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
I Was A Teenage Werewolf
The Cramps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Braces on my fangs
I was a teenage werewolf
And no one even said thanks
And no one made me stop
I had a teen-land mind
I had to blow my top
No one could make me stop
No one could make me stop
A teenage werewolf
Parallel bars
A teenage girlfriend
Got a lot of scars
Somebody please make me stop
Oh, please
You know, I have puberty rights
And I have puberty wrongs
No one understood me
All my teeth were so long
And no one made me stop
A Midwest monster
Of the highest grade
All my teachers thought
Oh, and it was growing pains, oh, no, no
Oh, somebody stop this pain, oh
The Cramps's song "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" is a playful and humorous representation of teenage angst and frustration that captures the essence of the angst of the youth of the late 1970s. The song is a tongue-in-cheek anthem that reflects the perspective of a young person that can't seem to escape the troubles that come with adolescence. The song has several references to the supernatural, which is a classic feature of horror movies and tales, and in this case, they mirror the intense emotions experienced by a young person.
The lyrics, "I was a teenage werewolf, braces on my fangs" paint the image of a young person who is dealing with the physical and emotional changes that come with puberty. The idea of having "braces on my fangs" indicates that the young person feels like they are unable to express themselves properly or be understood by others. There is a sense of frustration in the song, as though the world is against the young person and they are powerless.
The line, "All my teachers thought, oh, and it was growing pains" is an acknowledgment of the dismissive attitude that many adults have towards the problems faced by the youth. This emotion is taken to a different level in the song when it is expressed through the supernatural symbol of the werewolf. The werewolf is a metaphor for the young person's hormonal changes. The young person feels misunderstood, and the rage and powerlessness they feel are represented by the werewolf. The song is a reflection of how the youth of any generation can feel like they are in a world that doesn't understand them.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a teenage werewolf
As a teenager, I felt like a monster, like a character in a horror movie.
Braces on my fangs
I had sharp teeth that needed to be contained with braces.
And no one even said thanks
Despite my struggles, nobody showed any gratitude or appreciation for me.
And no one made me stop
Nobody could control me or force me to change my behavior.
I had a teen-land mind
I had a young and immature mind that had yet to fully develop.
I had to blow my top
I had to explode with anger or frustration due to my teenage hormones.
And under teen full moon
During times of intense emotion or hormonal changes, like a full moon, I felt particularly wild.
No one could make me stop
I was uncontrollable and nobody, not even authority figures, could stop me from acting out.
A teenage werewolf
I felt like a terrifying and misunderstood creature, even if it was just a metaphor.
Parallel bars
I was locked up and restrained like a wild animal in a cage.
A teenage girlfriend
As a teenager, I had a tumultuous and often painful romantic life.
Got a lot of scars
I experienced a lot of pain and heartbreak in my relationships, which left deep emotional scars.
Somebody please make me stop
I was begging for help and guidance, hoping that someone could intervene and help me control my impulses.
Oh, please
This is a desperate plea for mercy and understanding.
You know, I have puberty rights
As a teenager, I felt like I had a right to explore my newfound sexuality and identity.
And I have puberty wrongs
However, I also made a lot of mistakes and misjudgments as I navigated this new phase of my life.
No one understood me
Despite my struggles, nobody seemed to understand or empathize with my situation.
All my teeth were so long
This is a metaphor for my feelings of alienation and otherness as a teenager.
A Midwest monster
This line suggests that the song is a commentary on the struggles of growing up in a small town in the American Midwest.
Of the highest grade
I experienced intense emotions and struggles that were on par with the most dramatic and exaggerated horror movie monsters.
All my teachers thought
Even the authority figures in my life did not understand my struggles or offer meaningful support.
Oh, and it was growing pains, oh, no, no
This can be interpreted in a few ways, but it likely means that the people in the artist's life dismissed their struggles as simply a natural part of growing up, without taking their emotional pain seriously.
Oh, somebody stop this pain, oh
This is another plea for help and support, expressing the singer's deep emotional pain and desire for relief.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Lux Interior, Ivy Rorschach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind