Someof you may already know this, but I've got an ongoing John Waters music project going. See, there are *lots* of great songs used in JW's movies (the early ones are especially music-heavy), but only a handful of his movies have soundtrack albums: Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Pink Flamingos, Serial Mom, and Pecker.
Those albums all kick ass (if you don't own each one of 'em, shame on you)! However, even THEY have songs missing. The Hairspray album, for instance, doesn't contain any Chubby Checker songs, even though Chubby's music is very prominent in the film ("Dancing Party," "The Pony," etc.) Cry Baby doesn't contain "He's in the Jailhouse Now" by Webb Pierce. Serial Mom doesn't contain "Tomorrow" from Annie. Many of JW's movies don't even HAVE soundtrack albums!
My project has been to find all the songs that were used in JW movies and which aren't available on those five soundtrack albums. Also, "Cry Baby" contained a few songs that were remakes of other songs, and in those cases, I'm trying to find the originals upon which those were based. (Like "Mr. Sandman" by the Chordettes).
Beyond just finding the songs, I always try to get the right version that's actually used in the movie. For instance, the Little Richard songs used in Mondo Trasho all come from a 60s live album. In later movies (Pink Flamingos) he used the studio recordings of those songs.
Sometimes, there are alternate versions of the whole movie. The music in the 1972 version of Pink Flamingos, for instance, is different in spots than the 1997 version. (The song "Sixteen Candles" is used in the first version but not the second.) The TV version of Cry Baby has some extra songs, too.
Sometimes, this attention to detail blows up in my face. One big example is the Chubby Checker songs from Hairspray. Chubby's original recordings are out of print now because of copyright problems. The recordings you find on CD by him today are cheesy 80s remakes. (They're easy to spot because they're in stereo instead of mono.) Anyhow, when I found that my CD didn't contain the real 60s recordings, I took it back to the store. Then, I went to a used record shop and got a used copy of a Chubby Checker greatest hits albums with the real recordings. Imagine my chagrin when I listened closely to the music in Hairspray and found that JW didn't use the 60s recordings! He used the cheesy 80s remakes instead! Aaarrggghhh!!
What I'm asking from you guys and gals is help finding songs. I've already collected dozens of songs, but there are still many more missing. Sometimes, I can't even identify the songs used in his movies. (ESPECIALLY the instrumentals in the early movies!)
Please: scour through your record collections and rewatch JW's movies on videotape. Try to identify all the songs you can. If you have some of these songs in your collection or if you think you have some information that might be of use to me, PLEASE E-MAIL JEFF JACKSON and he will forward the message on to me!
[NOTE: for all Chubby songs, I still need the generic 1980s versions. They're widely available in stores on CD. You can tell if the CD is in stereo if they're the modern recordings. The stereo recordings are the ones I'm looking for, even though they suck. I had a CD of this once, and I took it back. Now I wish I had it again, because they're the ones he used. You can especially tell in the "Limbo Rock" scene because the guitar intro has one wrong note in the 1980s version.]
This list used to have more songs from "Pink Flamingos," but then JW came out with a "PF" soundtrack album. When songs appeared on that album, I crossed them off my list. (Examples: "The Swag," "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent," "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window," etc.)
Well, as a general rule, I need everything that was used in a JW movie and which DOESN'T appear on the list above. There are tons of them in Hairspray and Cry Baby. Just scan the closing credits and spot any song that doesn't appear on my list. And remember, with Cry Baby, I also want the songs that the musical numbers were BASED on. With "Sh-Boom" I chose the Crew Cuts' version because the movie version is clearly patterned after that arrangment of the song. All of the musical numbers in CB are based on real songs from the 50s. Plus, there are songs used as background score in the film. (In Cry Baby, they listen to a song called something like "Women and Cadillacs" on the car radio.)
With the early movies, I can't always identify the songs -- like the twangy instrumental that plays at the beginning of Multiple Maniacs. And sometimes,he uses little snippets of obscure songs I can't identify... especially in Mondo Trasho.
Of course, I'm also looking for the classical music JW has used. In the case of classical music, I don't particularly care if it's the exact right version, since classical pieces tend to be recorded by dozens and dozens of different orchestras... just as long as it sounds close to the version JW used.
I've given up hope of finding a decent recording of the Female Trouble theme or any of the songs from Polyester by Debbie Harry, Tab Hunter, Chris Stein, Bill Murray, etc. The best I can do is to dub copies of those songs off the movies. Maybe JW will do a Female Trouble album when that movie is reissued. He said he once had plans to do a Polyester album for Rhino Records, but the deal fell through. Maybe someday...
SIDEBAR: Joe has recently made a more complete list of the music from MONDO TRASHO - which is esentially a silent film set to the following songs:
symbols
[x] item I already own
[?] item I cannot identify at all
[-] item I do not own yet
[/] artist unknown; partial identification
[] guesswork
PROLOGUE / CREDITS
[x] "Jack the Ripper" - Link Wray
WALK TO BUS STOP
[x] "Short Shorts" - The Royal Teens
[?] sound effects: dogs barking
[x] "Pomp & Circumstance, March No. I" - Elgar
ON THE BUS
[x] "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" - Jo Stafford
IN THE PARK
[/] "I'm Following You" - artist unknown
[x] "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" - Elvis Presley
[x] "Sitting In the Park" - Billy Stewart
[?] operatic aria
[x] "Strangers in the Night" - Frank Sinatra
[x] "Little Bitty Pretty One" - Thurston Harris
THE SHRIMPING
[?] modern classical composition - piano/violin
[x] "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" - Perry Como
[-] "It's Almost Like Being In Love" - Judy Garland
[x] "See You Later, Aligator" - Bill Haley & His Comets
[x] "Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)" - Teresa Brewer
DIVINE ENTERS IN THE EL DORADO CADILLAC
[x] "Long Tall Sally (live)" - Little Richard
[?] operatic aria
[x] "Tutti Fruitti (live)" - Little Richard
[?] operatic aria
[x] "The Girl Can't Help It (live)" - Little Richard
[?] operatic aria
[?] rock & roll saxophone solo
[?] operatic aria
THE CAR ACCIDENT
[x] "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[?] operatic aria
[x] "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
[?] operatic aria
[x] "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
[x] "Leader of the Pack" - The Shangri-Las
[x] Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[x] "Why Does Everything Happen to Me?" (a.k.a. "Strange Things
Happen" - James Brown, live at the Apollo
ON THE RUN WITH AN UNCONSCIOUS GIRL
[x] "I Want You To Be My Girl" - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
[x] "It Only Hurts For a Little While" - The Ames Brothers
[x] "I Want You To Be My Girl" - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[x] "No Particular Place to Go" - Chuck Berry
[-] "Lonesome Fugitive" - Merle Haggard and the Strangers
-This song is also known as "I'm A Loneseome Fugitive"
and "The Fugitive"
[x] "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
[x] "Two Faces Have I" - Lou Christie
SHOPLIFTING AND STEALING SHOES
[-] "Finger Poppin'" - Ike & Tina Turner
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[x] "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
[x] "Night Train (live at the Apollo)" - James Brown
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
[/] "Marche Slav" - Tchaikovsky
THE LAUNDROMAT & THE FIRST MIRACLE
[?] intro. to unknown rock/R&B song
[?] speech by black vocalist
-"you can't do anything for us"
-"leave mine alone"
[x] "Rite of Spring" - Stravinsky
[/] "Holy Holy Holy" - artist unknown
+ wildtrack dialogue
[?] sound effect - bells ringing
[/] "Holy Holy Holy" - artist unknown
[x] "The Girl Can't Help It (live)" - Little Richard
[x] "The Angels Listened In" - The Crests
[x] "Shakin' All Over" - Mae West
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
THE CADILLAC IS STOLEN
[x] "Rip It Up" - Elvis Presley
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
[x] "Riot In Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[x] "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[x] "Oh Lonesome Me" - Don Gibson
[-] "Waddle, Waddle" - The Bracelets
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
[] "What a Rare Mood I'm In" - Judy Garland?
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
MINK STOLE / MENTAL HOSPITAL DRAGNET
[?] wildtrack dialogue, apparently - Mink makes noises
[x] "I Got Stung" - Elvis Presley
[?] opera - possibly German
-first a woman sings, then a man, then the woman again
[x] "I Almost Lost My Mind" - Pat Boone
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[?] unknown rock/R&B song
-"woah oh oh ohhhhhhh"
[?] unknown sax solo
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[x] Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
[x] "I Got Stung" - Elvis Presley
THE MENTAL HOSPITAL
[x] "We're Off to See the Wizard" - The Wizard of Oz Cast
[?] noises, sound effects, laughter
-avant-garde collage of sounds, possibly wildtrack dialogue
[?] crowd cheering - we hear someone address the crowd
-sounds like an excerpt from a live concert album (Garland?)
[x] "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" - Little Eva
[?] more weird noises and sounds - where'd he get this stuff?
MINK'S TOPLESS TAP DANCE
[-] "Take a Number From One to Ten" - Lyda Roberti
[x] Fats Gonder's intro. to "James Brown 'Live' at the Apollo"
[-] "Take a Number From One to Ten" - Lyda Roberti
[x] "What'd I Say (Parts 1 & 2)" - Ray Charles
THE SECOND MIRACLE: ESCAPE FROM THE SNAKE PIT
[/] "Holy Holy Holy" - artist unknown
[?] sound effect - bells ringing
[/] "Holy Holy Holy" - artist unknown
[x] "The Angels Listened In" - The Crests
[x] "Earth Angel" - The Penguins
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[x] "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" - The Ikettes
[x] "Tutti Fruitti (live)" - Little Richard
[?] unknown guitar solo
[x] "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
[x] "634-5789 (Soulsville U.S.A.)" - Wilson Pickett
GETTING TO THE DOCTOR & ROBBING THE CAB
[x] "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
[x] "Woo-Hoo" - The Rock-A-Teens
[?] unknown song by vocal group
-"Penny, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar
Money!
They're driving me crazy!"
[?] sound effect - dogs barking
[x] "See You Later, Aligator" - Bill Haley & The Comets
[x] "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
IN THE DOCTOR'S WAITING ROOM
[?] stripper / burlesque music
[x] "You Tickle Me Baby" - the Royal Jokers
[?] dialogue: "Help! Help someone!"
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[?] "Help! Help someone!"
[x] "Dance of the Comedians" - Kabalevsky
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[?] "Help! Help someone!"
[x] "Rumble" - Link Wray
[?] unknown classical music
[x] "Rumble" - Link Wray
[x] Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
DR. COATHANGER'S DREADFUL EXPERIMENTS
[x] Little Richard stage patter
[?] Long, long stretch of dialogue taken from SOMETHING
-Doubtful Waters recorded it himself - sound quality too good
-Transcription follows:
WOMAN: These monsters are going to use me in one of their
dreadful medical experiments.
MAN: Care for a girl? Ha ha. My dear fellow, I thought you
knew me better than that! Ha! My extreme taste for
certain pleasures causes me to sacrifice at whatever
altars are available. I often imagine that a boy is
really a girl and use her accordingly.
SECOND MAN: Let me inspect your veins.
[x] more Little Richard stage patter
-this comes from "Little Richard's Greatest Hits Recorded
Live" - a large portion of the intro. to "Jenny, Jenny"
is used
[?] creepy classical organ music - Bach? Carnival of Souls?
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[?] female R&B vocalist speaks:
-"Good Godamighty, the man sure makes me feel real."
-sounds like Aretha Franklin
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[x] "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - the Platters
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[x] "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
SHOOTOUT IN THE WAITING ROOM
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[x] "Western Movies" - The Olympics
[?] quote from uknown R&B song - James Brown?
-"Owwww! Sometimes the going gets a little tough!"
[x] "He's So Fine" - The Chiffons
[x] "Get a Job" - the Silhouettes
[x] "Western Movies" - The Olympics
[?] quote from unknown R&B song - James Brown?
-"Owwww!"
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Western Movies" - The Olympics
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
[?] the unknown "Owwww!" again
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Western Movies" - The Olympics
[x] "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
[x] "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
BONNIE IN PERIL
[x] "Along Came Jones" - The Coasters
[?] quote from unknown R&B song - sounds like Tina Turner
-"That's why he's all kinds of rude to ya."
[x] "Along Came Jones" - The Coasters
[x] "I'm Moving On" - Ray Charles
[x] Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
[?] excerpt from unidentified pop record:
"I almost flipped when she looked my way
I tried to think of the right thing to say"
[x] "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
[?] quote from unknown novelty record about feet
-"From head to my (escalator) feet?"
ON THE RUN WITH DR. COATHANGER
[x] "Come Go With Me" - the Del-Vikings
[-] "Mars, Bringer of War" - Gustav Holst
[x] "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" - Perry Como
[x] "Rescue Me" - Fontella Bass
[?] uknown rock saxophone solo - sounds like a Dion record
[x] "Lolipop" - The Chordettes
[?] same Dion-ish sax solo
[?] uknown pop/R&B song - "Worry Me"?
"Keep on worrying me, and soon I'll be gone
Worry me, and you'll be left alone
I'm almost crazy."
[x] "Angel Baby" - Rosie and the Originals
[x] "Kansas City" - Wilbert Harrison
[?] unknown R&B song, very tough to understand
-possible lyric - "Owwww! I didn't do no crime"
[?] unknown pop song: "I worry so much. I make myself sick."
[?] Dion-type sax solo
[/] "Goodbye to Love" - artist unknown
THEY'RE A TWOSOME AGAIN / IN THE PIGSTY
[x] "Rumble" - Link Wray
[x] "Ride of the Valkyries" - Wagner
[/] "Holy Holy Holy" - artist unknown
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[?] totally unknown classical piece with vocals
[x] "Maybe" - The Chantels
[x] "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
BACK TO REALITY, SUCH AS IT IS
[x] "Here I Stand" - Wade Flemons & The Newcomers
[x] "Going Out of My Head" - Little Anthony and the Imperials
[x] "Surfin' Bird" - The Trashmen
[x] "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
[x] "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
[x] "Whole Lotta Shaking Going On" - Jerry Lee Lewis
THE BUS STOP DIALOGUE
LADY 1: Is that a boy or a girl?
LADY 2: Is it a faggot?
LADY 1: It's a dyke.
LADY 2: No, it's a hippie.
LADY 1: A communist?
LADY 2: Perhaps it's a drag queen.
LADY 1: Or a wash rag queen.
LADY 2: It's probably a speed freak.
LADY 1: Or a pothead.
LADY 2: Or a muffin queen.
LADY 1: Look at her. It's just a whore.
LADY 2: Or maybe a golddigger.
LADY 1: She's a hustler.
LADY 2: Yeah, or some sort of intellectual.
LADY 1: She's probably a rimmer.
LADY 2: Hmmm. Maybe a speed freak.
LADY 1: A chicken queen.
LADY 2: Or a shrimp freak.
LADY 1: But, but it could be a narc.
LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe a beatnik.
LADY 1: Or a junkie.
LADY 2: Yes or an acid-head.
LADY 1: Or a spade.
LADY 2: Or just a gigolo.
LADY 1: Just a flower child.
LADY 2: Yeah, a shit-kicker.
LADY 1: Or a red.
LADY 2: Yeah, or a glamour girl.
LADY 1: Maybe she's some just sort of snob.
LADY 2: Maybe just some Polack.
LADY 1: Or a warmonger.
LADY 2: Yeah or an S&M queen.
LADY 1: Oh, it's just a teenager
LADY 2: Yeah, maybe it's one of those Hell's Angels.
LADY 1: You think it's a baby butch?
LADY 2: It could be a fag hag.
LADY 1: Or maybe it's a b-girl.
LADY 2: Yeah, or a closet queen.
LADY 1: A hairhopper.
LADY 2: Yeah, maybe a movie star.
LADY 1: Well, she's a dropout of some sort.
LADY 2: Yeah. What is that word? Uh, dingleberry.
LADY 1: Or a draft dodger.
LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe just a runaway.
LADY 1: Or some sort of, you know, peacenik.
LADY 2: Yeah, or a hooker.
LADY 1: Or she's one of those Yippies.
LADY 2: Mmmm. Maybe it's one of those jet-setters.
LADY 1: But I'll bet it's just a whore.
LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe a dinge queen.
LADY 1: A rimmer.
LADY 2: Yeah, or a size queen.
LADY 1: A hustler.
LADY 2: Oh, she makes me sick.
LADY 1: Whore.
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