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...)

SHOOT IT UP BABY DOLL

that's whats up for those who are into Cramps

give it a lissen and lemme know whatcha think!
http://youtu.be/SfNUC-X2yeU

John Battles said:

I don't think I know that one. Is that an instrumental that very closely resembles "Boss" by The Rumblers? Just as "The Fourth Dimension" by The Ventures is obviously "Werewolf" by The Frantics? "Drug Train" (Which is listed, but does'nt appear , on some copies of "Songs The Lord Taught Us".) is widely believed to have been (Lovingly) lifted from the Rockabilly classic "Please Give Me Something".
 
FireofLove said:

let's not forget Day Train by Sandy Nelson for Drug Train ;)

Cornfed Dames - Pretty Plaid Skirt (Or did we already establish that.) .

Jungle Hop - Kai Ray , "I Want Some of That" (Just the chant at the end. It's a favorite of Ivy's.).

Weekend on Mars- JETT POWERS (P.J. Proby.) - Go , Girl , Go (Mistakenly credited to Dick Lory.).

 iT'S jUST tHAT SONG - Charlie Feathers (Believed to have been recorded by others , previously.)

Louie , Louie -  (Swamp Rats Version , NOT The Sonics.).

I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time (Third Bardo. I had the pleasure of telling their Bassist about that , The Nomads and Plan 9's versions.).

Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White (The Standells.But , you knew that.)

You're Gonna Miss me (Need I say it?).

Two Headed Dog (Roky Erickson.).

Quick Joey Small ( kASENETZ- kATZ sINGING oRCHESTRAL Circus._).

Hungry (Paul Revere and The Raiders of The Lost Induction ceremony to The Rock 'n'Roll Hall of Fame. ).

Mel Robbins - Save It (A rare case of the original being wilder.).

Ramones - Beat on The Brat.

Mack Rebenack (Dr. John) - Storm Warning. Now  , I forget what song it was.....

Andre Williams -Bacon Fat.

Shorty Long , Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels - "Devil With a Blue Dress ON".

LONNIE ALLEN (?) You'll Never Change Me.

cHARLIE fEATHERS - tEAR iT uP (hIS arrangement.)

Charlie Feathers - I can't Hardly Stand It.

Carl Perkins - Her Rubbed OFF (mINUS The "My Baby , she Don't Fuck good" ad lib.

Soory if any of these are repeats.

 I've seen "Saddle Up A Buzz Buzz " listed as having been lifted from "Evil Hoodoo" by The Seeds. It's very similar , but , not the same. Fuzzed - out , but , in a different key. As much as I hate to say it , "Misty Mountain Hop" by Led Zeppelin is actually closer.....But , if that was conscious , it's because Robert Plant actually has great taste in music that has little or nothing to do with Zeppelin.

I don't think I know that one. Is that an instrumental that very closely resembles "Boss" by The Rumblers? Just as "The Fourth Dimension" by The Ventures is obviously "Werewolf" by The Frantics? "Drug Train" (Which is listed, but does'nt appear , on some copies of "Songs The Lord Taught Us".) is widely believed to have been (Lovingly) lifted from the Rockabilly classic "Please Give Me Something".
 
FireofLove said:

let's not forget Day Train by Sandy Nelson for Drug Train ;)

let's not forget Day Train by Sandy Nelson for Drug Train ;)

''BEAUTIFUL GARDENS"   was born out of what Lux called a six month delayed acid flashback, in which he saw spiders in his eyelids and ghosts in his sheets...set to the tune of the organ riff to "Paliades Park" by Freddie Cannon. Then , there's the reference to Jesus Franco's "Vampyros Lesbos" ......But , I would'nt say they lifted the music from anywhere. It's a standard riff , not unlike "Bertha Lou" by Dorsey Burnette" or even "Space Cowboy" by The Steve Miller Group.

The backward message was taken from The Mad Daddy's "What is a Fisteris". When played backward , it says "If I said this in English , I could turn this record into a parking lot".

Early copies of "Psychedelic Jungle" reportedly contained the message "Elvis Was Murdered " etched into the vinyl.

I think , in fact , I know  , what Mitchhz was saying was that Surfin' Bird , by Wade Curtis , and Papa - Oo - Mao - Mao , by The Deviants , are still little known. Not The Trashmen's smash hit version of "Surfin' Bird".....which was put to better use in "Pink Flamingos" than on "Family Guy" , but , if it might mean The Trashmen will do a few more gigs this year , I don't have a problem with it.
Johnny Lurg said:

Little known? Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen was a huge hit and is extremely well-known again due to overuse on Family Guy.

Mitchhz said:

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...

Little known? Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen was a huge hit and is extremely well-known again due to overuse on Family Guy.

Mitchhz said:

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...

Howie , Funny you mention it. I found out about the "Bust OUT" / "I'm Cramped" connection in 1987 , myself. I found "Bust Out" in a thrift store , and it confirmed my suspicion that "I'm Cramped" was probably based on a (Then) little - known 60's instrumental. The only explanation that bears repeating is that it was more gratifying to find out about this stuff on your own. Still is. But , I don't mind giving advice to younger people just getting into this music , though I'm seldom asked for it.

haha...right? i started this homework assignment in 1977 & it took me a good decade to find out what you can find out in about 10 minutes nowadays...how can we explain THAT??

John Battles said:

Yeah , I mentioned that , earlier. There's no mistaking , if you hear "Bust Out" by The Busters , that it's the skeleton for "I'm Cramped".   'Psychotic Reaction" by The Count Five .....Well , it influenced "Psychotic Reaction" by The Cramps....Hello ? Is this thing on?  Wow .Tough crowd.

Oops. Mixed it up with "all around the world". Sorry, and glad you caught that.

If Titus Turner recorded "Fever," I never heard it, but he didn't write it. That was penned by Eddie Cooley and "John Davenport" (actually Otis Blackwell under an assumed name).

Right. Little Willie John had The R'n'B hit , and Peggy Lee had The Pop hit , which was huge.

I think The Cramps drew more from Elvis' great version , but , I dunno.
 
the Record Detective said:

Titus Turner wrote and released Fever. I have not heard that particular version, but have little willie john, little milton and long john hunter.

Titus Turner wrote and released Fever. I have not heard that particular version, but have little willie john, little milton and long john hunter.

Yeah , I mentioned that , earlier. There's no mistaking , if you hear "Bust Out" by The Busters , that it's the skeleton for "I'm Cramped".   'Psychotic Reaction" by The Count Five .....Well , it influenced "Psychotic Reaction" by The Cramps....Hello ? Is this thing on?  Wow .Tough crowd.

 Not at all!! I'm Cramped is lifted note for note from an instro called "Bust Out" by The Busters as someone must have mentioned above. There are many Psychotic Reaction ripoffs mainly taking the "fast/slow" bit as that is the most memorable thing about that song (which I'm Cramped does not do...)

Chris Skoczen said:

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

I HAD SOME NEW ADD-ONS , HERE , BUT , THEY GOT DELETED . wILL GET BACK TO YOU , LATER.  

you know , it may be social suicide , saying so , but , I thought "I Want Candy" sounded pretty damn good on the radio , even if it was about a year old at the time. I actually had to buy an Oldies 45 to hear The Strangeloves'
original (A great Rock'n'Roll hoax , pretending to be Sheep breeders from Australia.).... 
Mitchhz said:

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...

THE PRIMARY RIFF IS SIMILAR , BUT , "I'M CRAMPED " IS REALLY BASED , DIRECTLY , ON "BUST OUT " BY THE BUSTERS , WHICH CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE "PSYCHOTIC REACTION".
 
Chris Skoczen said:

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

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. ;)

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

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

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