Their line-up has rotated much over the past couple of decades, with husband and wife Lux Interior and Poison Ivy--the lead singer and lead guitarist, respectively--as the only permanent members.
Lux picked up Ivy when he was driving on the highway. Ivy had raised her hand for an auto stop, Lux stopped his car and ...fate brought them together.
They were part of the early CBGB's punk rock movement that had emerged in New York, although they had formed several years earlier in California. The band is credited as a prominent factor in terms of influence on the gothabilly genre.
Their sound was heavily influenced by early rockabilly and proto-rock'n'roll like Link Wray and Hasil Adkins, 1960s surf music acts such as The Ventures, The Surfaris and Dick Dale, 1960s garage rock artists like The Standells, The Gants, The Trashmen, The Green Fuz and The Sonics, as well as the post-glam/early punk scene from which they emerged. They also were influenced to a degree by The Ramones as well as Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who is often credited for having pioneered their style of theatrical horror-blues.
On February 4, 2009, Lux Interior died of a pre-existing heart condition at the age of 62.
Discography:
Albums & EPs:
Gravest Hits
Songs The Lord Taught Us
Psychedelic Jungle
A Date with Elvis
Stay Sick!
Look Mom No Head!
Blues Fix
Flamejob
Big Beat from Badsville
Fiends of Dope Island
Live albums:
Smell of Female
Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand
Singles:
"Surfin' Bird" / "The Way I Walk" "Human Fly" / "Domino" "Fever" / "Garbageman" "Garbageman" / "TV Set" "Garbageman" / "Drug Train" "Drug Train" "Goo Goo Muck" "The Crusher" "Faster Pussycat" "I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound" "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" "What's Inside a Girl?" "Kizmiaz" "Get Off the Road" "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns" "All Women Are Bad" "Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon" "Eyeball in My Martini" "Let's Get Fucked Up" / "How Come You Do Me?" "Ultra Twist!" "Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs" "Like a Bad Girl Should" "Big Black Witchcraft Rock"
Compilations
...Off the Bone Bad Music for Bad People How to Make a Monster The Secret Life of the Cramps
Dominó
The Cramps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He goes by the name of Domino!
Long key chain and a diamond ring,
(?), he's a crazy thing!
Oh, they love him so! And There goes Domino!
Domino,Domino, Oh!
Well the girls all think he's a real gone guy and they all flip when he walks by!
Dandy clothes and big white shoes,
They love him so! And there goes Domino!
Domino,Domino, Woah!
A gold (?) cap, and a solid style! Long side burns and a crazy smile!
Just ask they kids and they'll tell you so
(?) and there goes Domino!
Well they love him so! And there goes Domino!
Domino,Domino, Oh!
Domino, Domino, they love him so!
Here comes Domino, Domino, Domino...
Domino! go man, go! Domino, they love him so!
Get out of the way! Here comes Domino!
Domino,Domino.....
(?) The blues boys call
(?) His flow back hair
(?) They dig that cat called Domino
The Cramps's song Domino is a lively and energetic tribute to a charismatic character known as "Domino." Right from the beginning of the song, the lyrics introduce the listener to this figure - a cat in town that everyone seems to know. The reference to a 'long key chain and a diamond ring' and the fact that 'the girls all think he's a real gone guy' paints an image of a charming and confident man who loves to show off his style. The lyrics that follow further reinforce this impression - 'Dandy clothes and big white shoes. Ready to go, never sings the blues!' There is something almost heroic about Domino, the way he moves through the town, attracting attention wherever he goes. The repetition of the line 'they love him so, and there goes Domino' further reinforces the idea of a person who is beloved by all.
The lyrics of Domino suggest a certain nostalgia for a bygone era when people had personas that they carefully curated and showed off to the world. The song references 'long side burns' and a gold cap - features which could have once been seen as fashionable, but which now seem almost ostentatious. The song is a celebration of an electric character, who had a unique style and a likeable personality. Listening to the song, one can't help but feel excited and energized by the free-spirited nature of the music, and the playful, silly lyrics that suggest a world where someone like Domino could not only exist but be celebrated.
Line by Line Meaning
Well there's a cat in town that you might know,
He goes by the name of Domino!
There's a popular guy named Domino in town!
Long key chain and a diamond ring,
(?), he's a crazy thing!
Domino's got a unique style with a long key chain and diamond ring, people think it's crazy!
Oh, they love him so! And There goes Domino!
Domino,Domino, Oh!
Everyone loves Domino so much that they cheer him on whenever he walks by!
Well the girls all think he's a real gone guy and they all flip when he walks by!
Dandy clothes and big white shoes,
Ready to go, never sings the blues!
Girls are crazy about Domino because of his stylish clothes, white shoes, and confident attitude. He's always ready to party and never feels sad!
They love him so! And there goes Domino!
Domino,Domino, Woah!
Again, everyone loves Domino and he's always the center of attention!
A gold (?) cap, and a solid style!
Long side burns and a crazy smile!
Domino also wears a golden cap and has long sideburns that add to his rebellious image. And he always smiles!
Just ask they kids and they'll tell you so
(?), and there goes Domino!
Even kids love Domino because he's so cool and they always follow him around!
Domino, Domino, they love him so!
Here comes Domino, Domino, Domino...
Domino! go man, go! Domino, they love him so!
The chorus reveals that everyone really does love Domino and want him to keep doing his thing!
Get out of the way! Here comes Domino!
Domino,Domino.....
Domino is so popular that people have to move out of the way when he walks down the street!
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.