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Album Review

Various Artists
Songs the Cramps Taught Us Volumes 1, 2 & 3

Article written by Paul M - May 11, 2008

For many of us with a penchant for raw 50s and 60s garage and rock n roll, the Cramps were our doorway to a whole new world of sleazy guitar music. It didn't matter that they hadn't actually written most of the songs, to paraphrase the band themselves "they had good taste". They'd tracked down these amazing old records, reworked some of them, merged others and stamped them boldly as their own.

Many different comps have appeared over the years that have gathered the original source of the Cramps trash genius. Most have been bootlegs or of dubious legal standing, mostly on vinyl (the Born Bad series being the best) and only the odd one or two have appeared on CD. This brilliant series spread over three CDs is the latest and gathers much of what's previously appeared but adds a few more gems too.

Imagine the songs of the Cramps, dripping sleaze and spoof horror and then strip back some of the campness and modern production techniques and you'll get an idea of the raw sound of most of the material on these CDs. Rumbling basslines and gruff vocals, seemingly recorded in an old septic tank, are the order of the day. It's wonderful stuff with the added bonus of the superb documentation, though with the legitimacy of it all being questionable you may have to look beyond Amazon and Play.com to get hold of them. Rough Trade and Piccadilly are as always good bets.

Tracklistings:

Songs the Cramps Taught Us Volume 1

Vol 1:

Sparkles-Hipsville 29 B.C.
Dwight Pullen-Sunglasses After Dark
Link Wray-Fatback
Sherrif & Ravels-Shombolar
Riptides-Machine Gun
Bo Diddley-Dancing Girl
Trashmen-Surfin Bird
Walter Brown-Jelly Roll Rock
Sonics-Strychnine
Rumblers-Boss
Third Bardo-Five Years Ahead Of My Time
Busters-Bust Out
The Phantom-Love Me
Jett Powers-Go Girl Go
Ronnie Cook & Gaylads-Goo Goo Muck
Runabouts-Strangeness In Me
Groupies-Primitive
Frantics-Werewolf
Elroy Dietzel-Rockin Bones
Dale Hawkins-Tornado
Shells-Whiplash
Keith Courvale-Trapped Love
Freddie & Hitchikers-Sinners
Charlie Feathers-Can't Hardly Stand It
Andy Starr-Give Me A Woman
R.Lewis Band-Get Off The Road
Hayden Thompson-Blues Blues Blues
Lee Dresser & Krazy Kats-Beat Out My Love
Andre Williams-Bacon Fat
Jack Scott-The Way I Walk
Elvis Presley-Do The Clam.

Songs the Cramps Taught Us Volume 2

Vol 2:

Hasil Adkins-She Said
Buddy Love-Heartbreak Hotel
Dean Carter-Jailhouse Rock
Fender Four-Margaya
Johnny Burnett-Tear It Up
Lightnin Slim-I'ts Mighty Crazy
Glen Glenn-Everybody's Movin
Carl Perkins-Her Love Rubbed Off
Slim Harpo-Strange Love
Charlie Feathers-It's Just That Song
Green Fuz-Green Fuz
Bill Allen-Please Give Me Something
Captain Beefheart-Hard Working Man
J.J.Jackson & Jackaels-Oo-Ma-Liddi
3 Aces & A Joker-Booze Party
Spark Plugs-Chicken
Jimmy Stewart-Rock On The Moon
Sonny Burgess-Red Headed Woman
Kip Tyler & Flips-Jungle Hop
Don & Galaxies-Sundown
Roy Orbison-Domino
Readymen-Shortnin Bread
Novas-The Crusher
Tune Rockers-Green Mosquito
Jesters-Peter Gunn
Count Five-Psychotic Reaction
Flames-The Bird
Red Crayola-Hurricane Fighter Plane
Kasenatz Katz Circus-Quick Joey Small
Rick Nelson-Lonesome Town
Huntsmen-Fever
Jim Lowe-Green Door

Songs the Cramps Taught Us Volume 3

Vol 3:

Nat Couty - Woodpecker Rock
Macy Skipper - Bop Pills
The Blues Rockers - Calling All Cows
Mac Rebennack - Storm Warning
Larry Phillipson - Bitter Feelings
Terry Dunavan - Earthquake Boogie
The Sonics - He's Waiting
The Fanatics - I Will Not Be Lonely
The Instrumentals - Chop Suey Rock
Dell Raney - Can Your Hossie Do The Dog
The Shades - Strollin' After Dark
Jackie Lee Cochran - Georgia Lee Brown
Lonnie Allen - You'll Never Change Me
Jerry Warren - Rompin'
Kai-Ray - I Want Some Of That
Junior Thompson - How Come You Do Me?
The Rhythm Rockers - Madness
Warren Smith - Uranium Rock
Kit & The Outlaws - Don't Tread On Me
The Flower Children - Miniskirt Blues
The Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
Dave Day - Blue Moon Baby
Shorty Long - Devil With The Blue Dress On
Ronnie Dawson - Rockin' Bones
Mel Robbins - Save It
Jimmy Lloyd - I Got A Rocket In My Pocket
Charlie Feathers - One Hand Loose
The Fendermen - Mule Skinner Blues
Paul Revere & The Raiders - Hungry
The Embers - I Walked All Night
The Bostweeds - Faster Pussycat Kill Kill

Links:
http:/www.thecramps.com/
http://www.myspace.com/cramping