 1974)
      • same version (single edit) on Strictly Commercial (1995)
      • same version on Zappatite—Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks (2016)
      • same version released in 2014 as Record Store Day 7" single
      • same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Single Edit)
• The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Basic Tracks—Alternate Take), recorded at Bolic Sound, Inglewood, CA, December 1973
  • same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Basic Tracks/Alternate Take)
  • same basic track on Apostrophe (') (1974) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, with overdubs from Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, CA, early 1974
    • same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow
    • same version, different edit, released as a single (DiscReet DSS 1312, October 1974)
      • same version (single edit) on Strictly Commercial (1995)
      • same version on Zappatite—Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks (2016)
      • same version released in 2014 as Record Store Day 7" single
      • same version on Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Single Edit)
• Zappa/Erie (2022), as part of Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in Erie, PA, November 12, 1974
• Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024), as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in Dayton, OH, November 20, 1974
• Bongo Fury (1975), quoted in Cucamonga, recorded at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, January-February 1975
• BTB I: Saarbrücken 1978 (1991) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in Saarbrücken, Germany, September 3, 1978
• Chicago '78 (2016) as part of Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in Chicago, IL, September 29, 1978
• Halloween (2003) as Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in New York, NY, October 31, 1978
• You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 (1988) as part of Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, performed in London, UK, February 19, 1979

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

• February-May 1973 (MOI)—known performances: 10
• June-July 1973 (MOI Pacific Tour)—known performances: 5
• October-December 1974 (MOI)—known performances: 11
• August-October 1978 (Europe & North America)—known performances: 27
• February-April 1979 (Europe)—known performances: 15
• March-May 1980 (North America)—known performances: 16
• May-July 1980 (Europe)—known performances: 11
• October-December 1980 (North America)—known performances: 17

Comments

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

1973: Of the four parts of the "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" medley present on this tour which would make it onto "Apostrophe", it is this part which appears in its most different form. Instead of the appropriately plodding nature of the official version (which does a wonderful job of musically conveying the sense of walking through snow), this version is taken at a rather hyper pace, with an extended, busy intro, and some funky, Duke keyboards underlying the vocals. The vocals are not as fully developed as they eventually would be, and the whole tune comes off as rather messily composed. Not the best of debuts, but an interesting look at the working mind of Frank. For this tour, this song always appears as part one of the five part "Don't Eat" medley (including part two "Nanook Rubs It", part three "St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast", part four an extended "Father O'Blivion", and part five the this-tour-only "Mar-juh-rene").

1974 Jul-Dec: Arranged somewhat differently on this tour than on the official release and on subsequent tours. Essentially, it was the hyperactive, lots of extraneous music version. It starts off as normal until the conclusion of the first vocal line. But after this line, and almost every subsequent line, the band would play the opening theme of the song, but in a very loud, very overdone style. After playing this theme, the next line would be sung, then the aforementioned theme, then a line, etc., until we reach "Nanook". Interesting. This song was always played as part one of the four part "Don't Eat" suite.

1978: Essentially performed as on "Saarbrucken" from Beat the Boots Volume I. This song was always performed as part one of the five part suite. [DETYS- part one, Nanook Rubs It- part two, St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast- part three, Father O'Blivion- part four, Rollo- part five]

1979: Essentially played as on YCDTOSA Volume I, and always appeared as the first part of the five part suite which Frank just called "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow." [one- DETYS, two- Nanook Rubs It, three- St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast, four- Father O' Blivion, five- Rollo]

1980 Mar-Jul: Essentially performed as on "Apostrophe (')", allowing for obvious differences in instrumentation. For the first time in its career, this song is performed as a solo piece, without the other songs commonly found in the "Don't Eat" suite.

1980 Oct-Dec: Essentially performed as on "Apostrophe (')", accounting for obvious differences in instrumentation. For the second time in its career (the first being the previous '80 tour), this song is performed as a solo piece, without the other songs commonly found in the "Don't Eat" suite.

From ASCAP ACE Title Search:

Variations:
DANCE WITH ME
YELLOW SNOW
DONT EAT THE YELLOW SNOW

Conceptual Continuity

• Nanook Rubs It
• St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast
• Father O'Blivion
• Mar-Juh-Rene
• Rollo
• Cucamonga