FZ album(s) in which song has appeared

• Halloween 73 (2019), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Chicago, IL, October 31, 1973, early show
• Halloween 73 (2019), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Chicago, IL, October 31, 1973, late show
  • same version on Halloween 73 Highlights (2019)
• The Roxy Performances (2018), quoted in Saturday Show Start, performed in Los Angeles, December 8, 1973
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte/Dummy Up, performed in Los Angeles, December 8, 1973
  • parts of the same performance on Roxy & Elsewhere (1974) as Pygmy Twylyte and Dummy Up
  • parts of the same performance in The True Story Of 200 Motels
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte—Part II, performed in Los Angeles, December 8, 1973
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Los Angeles, December 9, 1973, early show
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Los Angeles, December 10, 1973, rehearsal
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Los Angeles, December 10, 1973, early show
• The Roxy Performances (2018), as Pygmy Twylyte, performed in Los Angeles, December 10, 1973, late show
  • same performance on Roxy—The Movie (DVD, 2015) as Pygmy Twylyte
• BTB I: Unmitigated Audacity (1991), quoted in More Trouble Every Day, performed in South Bend, IN, May 12, 1974
• The Dub Room Special! (2007), as Room Service, performed in Los Angeles, August 27, 1974
  • same version on The Dub Room Special! (video) (1982) as part of Room Service
  • same version on A Token Of His Extreme (2013) as Pygmy Twylyte and Room Service
  • same version on A Token Of His Extreme Soundtrack (2013) as Pygmy Twylyte and Room Service
• A Token Of His Extreme Soundtrack (2013), quoted in Earl Of Duke, performed in Los Angeles, August 27, 1974
• You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2 (1988), as Pygmy Twylyte and Room Service, and also quoted in The Idiot Bastard Son, performed in Helsinki, September 22-23, 1974

 

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

• February-May, 1973 (MOI)—known performances: 2
• October-December, 1973 (MOI)—known performances: 16
• February-March, 1974 (MOI)—known performances: 7
• April-May, 1974 (MOI 10th Anniversary Tour)—known performances: 7; known quotations: 1
• June-August, 1974 (MOI)—known performances: 8
• September-October, 1974 (MOI European Tour)—known performances: 11
• October-December, 1974 (MOI)—known performances: 6

 

Comments

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

1973: Another rare performance that I have yet to hear. Apparently only performed once, before disappearing until later in the year. Anyone? [David Lynch sez- "Pygmy Twylyte is sung by Sal Marquez and played a good deal slower. A fairly interesting version, but nothing spectacular like, for instance, the fall '74 versions." And then Jon Naurin sez- "And, may I add, it features a Dummy Up-like solo section, where FZ delivers some wah-wah-drenched tones and Duke plays some characteristic funk. After that, Sal sings another verse, before he starts ad-libbing some Dummy Up-ish vocals. FZ then gives a little speech on the topic of chemical alteration, and finally we get one more verse.]

1973 (Oct-Dec): Essentially performed as on "Roxy and Elsewhere", although instead of the full-blown "Dummy Up" routine, what we get is a full band funk jam with some improvised singing by Brock. Early in the tour, however, instead of the segue into this funk jam, we get a short and rather nondescript Zappa solo. In both instances, this middle section is followed by a return to the main "Pygmy Twylyte" theme, which is then typically followed by "Idiot Bastard Son". The segue between the two is the same one as heard on YCDTOSA Volume II.
DUMMY UP- Premiered early in the tour, with a Frank guitar solo in its place prior to its arrival. While this is not apparent on "Roxy and Elsewhere" due to the fadeout, this song is actually a jam found within "Pygmy Twylyte", and is not a song in and of itself. For this tour, the song resembles the instrumental portion of the official release (i.e. a full band funk jam), with some improvised singing by Nappy.

1974 (Feb-Mar): Essentially performed as on "Roxy and Elsewhere", with Ruth sounding a lot more prominent (yeah!) on the several performances I have heard. In its entirety, this song actually contains "Dummy Up". While there is a fade-out on the Roxy album, in the actual live context, the band returns to "Pygmy Twylyte" once they have finished with their "Dummy Up" run-through. Upon returning to the tune, they essentially perform the latter half of the song- with vocals- before heading into the always enjoyable "Idiot Bastard Son". The transition into "Idiot Bastard Son" is essentially the same as the transition found on YCDTOSA Volume II.
DUMMY UP- While this "song" appears as a separate track on the "Roxy and Elsewhere" album, it appears on this tour as the middle section of "Pygmy Twylyte" (Frank usually announced the setlists at each show, and always referred to "Pygmy Twylyte" but never mentioned "Dummy Up"). For each performance, this "song" is essentially a full band funk jam similar to the one on the Roxy album, but without the full-blown comedy routine. While the band funked away, Brock would make up some typically indiscernible lyrics and Frank would randomly solo. Then, at some cue, Brock would sing "Dummy Up, Dummy Up"- which essentially served as the chorus- there would be short musical bridge, Brock would sing the chorus again, and then the band would return to "Pygmy Twylyte" proper.

1974 May: Essentially performed as on "Roxy and Elsewhere", though at a somewhat slower pace (though not as slow as the YCDTOSA Volume II version). In its entirety, this song actually contains the "Dummy Up" funk jam. During this jam, Brock improvises the lyrics for several minutes while the band funks away behind him. When Frank gives the cue, Brock and the band segue into the chorus (which appears as the "Dummy Up" lines on Roxy), before returning to "Pygmy Twylyte" proper. Upon returning to the tune, they essentially perform the latter half of the song- with vocals- before frequently heading into the always enjoyable "Idiot Bastard Son". The transition into "Idiot Bastard Son" is essentially the same as the transition found on YCDTOSA Volume II.

1974 Jul-Dec: Essentially played as on YCDTOSA Volume II, with the only variation coming in Frank's solo. The meltdown and reemergence of the theme at the end of the song appear to be written out, as they occurred in each performance. For the first several weeks of the tour, this tune is performed as on the previous tours, i.e. the fast version, with the "Dummy Up" funk jam in the middle where Nappy improvises the lyrics while the band funks away. This changed once the band reached Europe, and became the guitar solo vehicle we have on the Stage series.
ROOM SERVICE- Basic structure as on YCDTOSA Volume II. Obviously, this song changed with each performance, as the words reflected the happenings of the band. This song was always preceded by "Pygmy Twylyte" (but not vice-versa), and did not appear until the European portion of the tour.

 

Conceptual Continuity

• The Blue Light ("You also go to Winchell's Doughnuts")