The Cramps weren’t just a great band – they were also rock and roll missionaries, fervently trying to turn people on to scores of long lost obscurities culled from their own personal collection of rare 45′s and 78′s. That’s where this collection comes from – it’s the third volume in a compilation series of songs that Lux and Ivy either gushed about in interviews or played on various radio shows. It contains an impressive twenty-nine songs, covering the gamut of strange music prior to 1962 when Bob Dylan and The Beatles made it acceptable to be different and “out there”. Rockabilly, novelty records, jump blues, exotica and vocal groups gone mad are all represented here, with songs about things like witch doctors, swamp girls, caves – exactly the kind of records you would expect The Cramps to be listening to. The whole comp is likable from start to finish, but my favorite songs are Kip Tyler’s menacing “She’s My Witch”, The Playmates’ insanely speedy vocal workout “Beep Beep” and Nervous Norvus’ unnervingly creepy “Ape Call”. A few more jaw-dropping songs could have made this compilation more of an essential purchase, but it’s still a great deep dive into the Cramps aesthetic which hardcore fans of the band should not hesitate to take.
Tracklisting:
1. Dirty Robber – THE WAILERS
2. Strollin On The Beach – HOLLYWOOD FLAMES
3. Bongo Beatin’ Beatnik – JOE HALL & THE CORVETTES
4. Short Shorts – THE FOUR WINDS AND THEIR TEENAGE FRIENDS
5. Little Girl – JOHN AND JACKIE
6. The Cave (Part I) – GARY ‘SPIDER’ WEBB
7. Proof of Your Love – JACKIE CANNON
8. She’s My Witch – KIP TYLER
9. Masai Rumble – HARRY COONS & RICHARD CAMPBELL
10. Swamp Girl – KAY MARTIN
11. Zodiac Blues – BELL BOOK AND CANDLE
12. Blue Oasis CHUCK (BIG GUITAR) – ERNEST WITH THE SATELLITE BAND
13. At Our Fireplace – DEREK WATSON & THE BROWN DOTS
14. Butcher Pete Part 2 – ROY BROWN
15. Round House Boogie – BEP’S BROWN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
16. Crazy Crazy Baby – CHUCK HOWARD
17. Pills – BO DIDDLEY
18. Yea-De-A-Hay – JACK JUDGE
19. Boo Be Ah Be – KIMBALL COBURN
20. The Creep – BOB LUMAN
21. Crackerjacker – BILLY MURE
22. Mexicali Baby – THE RIO ROCKERS
23. Witch Doctor – DAVID SEVILLE
24. Beep Beep – PLAYMATES
25. Drive, Daddy, Drive – LITTLE SYLVIA
26. Shook Shake – KEN DAVIS
27. Wild Love – JAY NELSON AND THE JUMPERS
28. Speak To Me Baby – WERLY FAIRBURN
29. Ape Call – NERVOUS NORVUS
I have mixed feelings about this series. most of the tracks has been taken from the free Lux and Ivy favourites fan comps and Ivy is not involved. There are no detailed liner notes about how the songs are connected with the cramps like on the Born Bad comps so this is a very speculative thing…