Jesus, I feel like a band announcing its umpteenth "farewell" tour. Anyways, I liked doing the Metallica cover song compilations a few months ago and thought I would amass something similar for everyone's favorite scumfuc. I've written previously on the wealth of material GG Allin covered, lifted, adapted or simply plagiarized; I thought a comprehensive "greatest hits" was due. There are a few tracks I've left off. Bulge may or may not be able to take credit for writing some of the tunes on Freaks, Faggots, Drunks & Junkies (see my Second Cummin' post for more info) - I'll just never really know who's version was recorded/written first. Additionally, if you can believe it, "Eat My Diarrhea" was originally written by obscure Sacramento punkers The Vacant. Can't verify that claim with an actual song so we'll leave that one out. Finally, "Louden Boomer" (from the execrable Live Fast Die Fast 7") is supposedly a cover of Steppenwolf's "Earschplittenloudenboomer." I don't really hear the connection and since both songs suck I skipped 'em. Other than that, I think you'll get a kick hearing the virginal versions of songs GG inaugurated into scum rock history. I've tried to make them somewhat career-chronological. Here we go:
1. I Like Marijuana (David Peel & The Lower East Side) - Covered throughout GG's career; appearing as early as Jabber bootlegs down to the I Was A Murder Junkie soundtrack.
2. Pills (New York Dolls) - Covered live by GG and the Jabbers, appearing on several bootleg albums from that era.
3. Up Against The Wall (The Ohio Express) - Showed up on GG's No Rules 7". Pure bubblegum pop nonsense. Strange slow down near the end of the song, GG makes this one a lot more listenable.
4. (She Got A) Nose Job (Mike Russo, Jeanne Hayes & The Dellwoods) - Yep, I couldn't believe this one either. Only just learned about the existence of this - a fucking MAD Magazine cover tune! Of course it morphed into Eat My Fuc's "Blow Jobs" - I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when ol' Geeg heard this one for the first time and the gears started churning...
5. Women I've Never Had (Hank Williams Jr.) - In my opinion, GG's Hank covers are his best homages. The Scumfuc era was a real high point for me.
6. Family Tradition (Hank Williams Jr.) - As above.
7. Bad Habits (Joan Armatrading) - Who would have thought GG listened to UK jazz pop singers? From side B of her 1983 The Key (Joan's biggest US album up to that time), Allin's version is a true cover, not a whole lot changing on this one other than a few obligatory "fucks" here and there. I'm sure this track was a contribution from one of the 'Sluts as I just cannot imagine this LP actually spinning on GG's turntable.
8. Kids In The City (Candy) - Another obscurity, Ohio's Candy was actually the launchpad for Gilby Clarke who years later would have some success with Guns 'N' Roses! But this is terrible mid-80's power pop which GG would re-envision as "Sluts In The City".
9. Sorry 'Bout That (Nancy Sinatra) - For the longest time I thought "Tough Fuckin' Shit" was a quasi-cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". Seems a LOT of Nancy Sinatra's songs sounded exactly the same and after a quick listen it's apparent this was the catalyst. I still think she was pretty hot though...
10. Ball Me Out (DMZ) - I gotta say, to me the Cedar St. Sluts stuff is some of GG's weakest material but if I had to pick a favorite it would be "I Wanna Suck Your Cunt." Classic scum that I was surprised to learn was lifted from Boston band DMZ. Not sure if there's a studio version out there, this is a live version from 1976. I'll always wonder how GG stumbled upon this pretty rocking tune.
11. Beer Picnic (Bad Tuna Experience) - I wrote about this tune a few months ago.
12. Garbage Dump (Charles Manson) - Good ol' folk from our favorite San Quentin resident. Recorded for what became the infamous LIE album.
13. You're Gonna Die (Destroy All Monsters) - Another obscure punk band rescued from the bowels of obscurity by a GG Allin cover. GG's "Die When You Die" is light years superior but still neat to hear the original.
14. Longhaired Redneck (David Allan Coe) - The impetus for GG's classic "Outlaw Scumfuc." I find the original really tough to listen to - I can't fucking stand country music (especially with steel guitar) and this is a perfect example why.
15. I Want To Kill You (David Peel & The Lower East Side) - Strange proto-punk from 1970 - the only tune in this compilation I actually prefer over GG's. Just has a cool space-age vibe to it. Admittedly GG lifted the best choral parts to create his own lo-fi masterpiece but Peel's version kills.
16. Knoxville Girl (The Wilburn Brothers) - I almost didn't include this one. Evidently it was the basis for "Watch Me Kill (The Boston Girl)" from his Murder Junkies 7". I guess I can see the comparison. Or maybe it's the impetus for the Carnival Of Excess version. Either way what is more surprising to me is that this was a relative "hit" in 1959 - some pretty dark shit for the beatnik 50's. Sounds like Unknown Hinson on a good day.
17. Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones) - Few need an intro to this one. From the Sticky Fingers album and a live GG staple in the dirgy late 80's shows.
18. Carmelita (Warren Zevon) - GG did this one justice with his Hated impromptu cover, Zevon's original reeks of too much flamenco. I'm not exactly sold on the over-produced Carnival Of Excess version, I think it works much better as a bare-bones acoustic
19. Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (Patsy Cline) - obscure Cline recording from 1956 well-covered by GG on the Carnival Of Excess album.
20. Fuckin' In The Butt (David Allan Coe) - Not much else to say other than it's the basis for "I Wanna Fuck The Shit Out Of You" from the cash-in posthumous Carolina Shitkickers 7".
Say what you want about GG but to his credit he had some pretty varied tastes in music. Of course he would claim it tended somewhat towards the obscure and underground but shit, even my parents had a fucking Warren Zevon record. I tried my best to get quality versions, bitrates are a little all over the place but all in all I think they sound pretty good considering. Enjoy before the link disappears!
12/16/14 update: Thanks to nogoodbastid's essential YouTube channel I learned the obscure origins of "Bad Habits" (among previous others) and added it to the list!
4. (She Got A) Nose Job (Mike Russo, Jeanne Hayes & The Dellwoods) - Yep, I couldn't believe this one either. Only just learned about the existence of this - a fucking MAD Magazine cover tune! Of course it morphed into Eat My Fuc's "Blow Jobs" - I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when ol' Geeg heard this one for the first time and the gears started churning...
5. Women I've Never Had (Hank Williams Jr.) - In my opinion, GG's Hank covers are his best homages. The Scumfuc era was a real high point for me.
6. Family Tradition (Hank Williams Jr.) - As above.
7. Bad Habits (Joan Armatrading) - Who would have thought GG listened to UK jazz pop singers? From side B of her 1983 The Key (Joan's biggest US album up to that time), Allin's version is a true cover, not a whole lot changing on this one other than a few obligatory "fucks" here and there. I'm sure this track was a contribution from one of the 'Sluts as I just cannot imagine this LP actually spinning on GG's turntable.
8. Kids In The City (Candy) - Another obscurity, Ohio's Candy was actually the launchpad for Gilby Clarke who years later would have some success with Guns 'N' Roses! But this is terrible mid-80's power pop which GG would re-envision as "Sluts In The City".
9. Sorry 'Bout That (Nancy Sinatra) - For the longest time I thought "Tough Fuckin' Shit" was a quasi-cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". Seems a LOT of Nancy Sinatra's songs sounded exactly the same and after a quick listen it's apparent this was the catalyst. I still think she was pretty hot though...
10. Ball Me Out (DMZ) - I gotta say, to me the Cedar St. Sluts stuff is some of GG's weakest material but if I had to pick a favorite it would be "I Wanna Suck Your Cunt." Classic scum that I was surprised to learn was lifted from Boston band DMZ. Not sure if there's a studio version out there, this is a live version from 1976. I'll always wonder how GG stumbled upon this pretty rocking tune.
11. Beer Picnic (Bad Tuna Experience) - I wrote about this tune a few months ago.
12. Garbage Dump (Charles Manson) - Good ol' folk from our favorite San Quentin resident. Recorded for what became the infamous LIE album.
13. You're Gonna Die (Destroy All Monsters) - Another obscure punk band rescued from the bowels of obscurity by a GG Allin cover. GG's "Die When You Die" is light years superior but still neat to hear the original.
14. Longhaired Redneck (David Allan Coe) - The impetus for GG's classic "Outlaw Scumfuc." I find the original really tough to listen to - I can't fucking stand country music (especially with steel guitar) and this is a perfect example why.
15. I Want To Kill You (David Peel & The Lower East Side) - Strange proto-punk from 1970 - the only tune in this compilation I actually prefer over GG's. Just has a cool space-age vibe to it. Admittedly GG lifted the best choral parts to create his own lo-fi masterpiece but Peel's version kills.
16. Knoxville Girl (The Wilburn Brothers) - I almost didn't include this one. Evidently it was the basis for "Watch Me Kill (The Boston Girl)" from his Murder Junkies 7". I guess I can see the comparison. Or maybe it's the impetus for the Carnival Of Excess version. Either way what is more surprising to me is that this was a relative "hit" in 1959 - some pretty dark shit for the beatnik 50's. Sounds like Unknown Hinson on a good day.
17. Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones) - Few need an intro to this one. From the Sticky Fingers album and a live GG staple in the dirgy late 80's shows.
18. Carmelita (Warren Zevon) - GG did this one justice with his Hated impromptu cover, Zevon's original reeks of too much flamenco. I'm not exactly sold on the over-produced Carnival Of Excess version, I think it works much better as a bare-bones acoustic
19. Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (Patsy Cline) - obscure Cline recording from 1956 well-covered by GG on the Carnival Of Excess album.
20. Fuckin' In The Butt (David Allan Coe) - Not much else to say other than it's the basis for "I Wanna Fuck The Shit Out Of You" from the cash-in posthumous Carolina Shitkickers 7".
Say what you want about GG but to his credit he had some pretty varied tastes in music. Of course he would claim it tended somewhat towards the obscure and underground but shit, even my parents had a fucking Warren Zevon record. I tried my best to get quality versions, bitrates are a little all over the place but all in all I think they sound pretty good considering. Enjoy before the link disappears!
12/16/14 update: Thanks to nogoodbastid's essential YouTube channel I learned the obscure origins of "Bad Habits" (among previous others) and added it to the list!
Currently watching: Basket Case 3
Currently listening to: Trainspotting - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
