Sofa

FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

Carnegie Hall (2011), as Sofa #1, performed in New York, NY, October 11, 1971
BTB II: Swiss Cheese/Fire! (1992), as second part of Sofa, performed in Montreux, Switzerland, December 4, 1971
The Mothers 1971 (2022), as Divan: Sofa #1, performed in London, UK, December 10, 1971
- same version on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 (1988), as Sofa #1
One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (2025), as Sofa No. 1—Basic Tracks, Take 6, recorded at Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO, December 12, 1974
One Size Fits All (1975), as Sofa No. 1, recorded at Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO, December 1974, with overdubs probably recorded at The Record Plant, c. January-February 1975
- same version on Zappatite—Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks (2016)
- same version on One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (2025), as Sofa No. 1
- same version, early mix, on One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (2025), as Sofa No. 1—Master Take, Early Mix, mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, December 27, 1974
- same version, quadraphonic mix, on One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (Blu-ray, 2025), as Sofa No. 1—1975 Quad Mix, mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, March 27, 1975
- same version, with overdubbed vocals, on One Size Fits All (1975) as Sofa No. 2
  - same version on Zappa Picks By Jon Fishman Of Phish (2002)
  - same version on Zappa Picks By Larry LaLonde Of Primus (2002)
  - same version on One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (2025), as Sofa No. 2
  - same version, rough mix, on One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary (2025), as Sofa No. 2—Rough Mix, mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, February 27, 1975
  - same vocals, reversed, on Ya Hozna on Them Or Us (1984)
    - same song on Son Of Cheep Thrills (1999)
Zappa In New York (LP, 1978), as Sofa, performed in New York, NY, December 27 & 29, 1976, with overdubs from Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, c. April 1977
- same version on Zappa In New York 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2019), as Sofa
- same version on Zappa—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2020)
- same version, different mix, on Zappa In New York (CD, 1991), as Sofa
Zappa In New York 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2019), as Sofa #2, performed in New York, NY, December 28, 1976
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 (1988), as Sofa #2, performed in Pistoia, Italy, July 8, 1982
Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show (2021), as Sofa #1, performed in Uniondale, NY, March 25, 1988
The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life (1991), as Sofa #1, performed in Stuttgart, Germany, 1988

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

August-October 1971 (MOI)—known performances: 3
November-December 1971 (MOI European Tour)—known performances: 10
December 1976 (New York)—known performances: 4; known quotations: 1
August-October 1978 (Europe & North America)—known performances: 4
May-July 1982 (Europe)—known performances: 31
February-March 1988 (North America)—known performances: 23
April-June 1988 (Europe)—known performances: 16

Comments

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

1971: Essentially performed as on YCDTOSA Volume I, and always appears as part two of the overlong and multifaceted "Sofa Suite".

1978: Essentially performed as on OSFA, accounting for obvious differences in instrumentaion. Only performed a couple times as part of the Halloween run festivities.

1982: Essentially performed as on YCDTOSA Volume I.

1988: Essentially performed as on TBBYNHIYL. While this version is obviously intended to be a performance of "Sofa #1"- the instrumental version- Ike occasionally feels so moved by the music that he begins singing along, bringing us into the realm of "Sofa #2". Apparently, however, Ike does not know the original lyrics to the song (or else has forgotten them since '78), and usually justs inserts the Secret Word into whatever spot it can fit.

Conceptual Continuity

Time Is Money ("From my Couch-In-The-Sky")

The Chrome Continuity:

Who Are The Brain Police? ("the plastic is all melted and so is the chrome")
The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny
Uncle Meat ("Chromium plated")
Magic Fingers ("chrome-with-heavy-duty-leather-thong Peace Medallion")
Sofa ("Ich bin der Chrome Dinette")
Muffin Man ("oversized chrome spoon")
A Token Of My Extreme ("chrome piggy bank")
Stick It Out ("feel the chrome")
Sy Borg ("chromium leg", "chrome-plated machine")
Ya Hozna ("etteniD emorhC red nib hcI")