FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

• Joe's Corsage (2004), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?, recorded at Original Sound, Los Angeles, CA, October 20, 1965
  • same version on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?
• Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?—False Starts and How Could I Be Such A Fool?, recorded at Tim Sullivan's Seward St. Studio, Los Angeles, CA, early 1966
• The Old Masters Box One—Mystery Disc (1985), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?, recorded at Tim Sullivan's Seward St. Studio, Los Angeles, CA, early 1966
  • same version on Zappa—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2020)
• Freak Out! (1966), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, recorded at T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA, March 10-11, 1966
  • same version (original vinyl mix) on The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) (2006) and The MOFO Project/Object (2006)
  • same version (pre-master 1966 mix) on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026)
  • same version (original 1966 stereo mix, 2026 master) on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026)
  • same version (original 1966 mono mix) on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026)
  • same version (mono mix) released as a single (Verve/MGM VK-10418, 1966)
    • same version on The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) (2006), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?
  • same version, basic tracks, on The MOFO Project/Object (2006), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?—Basic Tracks
  • same version (Mono Vocal Reference Mix) on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (2026), as How Could I Be Such A Fool
  • part of the same version, with overdubs, on We're Only In It For The Money (1968), as basic track for the second section of Lonely Little Girl
    • same version on Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention (Transparency) (1975)
    • same version, mono mix, on The Lumpy Money Project/Object (2009), as Lonely Little Girl
    • same version, 1984 remix with overdubs, on The Lumpy Money Project/Object (2009), as Lonely Little Girl
    • same version, instrumental mix at original speed, on The Lumpy Money Project/Object (2009), as Lonely Little Girl (Instrumental)
  • same version, Dolby Atmos & 5.1 mix, on Freak Out! 60th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray, 2026)
• Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (original vinyl) (1968), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, recorded at Apostolic Studios, New York, NY, 1968
  • same version on Pregnant (1972)
  • same version on Greasy Love Songs (2010), as How Could I Be Such A Fool
  • same version on Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (1985 remix) (1985), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, with overdubs recorded at UMRK, c. 1982-83
• Zappa/Erie (2022), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, performed in Edinboro, PA, May 8, 1974
• BTB I: Unmitigated Audacity (1991), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, performed in South Bend, IN, May 12, 1974
• Cheaper Than Cheep (2025), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, performed in Los Angeles, CA, June 21, 1974
  • same version on Cheaper Than Cheep—The Movie (2025) as How Could I Be Such A Fool
• Zappa '75—Zagreb/Ljubljana (2022), as How Could I Be Such A Fool, performed in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, November 22, 1975
• FZ:OZ (2002), as How Could I Be Such A Fool?, second part performed in Sydney, Australia, January 20, 1976; first part performed in Japan, February 1976

 

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

• September-October 1967 (1st MOI European Tour)—known performances: 1
• May 1970 (MOI Reunion)—known performances: 2
• April-May 1974 (MOI 10th Anniversary Tour)—known performances: 7
• June-August 1974 (MOI)—known performances: 2
• September-October 1974 (MOI European Tour)—known performances: 1
• September-December 1975 (MOI)—known performances: 21
• January-March 1976 (MOI Pacific & European Tour)—known performances: 33

 

Comments

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

1974: Essentially performed as on "Unmitigated Audacity" from Beat the Boots Volume I, with Brock on vocals. Compared to the "Freak Out" version, these performances are slightly faster, with an added guitar solo ending complete with additional improvised vocals.

1975: Essentially performed as on "Freak Out", allowing for obvious differences in instrumentation. Brock overdoes the vocals, and even though Frank's guitar adds a little more oomph! to the proceedings, this version pretty much sucks. The title probably refers to the question running through Frank's head as this band sucked the life out of this song.

1976: Essentially performed as on "Ruben and the Jets", allowing for obvious differences in instrumentation. Brock overdoes the vocals, and even though Frank adds a little more oomph! to the proceedings with his guitar, this is overall a pretty painful version of this tune.