Stay Sick!

by The Cramps

Overview

The Cramps waited four years after their top-notch A Date with Elvis before releasing their next studio album. The result is, unfortunately, one of the weakest platters in their canon. Most all the songs here follow the same rockabilly-based formula of previous releases; unfortunately, much of the group's usual fire is missing. Too many of the selections (such as "Daisys Up Your Butterfly," "Everything Goes," "All Women Are Bad," and a cover of "Muleskinner Blues") are cast in a moderate jogging tempo, and the instrumental playing shows minimal song-to-song contrast, lacking the manic craziness of their best work. Lux Interior's vocals are comparatively reserved (though there are some exceptions, such as the snarling cover of "Shortnin' Bread") and are often somewhat submerged in the sound mix. Lyrics, too, are a bit tame by Cramps standards, the major exception being "Mama Oo Pow Pow," which has gleefully tacky verses about spanking and discipline that rival their most tasteless. "God Damned Rock 'N' Roll" is, for all practical purposes, a middling parody of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." The biggest surprise is the atypically soaring vocal on the better-than-average song "Journey to the Center of a Girl." This album is not terrible by any means, but it's not an essential listen, either; in a nutshell, the biggest problem with Stay Sick! is that it's not sick enough. ~ David Cleary

Product Details

Release Date:	01/31/1994
Label:	Big Beat Records
UPC:	0029667412612

Tracks

1. Bop Pills
2. God Damn Rock 'N' Roll
3. Bikini Girls With Machine Guns
4. All Women Are Bad
5. The Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon
6. Shortnin' Bread
7. Daisys Up Your Butterfly
8. Everything Goes
9. Journey to the Center of a Girl
10. Mama Oo Pow Pow
11. Saddle Up a Buzz Buzz
12. Muleskinner Blues
13. Her Love Rubbed Off
14. Her Love Rubbed Off [Live]
15. Bikini Girls With Machine Guns [Live]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Cramps   Primary Artist
Lux Interior   Vocals
Poison Ivy   Guitar
Nick Knox   Drums
Candy del Mar   Bass

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Steve MacMillan   Engineer
Lux Interior   Composer,Photography
M. Christian   Composer
Macy Skipper   Composer
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Jimmie Rodgers   Composer
Mike Stoller   Composer
George Vaughn   Composer
Interior   Composer
Carl Perkins   Composer
Poison Ivy   Producer
Public Domain   Composer
Pat Dillon   Cover Design
Ukhan Kizmiaz   Model
Ivy Rorschach   Composer
Youri Lenquette   Photography
Rocky Schenck   Photography
McNatt   Composer