Halloween '81

Halloween '81 is the 117th album of material created by Frank Zappa, and the 55th posthumous album released by the Zappa Family Trust. It is the fourth album and third box-set compiling music from the annual Halloween shows performed by Zappa. It follows the popular Halloween '77 and Halloween '73, released in 2017 and 2019 respectively. The first album, featuring selections from the 1978 Palladium shows, was just Halloween, released in 2003. The next box-set is theorized to be the complete Halloween '78 recordings.

Background
Frank Zappa embarked on the Over-Nite Sensation Tour in Europe on August 18, 1973. Following his resting period after a fan pushed him into an orchestra pit, crushing his larynx and breaking his feet, Frank was back on the scene with a new rock album (Over-Nite Sensation) from a new The Mothers of Invention. He played his first big Halloween-themed residency on October 31, 1973. He continued these residencies in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1981, where these shows were recorded (on the You Are What You Is Tour). In August 2020, these shows were remastered and set for release in the Halloween season. The box-set was announced on August 14, 2020 and released on October 2.

Recording and Packaging
The set was recorded on Ampex 456 2" Analog Tape, with a 24-Track tape recorder, Frank's usual set up in this period. The October 31 shows were videotaped and, as Frank says, "going to be edited together for one big thing". The second show was broadcast on MTV via satellite and Starfleet Radio, with the two videotaped shows edited together into a concert film played on MTV. It is titled An Evening with Frank Zappa During Which... The Torture Never Stops.

Several funny bits happen during the shows. The first one happens a minute into "You Are What You Is", where audience members get Frank's attention that there is loud feedback coming from the speakers (which is not captured in the recording). It is fixed and Frank blames it on a goblin, being the Halloween season. The song is then performed normally. The second funny bit happens after Frank and the band come back on stage for their second encore, and an audience member throws an egg on stage. Frank humors the audience then performs "Strictly Genteel". You can see the dialog in the Halloween '81 sections of the respective song articles.

October 31, 1981 – Show 1
Show 1 started at 8:00 PM EST and take up Discs 1 and 2.


 * 1) "Chunga's Revenge" – 5:30
 * 2) "The Finest Night of the Year" – 3:05
 * 3) "You Are What You Is – Take 1" – 1:13
 * 4) "You Are What You Is – Take 2" – 3:46
 * 5) "Mudd Club" – 2:53
 * 6) "The Meek Shall Enherit Nothing" – 3:13
 * 7) "Dumb All Over" – 5:42
 * 8) "Heavenly Bank Account" – 4:06
 * 9) "Suicide Chump" – 5:43
 * 10) "Jumbo Go Away" – 3:53
 * 11) "Envelopes" – 3:08
 * 12) "Drowning Witch" – 8:46
 * 13) "What's New in Baltimore?" – 3:48
 * 14) "Moggio" – 2:45
 * 15) "We're Turning Again" – 5:04
 * 16) "Alien Orifice" – 5:20
 * 17) "Teen-age Prostitute" – 2:32
 * 18) "Flakes" – 5:14
 * 19) "Broken Hearts Are For Assholes" – 4:10
 * 20) "The Blue Light" – 4:46
 * 21) "Tinsel Town Rebellion" – 4:56
 * 22) "Yo Mama" – 9:46

Encore 1


 * 1) "Bobby Brown Goes Down" – 2:40
 * 2) "City of Tiny Lites" – 9:40

Encore 2


 * 1) "We're Not Gonna Stand for It!" – 1:53
 * 2) "Strictly Genteel" – 7:30

Encore 3


 * 1) "Dancin' Fool" – 3:44
 * 2) "Whipping Post" – 7:06

October 31, 1981 – Show 2
Show 2 started at 12:00 AM Midnight and take up Discs 3 and 4.


 * 1) "Black Napkins" – 5:09
 * 2) "A Historical Event" – 2:03
 * 3) "Montana" – 3:48
 * 4) "Easy Meat" – 6:50
 * 5) "Society Pages" – 2:33
 * 6) "I'm a Beautiful Guy" – 1:55
 * 7) "Beauty Knows No Pain" – 2:56
 * 8) "Charlie's Enormous Mouth" – 3:40
 * 9) "Fine Girl" – 3:13
 * 10) "Teen-age Wind" – 3:01
 * 11) "Harder Than Your Husband" – 2:35
 * 12) "Bamboozled by Love" – 5:32
 * 13) "Sinister Footwear II" – 6:55
 * 14) "Stevie's Spanking" – 6:09
 * 15) Commercial Break – 1:55
 * 16) "Cocaine Decisions" – 3:46
 * 17) "Nig Biz" – 5:12
 * 18) "Doreen" – 2:07
 * 19) "Goblin Girl" – 1:49
 * 20) "The Black Page, No. 2" – 7:06
 * 21) "Tryin' to Grow a Chin" – 2:29
 * 22) "Strictly Genteel" – 7:46

Encore 1


 * 1) "The Torture Never Stops" – 11:48

Encore 2


 * 1) "The Real Show Keeps Going" – 1:10
 * 2) "Joe's Garage" – 2:30
 * 3) "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" – 2:48
 * 4) "The Illinois Enema Bandit" – 9:23
 * 5) "The Halloween Tradition" – 2:32
 * 6) "King Kong" – 11:07
 * 7) "Auld Lang Syne" – 1:52

November 1, 1981
This show started at 8:00 PM EST and takes up Discs 5 and 6.


 * 1) "Zoot Allures" – 7:17
 * 2) "The Last of Our Halloween Shows" – 2:59
 * 3) "I'm the Slime" – 2:39
 * 4) "A Pound for a Brown (On the Bus)" – 10:02
 * 5) Dave and Al – 5:20
 * 6) "Cosmik Debris" – 4:05
 * 7) "Montana" – 3:47
 * 8) "Easy Meat" – 7:39
 * 9) "Dumb All Over" – 6:34
 * 10) "Heavenly Bank Account" – 4:03
 * 11) "Suicide Chump" – 5:43
 * 12) "Jumbo Go Away" – 3:50
 * 13) "Envelopes" – 2:56
 * 14) "Drowning Witch" – 9:57
 * 15) "What's New in Baltimore?" – 4:59
 * 16) "Moggio" – 2:40
 * 17) "We're Turning Again" – 5:02
 * 18) "Alien Orifice" – 5:13
 * 19) "Teen-age Prostitute" – 2:34
 * 20) "Sinister Footwear II" – 6:29
 * 21) "Stevie's Spanking" – 6:34
 * 22) "Cocaine Decisions" – 3:40
 * 23) "Nig Biz" – 5:06
 * 24) "Goblin Girl" – 2:25
 * 25) "The Black Page, No. 2" – 8:25

Encore 1


 * 1) "Whipping Post" – 7:18

Encore 2


 * 1) "Broken Hearts Are For Assholes" – 4:09
 * 2) "The Torture Never Stops" – 12:19

Highlights from the Palladium '81

 * 1) "Chunga's Revenge" – 5:30
 * 2) "The Finest Night of the Year" – 2:49
 * 3) "I'm the Slime" – 2:37
 * 4) "Montana" – 3:48
 * 5) "Easy Meat" – 7:40
 * 6) "Joe's Garage" – 2:30
 * 7) "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" – 2:27
 * 8) "Sinister Footwear II" – 6:55
 * 9) "Stevie's Spanking" – 6:30
 * 10) "Goblin Girl" – 2:25
 * 11) "The Black Page, No. 2" – 9:00
 * 12) "Strictly Genteel" – 6:33
 * 13) "Whipping Post" – 6:59
 * 14) "The Torture Never Stops" – 10:59

Personnel

 * Frank Zappa – lead guitar, vocals, baton
 * Ray White – rhythm guitar, vocals
 * Steve Vai – stunt guitar, vocals
 * Tommy Mars – keyboards, vocals
 * Robert Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
 * Ed Mann – percussion, vocals
 * Scott Thunes – bass guitar, vocals
 * Chad Wackerman – drums
 * with Al Malkin – voice