Unreleased Music

A MESSAGE FROM THE ORIGINAL MAINTAINER: There are a number of compositions that have never seen the light of day in terms of an official Zappa release. There are also a number of albums which were recorded, mixed, mastered and for all practical purposes completed before Zappa's death that for some reason remain unreleased. I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping this list gets shorter over time. —Patrick Neve

Unreleased Albums

Albums that are going to be released

This album was apparently completed by Zappa himself and is ready for release. However, no release date has been set yet:

Gail Zappa, interviewed by Larry LeBlanc, Encore, October 2, 2014

There are two major recordings that Frank did before he died. That were made in the last year of his life along with "200 Motels," [Civilization Phaze III?] and "Trance-Fusion" which have already been released. There's a recording of the music of Edgard Varése which was recorded in July and August of 1993. Then there is "Dance Me This" [released June 19, 2015] which will be out though Zappa Records. That was, I think, among the last of the four records that Frank finished that were on his list. I don't know how that works for someone who is prolific like that. "Okay, here are the albums that I want to finish."

Apart from those three, these albums and other projects have been announced recently (2002-2003) in the FAQ sections of zappa.com either as being on the works, soon to be released, or just mentioned in some way, but not necessarily prepared by FZ himself, although you never know:

Albums that were not released and probably will not ever

Check the Zappa Patio for a complete list of this.

Unreleased Compositions

Thanks to Johan Wikberg, Jon Naurin, Charles Ulrich, Jason Gossard and Bill Lantz for contributions.

Released and/or identified

These are songs or compositions formerly in the above list that have been identified as part of or have finally appeared in an official release.

 

Unreleased Lyrics

These are songs or compositions that although have been released officially, contain extra lyrics that haven't been released:

Songs formerly in the list above that have appeared in an official release:

 

Songs We Know By Other Names

This list originally compiled by Cletus, with the help of Jon Naurin, Kent Langsjoen and Knut Skogstad, on January, 1999, with further contributions by Charles Ulrich.

 

Unidentified and/or Unreleased Recordings

Recently, Greg Russo researched the Musician's Local 47 documents in L.A., and some unidentified titles popped out. Some are unreleased songs, some are working titles for known recordings, some are probably still other things:

 

The "Must Record" List

The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) (2006) booklet, p. 19; The MOFO Project/Object (2006) booklet, p. 45

MOFO (fazedooh)

GZ, The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) booklet, p. 23; The MOFO Project/Object (2006) booklet, p. 49

I did want to comment on a few other things, such as how prepared FZ (and the band) was for the Freak Out! Sessions and how much music was just a downbeat away from being recorded—how far in advance the music was written for what would become the next several albums.

Charles Ulrich, December 29, 2006

Here is my attempt at identifying the songs:

1. Love Of My Life
2. Agency Man
3. Dog Breath
4. Electric A[unt] J[emima]
5. The Air
6. I Cried When I Died [???]
7. [I'm Gonna] Bust His Head
8. Remember [= Duke Of Prunes?]
9. For You I Would Do [= Anything]
10. Desiree [= Deseri]
11. Charva
12. I Could Be A Slave [aka No Matter What You Do]
13. Groupie Bang Bang
14. Jelly Roll Gum Drop
15. I'm So Real [???]
16. Alcohol + Razor Blades [???]
17. Tore To The Core [??? title phrase occurs in Valarie on Our Man In Nirvana]
18. My Guitar Wants To Kill You [= ...Kill Your Mama?]
19. 48 Weeps [= Tiny Sick Tears?]
20. Any Way [The Wind Blows] (new version)
21. Love Will Make Your ? [???]
22. Fountain Of Love
23. Got Enuff [???]
24. [How Could I Be Such A] Fool[?]
25. [You Didn't Try To] Call Me
26. [I Ain't Got] No Heart
27. I'm Not [Satisfied]

1. [Mr.] Green Genes
2. Shortly [= Holiday In Berlin]
9. Okie Dokie [Stomp (Clarence Gatemouth Brown)]
8. Khaki Sack [recorded 3/10/70]
7. Transition [= Twenty Small Cigars]
10. Chicken Soda [concept comes from a movie idea]
3. Dog Breath Variant. [Variations]
4. 2 dr. rhythm track [???]
5. Variant #1 [???]
x. Lonely Little Girl
x. Idiot Bastard
6. Orange County [Lumber Truck]

Charles Ulrich, December 29, 2006

Is it really possible that this list comes from before Freak Out!, as Gail suggests?

Biffyshrew, December 29, 2006

"96 Tears" wasn't a hit until September 1966.

Román, December 29, 2006

And also, regarding "Agency Man," didn't Reagan became Governor in 1967 anyway? I don't think the Mothers were so ahead of their time to make a song about Reagan in early 1966.

Charles Ulrich, December 29, 2006

5. Variant #1 [???]

Could this be "Regyptian Strut"???

In "The Complete History of Last Week's Mothers of Invention/Hot Rats/Grand Wazoo," it was referred to as "Variant 1 Processional March".

Michael Brenna, alt.fan.frank-zappa, June 17, 2014

The age of the 'must record' list is less certain than I have assumed, so there is a remote possibility that (1) the Variant #1 listed there is not the same piece as [Burt Ward's] Variant #1/The Comedian, and (2) the latter is not composed by FZ after all—even if it sits in the vault.

Charles Ulrich, alt.fan.frank-zappa, June 17, 2014

Yeah, I'm convinced that [the list] dates from the time of the CWRATJ/Uncle Meat sessions.

 

 

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This page updated: 2019-12-25