1980 Mar-Jul: This is great. The world premiere of this tune pops up late in the tour (7/2), only days after the band originally starts rehearsing it. Lyrically speaking, almost all the words are intact from the beginning, with only a missing line or two, and one major change in that one particular line now reads- "Ed got a blow job that made his peter turn green". Musically speaking, however, this is quite a different, and very amusing, beast. Instead of the breezy blues that we know, the song here is performed with Gary Numan's "Cars" as the musical backing. We get a perfect rendition of that nu-wave hit, with Frank's "In France" tribute replacing Gary's ode to the automobile. The results are hilarious, and actually quite musical. If you have not heard this tape, just start singing "In France" next time you hear "Cars", and you will see how well this works. [Many months later, and I have just received 6/22, the true origin of "In France". During Frank's "City of Tiny Lites" solo, Barrow quotes "Cars" briefly in the midst of the solo. Later, during "Mudd Club", Barrow returns to the "Cars" bassline, which prompts Frank to make up some verses about France. Without so much as thinking twice, he whips out one verse, and gets a big laugh out of the band. He begins a second verse, but cannot finish it without some help from the band. He then tries to go back and sing the first verse, but cannot remember it until Ike jumps in and helps. Short and amusing, but an excellent insight to the way (and the speed) at which Frank's mind works.]
1982: I have not heard this tour's performance of this tune, so I therefore solicit the opinion/review of someone who has. Helping me out will not turn your peter green.[ Jon Naurin comes to the rescue: "Essentially performed as on "Them or Us", i.e slower than on YCDTOSA3. It starts out with Tommy playing the famous first notes of the French national anthem in characteristic Mars-harmonic style. Then there's the first 5 verses, before Bobby (?) is told to "Blow your harmonica, son!", followed by a mean blues solo by FZ, and finally the last verse. Lyrics are essentially the same too, with just a few differences".]
1984: Essentially played as on YCDTOSA Volume III, except for the fact that Frank chose to edit out his guitar solo. Yet another song that usually had a short but interesting guitar solo that CD-philes will never know about. On 7/22, Johnny "Guitar" Watson joined the band for this encore performance.
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