You Didn't Try To Call Me

Notes about this song

You Didn't Try To Call Me was written to describe a situation in which Pamela Zarubica found herself last spring. (Wowie Zowie is what she says when she’s not grouchy... who would guess it could inspire a song? No one would guess. None of you are perceptive enough. Why are you reading this?) The formal structure of You Didn't Try To Call Me is not revolutionary, but it is interesting. You don’t care.

Liner notes on Freak Out!

Q: Has (You Didn't Try To Call Me) anything to do with sex?

A: Well, it is a boy-girl situation song but it involves no 'reproductive references.' It deals mainly

with the subject of heartbreak, resulting from lack of telephonic communication. . ..

Zappa's response to questioning at the High Court of Justice, London April 1975

Versions of this song

1966 - Los Angeles

Recorded at TTG, LA - March 10th -11th 1966.

Players

• FZ (musical director, guitar & vocals)
• Ray Collins (lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin & tweezers)
• Jimmy Carl Black (drums, vocals "in some foreign language")
• Roy Estrada (bass, guitarron & "boy soprano")
• Elliot Ingber (alternate lead & rhythm guitar "with clear white light")
• The "Mothers' Auxiliary"

Included on

• Freak Out!
• The ---- Of The Mothers
• The Worst Of The Mothers
• The MOFO Project/Object
• The MOFO Project/Object (Deluxe Edition)
  • Instrumental basic backing track included on:
  • The MOFO Project/Object
  • The MOFO Project/Object (Deluxe Edition)

1966 - San Francisco

Recorded at the Fillmore, San Francisco by John Judnich -June 25th 1966.

Players

• FZ (guitar & vocals)
• Ray Collins (lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine)
• Jimmy Carl Black (drums)
• Roy Estrada (bass)
• Elliot Ingber (lead & rhythm guitar)

Included on

• The MOFO Project/Object
• The MOFO Project/Object (Deluxe Edition)

1967 - Stockholm

Recorded in Stockholm, September 30th 1967

Players

• Frank Zappa: guitar/vocals
• Ray Collins: tambourine/vocals
• Roy Estrada: bass/vocals
• Don Preston: piano
• Ian Underwood: alto sax
• Bunk Gardner: tenor sax
• Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood: baritone sax
• Jimmy Carl Black: drums
• Billy Mundi: drum

Included on

'Tis The Season To Be Jelly

1967-1968 - New York

Recorded at Apostolic Studios, NYC. December 1967 - February 1968.

Players

• Frank Zappa (lead guitar, vocals)
• Jimmy Carl Black (drums)
• Ray Collins (lead vocals)
• Roy Estrada (electric bass, vocals)
• Bunk Gardner (tenor & alto sax)
• Don Preston (keyboards)
• Motorhead Sherwood (baritone sax, tambourine)
• Arthur Dyer Tripp III (drums)
• Ian Underwood (keyboards, tenor & alto sax)

Included on

• Cruising With Ruben & The Jets

1970 - Paris

Recorded in Paris, December 15th, 1970

Players

• Frank Zappa: guitar/vocal
• Jean-Luc Ponty: violin
• Mark Volman: vocal
• Howard Kaylan: vocal
• Jeff Simmons: bass
• George Duke: keyboards
• Ian Underwood: keyboards/alto sax
• Aynsley Dunbar: drums

Included on

Disconnected Synapses

1980 - Munich

Recorded in Olympiahalle, Munich, July 3rd, 1980

Players

• FZ--guitar/vocal
• Ike Willis--guitar/vocal
• Ray White--guitar/vocal
• Tommy Mars--keyboards
• Arthur Barrow--keyboards/bass
• David Logeman--drums

Included on

• You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1

1982 - 1983 - Los Angeles

Recorded at UMRK, during 1982-83

Players

Overdubs on original 1968 Cruising With Ruben & The Jets

• Jay Anderson (string bass)
• Arthur Barrow (bass)
• Chad Wackerman (drums)

Included on

remixed Cruising With Ruben & The Jets