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
Taboo
The Cramps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We met at my waterloo
Doomed from the start
I wished it wasn't true
But I was caught with one whisk of your shoe
Deep down I knew I should say to you
But you're under my skin like some dead drunk tattoo
Ooooooooo
Taboo
Ooooooooo
Taboo
Taboo
Deep down inside of you
You know it's taboo
Give the Devil his due
Taboo
Such a bad thing to do
Down at the end of your avenue
Taboo
Who can say what's taboo
Taboo
What's for me ain't for you
Taboo
Ooooooooo
Taboo
Ooooooooo
The Cramps's song Taboo is a song about the irresistible pull towards something that is culturally or morally forbidden through the usage of animalistic and sexual imagery. The song's opening lyrics, "You flew in from (?) zoo / We met at my waterloo" create a setting of two powerful forces colliding, which ultimately leads to the singer's downfall because of their attraction to the taboo. The singer expresses their reluctance with the situation, saying "I wished it wasn't true / But I was caught with one whisk of your shoe". However, it's clear that the allure of the taboo is too strong to resist, "Deep down I knew I should say to you / But you're under my skin like some dead drunk tattoo".
As the song progresses, the chorus repeats the word taboo followed by sensual moans that indicate the singer's pleasure in the forbidden act. The lyrics "Deep down inside of you / You know it's taboo / Give the Devil his due / Taboo" further highlight that the taboo is enticing not only because it's considered wrong, but also because of the thrill and power that comes with indulging in it. The song ends with the lines "What's for me ain't for you / Taboo" which reinforce the idea that the forbidden act is something that is personal and subjective to the individual, it may be considered taboo for one but not for others.
Line by Line Meaning
You flew in from (?) zoo
You came into my life from an unknown, wild place
We met at my waterloo
We connected at a point of significant defeat or failure for me
Doomed from the start
Our relationship was cursed or fated to fail from the very beginning
I wished it wasn't true
I hoped that my doubts about us were unfounded
But I was caught with one whisk of your shoe
I was entranced and unable to resist your allure or charm
Deep down I knew I should say to you
I knew I should express my concerns to you, but was hesitant
But you're under my skin like some dead drunk tattoo
Despite my reservations, you have rooted yourself in my life like a permanent, unpleasant mark
Deep down inside of you
You have a sense of what is right and wrong
You know it's taboo
You understand that our relationship is socially or morally unacceptable
Give the Devil his due
Acknowledge the dark, dangerous aspects of our connection
Such a bad thing to do
We are engaging in behavior that is harmful to ourselves or others
Down at the end of your avenue
You are venturing into a dangerous, undesirable place
Who can say what's taboo
The line between right and wrong is often unclear or subjective
What's for me ain't for you
What works for me may not be suitable for you
Contributed by Liliana D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.