The best known Cramps song and also their first own composition. Inspired by The Tune Rockers' "The green mosquito" (and a newspaper headline about a man climbing a skyscraper) and overfuzzed this classic penetrates your little grey cells. If you ask someone to give a Cramps song, 75% will say "Human fly". If the rest hears the song, another 20% will say they've heard it before. The other 5% are even sicker than Lux and Ivy. Almost all garage, psychobilly and trashbands have played it. It's also this song that started the whole retro-movement: neo garagerock, psychobilly, but also the numerous compilations. Just think of the Back From The Graves, the Wavy Gravys, the Desperate Rock 'n' Rolls, the Sin Alleys, ... For me (and many others) it's a fact The Cramps have saved the wild wild world of rock 'n' roll.
02. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND WHAT GOES ON (7" on MGM 14057 in 1969)
What goes on in your mind, when listening to this one? At the eve of the 70s Lou Reed wrote this super great song. Volume at 10, eyes closed and you'll get into a deep trance. I prefer the live version though because it goes on and on. Normally I stick to my 3-minutes rule.
03. THE SONICS CINDERELLA (7" on Etiquette RT23 in 1965)
Do you need more superlatives? The best song by the best Northwest band. Wilder than any rock 'n' roll song, harder than hardcore, hardly equalled by the Cramps in madness.
04. THE TRASHMEN SURFIN' BIRD (7" on Garrett 4002 in 1963)
Drummer Steve "wrote" this song and lost the trial The Rivingtons began because of their "Papa-oom-mow-mow" and "The bird's the word". Nevertheless, "Surfin' bird' is a monster. It grabs you by the throat and with every "papa" the squeeze is tighter. After 140 seconds you can breathe again. Just like there are Louie Louie contests, Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow has got its own life. From Psychotronic Video Magazine's first issue Michael Weldon collects all songs containing these well known yet senseless words.
05. THE RIVINGTONS MAMA-OOM-MOW-MOW (7" on Liberty 55528 in 1962)
It's ten times faster than "Papa-oom-mow-mow", a dozen times wilder than "The bird's the word" and still most people only know these two Rivingtons songs. However their best effort was this speedcore doo-wop trash right from the black part of L.A. In 1962 four young guys decided to become the best black vocal group. How could they've known that their "Papa-oom-mow-mow" would become a rock 'n' roll standard. I've never heard a cover version. I think it's too difficult, too special, too good.
06. THE HOLLYWOOD PERSUADERS DRUMS A-GO-GO (7" on Original Sound 50 in 1964)
Right from the first drum beat I was lost. Hypnotic drums pounding, wailing sax and a simple tune. That was enough for me to consider this song as the best instrumental ever. This band was an early Mothers Of Invention nucleus. On the compilation "Swing for a crime" this song starts with a scene from St-Valentine's Day 1932, Chicago.
07. THE MYDDLE CLASS I HAPPEN TO LOVE YOU (7" on Tomorrow 45-7503 in 1966)
Shivering: the ultimate love song. It's only this version you ought to know. I didn't know Carole King and Gerry Goffin could write a song like this. Best credits go to this unknown band whose Charlie Larkey later married King (and divorced and killed himself). It's the best slow from the best year and I dedicate it to each and every rock 'n' roll queen.
08. THE ELECTRAS DIRTY OL' MAN (7" on Scotty 6621 in 1966)
First this: it's not the same song as sung by Them, The Sonics and The 3 Degrees!!! I first only knew the Litter's version which is brilliant as well. Many people thought The Litter and The Electras were the same band. But Twas Brillig IS The Electras. Fantastic 60s punk.
09. THE STOOGES 1969 (7" on Elektra EK45664 in 1969)
Oh, I like 1969, not only the song. Back then the youngsters were bored too, a theme often heard 7 or 8 years later when punk violently appeared. Then Iggy Pop was considered the godfather of punk. But don't forget the production by John Cale.
10. THE UNDERTONES TEENAGE KICKS (7" on Good Vibrations GOT004 in 1978)
This is John Peel's favourite song. He played it over and over again on his BBC Radio One show. It's very rare a debute single has been made so great it's close to perfection. Subtlety and strength hand in hand. Every Pistols and Clash fan will hate me for this, but hey, taste is taste and I got gooood taste.
11. THE KINGSMEN LOUIE LOUIE (7" on Jerden 712 in 1963)
Jack Ely replaced Lynn Easton just for this Richard Berry song and he sang so unintelligibly that the average frustrated American began to look for hidden messages. Even the F.B.I. started an investigation. The judge decided: "...unintelligible at any speed!". All that fuzz about a simple seaman's shanty.
12. THE BANSHEES PROJECT BLUE
Astounding and scorching. A 60s punk song can't hardly be harder, wilder, crazier or even better than this piece of mayhem. It's hotter than every Back From The Grave track. This violent teenage attack knows only one cover version. Their singer became a catholic priest!
13. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN NEVER UNDERSTAND
They were the most innovative band in 1985 and their album "Psychocandy" still is one of the best debutes ever. Under the thick layer of feedback and other distorted noises you'll find a perfect pop song with a serious nod to the Beach Boys and the Velvet Underground.
14. THE DAMNED LOVE SONG
After their 1978 split and 1979 reunion they released this single: a hard and fast yeat accessible punk rock song which even became a UK hit. I consider the Damned and Buzzcocks the best of the first wave punk bands.
15. LEE DRESSER & THE KRAZY KATS BEAT OUT MY LOVE
This is rock 'n' roll with a capital R. Brilliant in its simplicity. The Cramps playing this song never sounded better.
16. DAVIE ALLAN & THE ARROWS BLUE'S THEME
Yeah! For years the best instrumental I knew. As if you're on Jack Nicholson's Harley rapidly heading nowhere. Davie, the instro-biker-king recorded several albums for biker movie soundtracks, mostly on Tower.
17. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS ALTERNATIVE ULSTER
The second Ulster punk band and the best known. They wished for a better situation in their country. Still nothing has changed... This is 100% pure and honest energy.
18. MAGAZINE SHOT BY BOTH SIDES
This was recorded shortly after Howard Devoto left the Buzzcocks. It's got everything to become a chart hit, but it didn't hit at all. Musically Magazine was important for the link between the 1977 punk rock and the 1981 New Romantics scene.
19. THE INSTRUMENTALS CHOP SUEY ROCK
Again of my favourite instrumentals. It's a late 50s track which became famous as a part of the Cramps' "Can your pussy do the dog?". It was even released on a Belgian label.
20. THE ENCHANTERS CAFE BOHEMIAN
Great bongo beatin' pre-surf instrumental from that fabulous year of 1959 which produced plenty of "novelty" instrumental recordings. Exotic sounds and a seductive female inviting you to go to that cafe.
21. THE SAXONS CAMEL WALK
Another proof of that crazy instrumental year. A party without the camel walk is like a vibrator without batteries. I've seen people making love on the sweaty dancefloor because of this sultry exciting song. This song was the inspiration for the hit by Southern Culture On The Skids.
22. THE LEATHER BOY ON THE GO
Volume at 10 and fly over the endless highways on the rhythm of this too weird psycho-punk song. Take your leather jacket and drive to wherever you want on your powerful bike. This 1967 song is the highlight of the ultra crazy Wavy Gravy series.
23. BAUHAUS THE PASSION OF LOVERS
This is the ultimate Bauhaus. Mesmerizing vocals mixed with doom driven guitars full of passion and violence. Now I remember why I used to be dressed like that.
24. THE INVICTAS THE HUMP
"Do the hump, do the hump". Rapidly this ultimate frat rock song "humps" through your head in less than 2 minutes.
25. THE PHANTOM LOVE ME
It's perfectly understandable why so many people consider this the best in rockabilly. It's short, powerful, simple and thus brilliant. Martin "The Phantom" Lott later drove off a cliff and for the rest of his life he was paralyzed.
26. THE BACKDOOR MEN MAGIC GIRL
Rather garagepop than fuzzpunk. It give me the creeps, though, goosebuds, twinkling eyes. Such a pity this Swedish foursome called it an end after two singles. Half of the band reappeared as the Creeps.
27. JACQUES DUTRONC MINI MINI MINI
Early 1966 his first EP was released. It also contained Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi. Jacques Dutronc became a 60s beat hero in France. Two bands were named after him: Dutronc in the UK in the mid-90s and in Belgium there is Dutronic, founded in 2000.
28. THE GROUPIES PRIMITIVE
Feeling oppressed after listening to this slow 1966 tune? It will remain a mystery why this tremendous single never got a successor, for this is one of the most magnificent songs ever to emerge from New York.
29. SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Version one was nothing but a ballad in 1954, but two years later Jay turned it into a horror rock classic. Repulsive hollering, primal screams and a hot wailing sax cast a magic spell and the subterranean sounds change into a horror love song. Hawkins' career is this song over and over again. Enough said.
30. DEAD KENNEDYS HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA
That this is the best American punk song is clear. No one could equal these hardcore pioneers, not even Henry Rollins' Black Flag. Being the politically most active band they had many followers, but Biafra's unflagging energy in battling Tipper Gore's censhorship squad, helped too.