Cramps archaeology

[Mitchhz]

OK I know there are tons of compilations including Songs the Cramps Taught Us, Born Bad or even Lux and Ivy's Favorites (internet only) but here's something I'm trying to do: find out the originals behind each Cramps song in the order they appeared on their first 3 or 4 albums (the ones that matter). Can you help me out on this?

Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980)

TV Set: ?

Rock on the Moon: Jimmy Stewart

Garbageman: The Rumblers, Boss + The Mosquitoes, Big Ace

I Was a Teenage Werewolf: The Shades, Strolling after Dark

Sunglasses After Dark: Link Wray, Ace of Spades + Dwight Pullen

The Mad Daddy: ?

Mystery Plane: ?

Zombie Dance: ?

What's Behind the Mask: Dale Hawkins, Tornado

Strychnine: The Sonics

I'm Cramped: ?

Tear It Up: Johnny Burnette

Fever: Little Willie John, Elvis Presley, Peggy Lee...

Psychedelic Jungle (1981)

Greenfuz: Randy Alvey

Goo Goo Muck: Ronnie Cook & the Gaylads

Rockin' Bones: Elroy Dietzel & the Rhythm Bandits (Johnny Dollar, Ronnie Dawson...)

Voodoo Idol: ?

Primitive: The Groupies

Caveman: ?

The Crusher: The Novas

Don't Eat Stuff of the Sidewalk: The Frantics, Werewolf

Can't Find My Mind: ?

Jungle Hop: Kip Tyler & his Flips, Jungle Rock

The Natives are Restless: ?

Under the Wires: ?

Beautiful Gardens: ?

The Green Door: Jim Lowe

(I'll do Off the Bone and Smell of Female later...)

[kopper]

A lot of those tunes were originals, though, and credited as such (Mystery Train, Zombie Dance, The Mad Daddy, I'm Cramped, Voodoo Idol, Caveman, etc.). "TV Set" is an original, with a nod to Don & the Galaxies' "Sundown" as is "The Natives Are Restless," influenced by Jerry Warren's "Rompin" and Kai Ray's "I Want Some of That"... but you're pretty much covered on the rest.

[John Battles]

Hi , Mitchhz.....Believe it or not , friends , The Cramps did write their own material , too....Especially from their third album on (The only obvious "Lift" on "A Date With Elvis " I can remember is Dr. John (Mac  Rebenack's) "Storm Warning" as the template for "Cornfed Dames " , BUT , i'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK OVER  tHE OTHER RECORDS To give you any clues , if , indeed I have a clue "Well , everything is FINE , but I can't find my mind".

When Lux was still , physically , with us , he said these comps , and unconfirmed connections between their songs and others was getting a bit silly....

Fo example , it's widely believed that "Human Fly " was lifted from "The Green Mosquito"(Tune Rockers?) , only because it has a similar insect sound ....Ivy said that somebody told her their song reminded them of the other , and she decided , well , I guess I need to find a copy , because I've never heard it !

I can't trace any of the other songs the lord taught us to anywhere else....Except , "I'm Cramped" was based directly on "Bust Out" by The Busters. Also , a minor detail , The Cramps' version of "Tear it Up" was based on Charlie Feathers' arrangement .

"Jungle Hop" by The Cramps was a direct cover of "Jungle Hop" by Kip Tyler....Most of the Psychedelic Jungle songs , besides the ones you mentioned , don't bring anything to mind (which is a prerequisite to being a Cramps fan , don't bring anything to mind.), though "Beautiful Gardens" reminds me a bit of "Bertha Lou" by Dorsey Burnette , "Jungle Fever" , by The Playboys ( Yet another Peter Gunnish instro that could've influenced this , "I Can't Find My Mind" , and/or others , and , possibly ,  neither. It also originally reminded me of a heavier take on"Oh , Pretty Woman" , succeeding where Van Halen failed , but , moreso the beat.... They're playing in keys known only to them . There is NO band in the world exactly like The Cramps , and that's because.....The Way I Walk(Jack Scott) , and you can take it from there......

[Mitchhz]

Of course, I know that the Cramps did write their own material! Or some of it! But part of their legacy is the discovery of a whole new world. So thanks for the tips, I'll continue my exploration. The Cramps had impeccable taste!

Off the Bone (1983)

Human Fly: yes people say it's Green Mosquito by the Tune Rockers but I'm not convinced. I find Kick Out by surf band The Safaris (on Wail on the Beach compilation) sounds much more like Human Fly !

The Way I Walk: Jack Scott

Domino: Roy Orbison

Surfin' Bird: The Trashmen

Lonesome Town: Ricky Nelson

(Garbageman)

(Fever)

Drug Train: Bill Allen, Please Give Me Something

Love Me: The Phantom

I Can't Hardly Stand It: Charlie Feathers

(Goo Goo Muck)

She Said: Hasil Adkins

(The Crusher)

Save It: Mel Robbins

New Kind of Kicks: The Sonics, He's Waiting

Smell of Female (1983 mini-LP)

Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love: ?

You Got Good Taste: ?

Call of the Wighat: ?

Faster Pussycat: The Boss Tweeds, soundtrack to Faster Pussycat Kill Kill

Ain't Nuthin but a Gorehound: ?

Psychotic Reaction: The Count V

1985 maxi single

Can Your Pussy do the Dog: Del Raney's Umbrellas, Can Your Hossie Do the Dog (for the title only?)

Blue Moon Baby: Dave Diddle Day

Georgia Lee Brown: Jackie Lee Cochran

1986 maxi single

What's Inside a Girl: ?

Get Off the Road: R Lewis Band

Give Me a Woman: Andy Starr

[Sam Sinister]

"The Crusher" from Off The Bone was originally by The Novas.

I don't really know why you're counting a lot of these as originals of the Cramps' songs. Borrowing a riff or a beat or the "feel" of a song doesn't really count for much in this type of music (punk, garage, rockabilly, etc.), in my opinion. Everyone is derivative of everyone else, it's part of the appeal. ;)

[Sam Sinister]

The way you're doing this, you may as well add "Smokestack Lightning" to "Primitive," since that's obviously what The Groupies were ripping off, and The Rivingtons' "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and "The Bird's the Word," as well as The Flames' "The Bird," to "Surfin' Bird."

[whatwave dave]

There's a Cramps newsgroup on Yahoo that probably has some kind of wiki that answers many of your questions. Here's a link to join the group, which is called staysick

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/staysick/

They've also recently released an LP of live Cramps stuff that is HIGHLY recommended...called Trash Is Neat.

[Mitchhz]

Yeah well perhaps I souldn't have used the word 'originals'. There are no originals, there's always something that's come before! See for example this page about Misirlou: http://www.dinosaurgardens.com/archives/297. There was even a better one with videos embedded that I found some months ago but I can't find it any longer.

The legacy of the Rivingtons is huge. Papa-Oo-Mow-Mow (or Mama-Oo-Mow-Mow which is even better) and The Bird's the Word have inspired hundreds of fantastic songs, some of them little known like Surfin' Bird by Wade Curtiss or Papa-Oo-Mao-Mao by the Deviants.

But what I like is suddenly discovering that a song I was so familiar with had in fact an 'oroginal'. For example, I was so delighted when I finally got to hear the 'original' version of Tainted Love (Gloria Jones) or I Want Candy by the Strangeloves and not Bow-Wow-Wow...

[John Battles]

That's true. Good Artists borrow. Great Artists STEAL.  But , I think Mitchhz is just trying to get a feel for where these songs originated , and add what he already knows . There are , of course , obvious and less obvious sources that go into writing a song. If you've ever written a song of your own , chances are , it was inspired , or blatantly ripped off from , something else.
 
Sam Sinister said:

"The Crusher" from Off The Bone was originally by The Novas.

I don't really know why you're counting a lot of these as originals of the Cramps' songs. Borrowing a riff or a beat or the "feel" of a song doesn't really count for much in this type of music (punk, garage, rockabilly, etc.), in my opinion. Everyone is derivative of everyone else, it's part of the appeal. ;)

[John Battles]

Oh , I was having a laugh , is all , when I said , "Yes , The Cramps actually wrote their own material". But , a lot of people give them heat just because a lot of their songs recall lesser - known songs (Which , as you said , is a good part of the fun , finding out what THEY were influenced by.)....But , I've never been convinced about the connection between "New Kind of Kick" and "He's Waitin'"....Those opening riffs are similar , but , not the same . I know the underlying chords "It's too late , you lied" "I'm lookin' and lookin' for..." are very close , but , I think , if anything , they probably decided it was a good idea to put lyrics to something that sounded LIKE "He's Waitin'" , but not exactly like it....
 
Mitchhz said:

Of course, I know that the Cramps did write their own material! Or some of it! But part of their legacy is the discovery of a whole new world. So thanks for the tips, I'll continue my exploration. The Cramps had impeccable taste!

Off the Bone (1983)

Human Fly: yes people say it's Green Mosquito by the Tune Rockers but I'm not convinced. I find Kick Out by surf band The Safaris (on Wail on the Beach compilation) sounds much more like Human Fly !

The Way I Walk: Jack Scott

Domino: Roy Orbison

Surfin' Bird: The Trashmen

Lonesome Town: Ricky Nelson

(Garbageman)

(Fever)

Drug Train: Bill Allen, Please Give Me Something

Love Me: The Phantom

I Can't Hardly Stand It: Charlie Feathers

(Goo Goo Muck)

She Said: Hasil Adkins

(The Crusher)

Save It: Mel Robbins

New Kind of Kicks: The Sonics, He's Waiting

Smell of Female (1983 mini-LP)

Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love: ?

You Got Good Taste: ?

Call of the Wighat: ?

Faster Pussycat: The Boss Tweeds, soundtrack to Faster Pussycat Kill Kill

Ain't Nuthin but a Gorehound: ?

Psychotic Reaction: The Count V

1985 maxi single

Can Your Pussy do the Dog: Del Raney's Umbrellas, Can Your Hossie Do the Dog (for the title only?)

Blue Moon Baby: Dave Diddle Day

Georgia Lee Brown: Jackie Lee Cochran

1986 maxi single

What's Inside a Girl: ?

Get Off the Road: R Lewis Band

Give Me a Woman: Andy Starr

[John Battles]

It's possible you've got "Smell of Female" all sewn up. I don't know.

"Potentate" has that one riff that's similar to "My Little Red Book" , but , probably not enough to suggest that that's where it came from (Quien Save?)....

Of course "Wighat" has a little bit of "Limbo Time" thrown in , just a little.

Their version of "Faster , Pussycat " utilizes part of a Davie Allan song from "The Wild Angels"as a bridge. I'm not saying they did it note - for - note , but , it's dead close. Sorry , I can never remember the names of instrumentals (They don't have words.), but , I always heard it that way.  "Primitive" IS "Smokestack Lightning" , the guitar parts. I just was'nt thinking about it.  I heard both for the first time , The Cramps for the former and The Yardbirds for the latter , late in '81 , and went , WTF !!!    Also , "Weekend on Mars" , which was only available as a French 45 , and on the French 45 "Smell of Female Set", is widely believed to be based on P.J.Proby's early kickass Rockabilly Rocker "Go , Girl, Go" (As Jett Powers.). I can sure hear it.

Kid Congo once told me that Lux and Ivy were very good at putting together their own songs from bits and pieces of existing songs. He did'nt tellme about any other sourcesyou might not have heard of , though.
 
John Battles said:

Oh , I was having a laugh , is all , when I said , "Yes , The Cramps actually wrote their own material". But , a lot of people give them heat just because a lot of their songs recall lesser - known songs (Which , as you said , is a good part of the fun , finding out what THEY were influenced by.)....But , I've never been convinced about the connection between "New Kind of Kick" and "He's Waitin'"....Those opening riffs are similar , but , not the same . I know the underlying chords "It's too late , you lied" "I'm lookin' and lookin' for..." are very close , but , I think , if anything , they probably decided it was a good idea to put lyrics to something that sounded LIKE "He's Waitin'" , but not exactly like it....
 
Mitchhz said:

Of course, I know that the Cramps did write their own material! Or some of it! But part of their legacy is the discovery of a whole new world. So thanks for the tips, I'll continue my exploration. The Cramps had impeccable taste!

Off the Bone (1983)

Human Fly: yes people say it's Green Mosquito by the Tune Rockers but I'm not convinced. I find Kick Out by surf band The Safaris (on Wail on the Beach compilation) sounds much more like Human Fly !

The Way I Walk: Jack Scott

Domino: Roy Orbison

Surfin' Bird: The Trashmen

Lonesome Town: Ricky Nelson

(Garbageman)

(Fever)

Drug Train: Bill Allen, Please Give Me Something

Love Me: The Phantom

I Can't Hardly Stand It: Charlie Feathers

(Goo Goo Muck)

She Said: Hasil Adkins

(The Crusher)

Save It: Mel Robbins

New Kind of Kicks: The Sonics, He's Waiting

Smell of Female (1983 mini-LP)

Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love: ?

You Got Good Taste: ?

Call of the Wighat: ?

Faster Pussycat: The Boss Tweeds, soundtrack to Faster Pussycat Kill Kill

Ain't Nuthin but a Gorehound: ?

Psychotic Reaction: The Count V

1985 maxi single

Can Your Pussy do the Dog: Del Raney's Umbrellas, Can Your Hossie Do the Dog (for the title only?)

Blue Moon Baby: Dave Diddle Day

Georgia Lee Brown: Jackie Lee Cochran

1986 maxi single

What's Inside a Girl: ?

Get Off the Road: R Lewis Band

Give Me a Woman: Andy Starr

[Chris Skoczen]

I'm sure someone must have mentioned it, but I'm Cramped is just Psychotic Reaction by the Count Five with different lyrics.

[John Battles]

Well put. I was just asked , the other day , about bands that sound like The Cramps.  
 I WAS HARD -PRESSED TO THINK OF MORE THAN ONE OR TWO , AND  i'VE HAD PEOPLE TELLING ME THIS BAND OR THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE CRAMPS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.

Of course , there was Deja Voodoo , and , mor erecently , The Dyes , from Chicago .
Sam Sinister said:

"The Crusher" from Off The Bone was originally by The Novas.

I don't really know why you're counting a lot of these as originals of the Cramps' songs. Borrowing a riff or a beat or the "feel" of a song doesn't really count for much in this type of music (punk, garage, rockabilly, etc.), in my opinion. Everyone is derivative of everyone else, it's part of the appeal. ;)