'This piece (which comprises all of Side One of the HOT RATS Waka/Jawaka album) presents a theme in rapidly alternating time signatures, a few solos, and an out-chorus done up in a sort of Prom Night orchestration which suspends the opening rhythmic structure over a straight 4/4 accompaniment.

FZ on ' Big Swifty': (from The Complete History Of The Few Last Weeks Of The Mothers Of Invention (1972)).

The piece follows a basic head-solo-head structure, in which the head is highly structured and rhythmically complex, and the solo parts are played over a loose vamp that would change from performance to performance.

Colin Towns + NDR Bigband: Frank Zappa's Hot Licks (And Funny Smells) as 2nd part of track 13.

The Muffin Men: Muffinz as Big Swifty and Big Swifty (Reprise).

Meridian Arts Ensemble: Smart Went Crazy.

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol.

Records On Which This Song Has Appeared Singles

Ruth Underwood (marimba and electric percussion).

Kenny Shroyer (trombone and baritone horn).

Ray Reed (clarinet, tenor sax and other winds).

Tom Raney (vibes and electric percussion).

Charles Owens (soprano sax, alto sax and other winds).

Jay Migliori (flute, tenor sax and other winds).

Bruce Fowler (trombone of the upper atmosphere).

Earle Dumler (oboe, contrabass sarrusophone and other winds).

Mike Altschul (piccolo, bass clarinet and other winds).

Frank Zappa (guitar and white stick with cork handle).

George Duke ring-modulated & echoplexed electric piano.For other versions of this song, see: Big Swifty.

Big swifty