Customer Reviews

Stay Sick

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

1989's "Stay Sick!" is another energetic rock album that clearly marks the highest point of the Cramps' musical creativity. Interestingly, the songs of this particular CD have rejuvenated lyrical elements of the band's outrageous obsession with cheesy science fiction films and off-the-wall frightfests (which were temporarily lost in 1986's "A Date with Elvis.") In fact, the title of "Stay Sick!" was once a spooky catchphrase spoken by Ghoulardi, an early television horror host who became popular in Lux Interior's home state of Ohio. As a whole, this record is fueled by twisted rockabilly tunes, simplified chorus hooks and groovy pop rhythms. Supported by Poison Ivy's raw, vibrating guitar strings, Lux the frontman adapts an audio persona more warped than ever before; while belting out his vocals, he emits a fury of bestial growls, puppy dog yelps and strangely sexy croons. "Stay Sick!" has, of course, quite a few highlights. The CD's upbeat single "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns" is an underground party hit heavily drawn from alcohol binges, psychedelic drugs and a whole other variety of forbidden excesses. "All Women are Bad" is definitely the most well written track here, as it briefly explains how enticing vamps in history led men to their ruin (and why we all love them for it!). In "Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon," (obviously dedicated to the Hollywood monster of the same name) good ol' Lux shimmers his hips in a hilarious Elvis Presley spoof! Speaking of the King, the Cramps' dizzying cover of his celebrated hit "Jailhouse Rock" can best be described as a hyperactive noise riot done after swallowing one too many Twinkies! Beware, freaks and riff raffs: the sexual content on "Stay Sick!" is the most explicit ever presented (other than 2003's "Fiends of Dope Island"). There is no doubt in my mind that it was intended to press the panic buttons of mainstream censorship. "Everything Goes" is a throbbing country tune where Lux pushes fetishism to its most absurd level! "Mama OO Pow Pow" is a naughty barnyard ditty about spankings, bondage and other acts of kinky behavior. However, one of the CD's bonus tracks, a nostalgic cover of Carl Perkins's "Her Love Rubbed Off," is probably the ONE Cramps track that officially crosses the invisible line of obscenity. Snatch this incredible album...IF YOU DARE! ;)

Psychadelic rockabilly lovemaking music that would've turned Elvis onto B&D. If you can imagine Scarlett O' Hara and James Dean collaborating with Betty Page, Twiggy, David Lynch, and Charles Manson, and they all made love to each other on the set of a possible Troma Entertainment remake of "Night Of The Living Dead", then zoomed back in time to 1957... Throw in a dash of "Behind The Green Door" and a splash of Jerry Lee Lewis... a twist of lemon... and a tall, ice-cold, Sky Vodka Martini, shaken and extra, extra dirty... You'd have this must-have rockabilly sex-classic. It's as if Lords Of Acid did country and read Robert Crumb comics... The Cramps R fancy cats !

this is the best cramps music ever.great songs like bop pills and shortin' bread are true examoles of how the cramps rule rock-a-billy and punk.of course you gotta love daisies up your butterfly.i highly recommend this purchase.

This album is incredible. It rocks hard and its hilarious. It is unbeleivably catchy, with great songs like "creature from the black leather lagoon" and "daisies up your butterfly" that you will listen to over and over again. I can't stop putting this one back in my stereo. buy it now!

This album has the essential Cramps songs. This album will make you want to dance your heart out. This album has original studio tracks and bonus live tracks. This album is full of sex, violence, monsters, beautiful girls, and muscle cars. There is also a cover of Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock. For the beginner Cramps listener, this is the album to start with.

Such hits as "Bikini girls with machine guns" is a playful song that talks about beautiful tough girls on drugs. "Mama oo pow pow" talks about bondage sex and devilish womenising men. These hits are a playful imagination into lead singer Lux's surrealest mind. This deals with adult content, so adults only. You will not know if you are in the 1950s or the 1980s. Buy this album.

In my opinion this album is number one for great parties. The songs are catchy, and wierd. If the monster mash was a graveyard smash, Stay sick is the album for a successful bash! If your not into the darker side of life on a regular basis, it's sure to provide excellent fun for the Hallowe'en season. My personal faves are Bikini Girls with Machine Guns and, Bopp Pills This album is unique, up-beat and very danceable.

"Stay Sick!" is the very first Cramps record I've ever bought, and I really enjoy how they had taken rockabilly to a whole new level. Covering their favorite subjects like S&M, cheesy horror and sci-fi flicks and the drug excesses typical of 80's hair bands, the Cramps have created a ravenous cult following that rivals that of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Lead singer Lux Interior is funny, witty, explicit and makes fun of Elvis Presley. "Stay Sick!" includes the fun of "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns." My personal favorite is "Creature of the Black Leather Lagoon," which pays homage to the monster and perfectly blends camp with vamp. The tracks I wasn't crazy about were both "That Love Rubbed Off (live)" which is somewhat annoying, and "Jackyard Backoff." The majority of the CD, however, is a keeper.

Quite simply and quite seriously one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time.

If "Save me the label of that perfume on the table, so I can remember what made a wreck of me" isn't one of the most brilliant lines ever written I don't know what is.

Exceptional, hilarious lyrics and Poison Ivy, the Queen of Rockabilly Guitar and Gold Lame Bikinis.

Free the sleazy rocker that lives inside your soul and buy this.

There is simply no other group like The Cramps, and "Stay Sick" is their best album. As much as I enjoyed their original songs, it is the covers of "Shortnin' Bread" and "Muleskinner's Blues" that set this work above their other fine albums. The folks who wrote those classics are probably dancing in their graves. Or calling their lawyers from beyond.

The men dress in drag for the back cover and pretty much sing and do whatever they can to offend as many people as possible. But the simple fact is, the humor comes through on the first beat and you would have to be a real grouch to stay mad at them. The energy level is undeniable. This is not a group that performs an upbeat song and then relaxes things with a sappy ballad. Uh,uh, The Cramps are in your face all the way.

"Stay Sick" will never get radio play and it will certainly never be elevator music, except maybe in a high rise I hope I never visit. But if you can be cranky or lazy or feel sorry for yourself after listening to this album, check into an Emergency Room immediately.

The Cramps is my all-time favorite band, and this is my all-time favorite album. All the songs are great, but I love 'Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon'. What an awesome f#cking song. It's up there with 'Garbage Man', and 'Surfin' Dead'(The first Cramps song I ever heard, from the 'Return of the Living Dead' soundtrack). And if you ever find the video for Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon, check that out too. And you guessed it. All-time favorite music video. 'Bikini Girls With Machine Guns' conjures up twisted youthful comic book fantasies. 'Shortnin' Bread' is a manic cover of the recognizable song orginally by (I think) Johnny Mercer. 'Everything Goes' was practically made for strip clubs. And 'Journey to the Center of a Girl' is my second favorite song on the album, and ALOT of fun to listen to.

The music sounds very much the same as their previous efforts, but that's one of the things I find endearing about their timeless-as-infinity evil beach music. If they keep making it, I'll keep listening and loving every minute of it.