1968: Rather surprisingly, this 4/10 performance sounds more like the 1972/73 versions of this tune than the 1968 "Uncle Meat" version. Or for you without a tape of said live version, this sounds a lot more like "Son of Mr. Green Genes" then the actual "Mr. Green Genes" itself. Performed as an instrumental, this bouncy, upbeat musical jaunt is one of the better straightforward showcases of the band's improvisational talents, and contains a lengthy, no-nonsense solo section. After a short version of the head, we get a parade of solos-horn, keyboard, and guitar- none of which are in any way "weird", and all of which are great. The intensity of these solos surprises, especially considering the lighthearted nature of the arrangement, and the relative simplicity of the accompanying rhythm section. While I have never been a great fan of the early '70's performances of these tunes- all skill but no passion- I find this performance to be one of the highlights of a year filled with many. A must hear (despite the fact that, as Franks says after the performance, they "are sadly not in tune".)
1972: A rather dull and simplified version of the "Hot Rats" track. Running at about 10 minutes in length, this version starts off with the uptempo version of the main theme, played through twice before depositing us in the solo section. We get several horn solos, and a Frank workout, all over the same rather listless vamp. The only real highlight of this song (and a highlight throughout the tour) is the excellent drumming and rhythm work, both by the bass player and the rhythm guitarist, who manage to salvage this rather dull solo fest.
1973: Performed as part of the "Mr. Green Genes-> King Kong-> Chunga's Revenge-> Mr. Green Genes" medley. The first portion of the song is a rather fast run-through of the "Hot Rats" take, heavy on percussion, having a very bouncy, light feel. Once the melody is played twice through, we get some breathing room for a short Underwood horn solo, before heading off into a breakneck-paced "King Kong". Then, later in his guitar solo during "Chunga's Revenge", Frank returns to the melody of "Mr. Green Genes", leading the band into a short instrumental version of this tune, similar to the latter half of the song as it appears on TBBYNHIYL.
1988: Essentially performed as on TBBYNHIYL. As with the transition from "Florentine Pogen" into "Andy", the transition from this into "Florentine Pogen" is oh-so perfect, and helps create one of the best 3 song pairings of the tour.
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