Tracklist front / back album covers
Side one
"Thunderbird" (Live) – 4:10
"Jailhouse Rock" (Live) (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:01
"Backdoor Medley" (Live) – 9:45
"Backdoor Love Affair" (Gibbons, Bill Ham) – 0:40
"Mellow Down Easy" (Willie Dixon) – 4:03
"Backdoor Love Affair No. 2" (Gibbons) – 2:00
"Long Distance Boogie" (John Lee Hooker) – 3:02
Side two
"Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings" – 2:37
"Blue Jean Blues" – 4:42
"Balinese" – 2:37
"Mexican Blackbird" – 3:04
"Heard It on the X" – 2:23
"Tush" – 2:14
2006 remastered version bonus tracks
"Heard it on the X" (Live) - 2:36
"Jailhouse Rock" (Live) (Leiber, Stoller) - 1:52
"Tush" (Live) - 3:42
Tracks 1-3 (side A of the original LP) were recorded live at The Warehouse in New Orleans on April 12, 1974, "captured as it came down - hot, spontaneous and presented to you honestly, without the assistance of studio gimmicks". Tracks 4-9 (side B) were new studio recordings.
Tracks 10-12 (of the expanded 2006 version) were recorded live at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, on August 30, 1980.
"Thunderbird"
"Thunderbird" was originally written and performed by The Nightcaps, a band formed in the 1950s when the members were teenagers. The Nightcaps performed the song and distributed it on their album Wine, Wine, Wine but never applied for copyright. ZZ Top began performing its version of the song in 1975, and has conceded that its version is lyrically and musically identical to the Nightcaps' song. The Nightcaps sued ZZ Top for copyright infringement but their claims were dismissed as ZZ Top had registered a copyright on the song in 1975.
Note: although the reference states that ZZ Top began performing Thunderbird in 1975, the recording date of side 1, April 12, 1974, demonstrates that the band were playing it earlier than 1975.
ZZ Top Band Members / Musicians
Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals
Dusty Hill – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Jailhouse Rock", "Balinese", and "Tush", co-lead vocals on "Backdoor Medley" and "Heard It on the X"
Frank Beard – drums, percussion
Producer – Bill Ham
Engineers – Jim Reeves, John L. Venable, and, Norman Mershon for Record Plant Truck. Robin Brians, Terry Kane, Bob Ludwig (mastering), Terry Manning
Album concept – Bill Ham
Design – Bill Narum
Photography – John Dekalb
Fandango! is the 4th album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. The album's first side consists of selections from live shows, with the second side being new studio recordings. A remastered and expanded edition of this album was released on February 28, 2006.
