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
