MUSIC FROM THE DARK SIDE OF THE MIND
In the hothouse of pop, there have bloomed songs about mental abnormality as regularly as the appearances of the twin roses of madness resulting from the red-hot cauterising iron applied to shaved scalps as a would-be cure for the malady up to the age of Queen Victoria.
Indeed, perhaps a level of lunacy is prerequisite when attempting a career in the often less than sane world of song-composition, and when subject matter overlaps with the darker personality traits, the creative process can bring about some truly disturbing results.
1. JIMMIE LUNCEFORD & HIS ORCHESTRA – I’M NUTS ABOUT SCREWY MUSIC (2.59) 2. BILLIE HOLIDAY – GLOOMY SUNDAY (3.08) 3. BETTY HUTTON – I’VE GOT BLUEBIRDS IN MY BELFRY (2.43) 4. BEATRICE KAY with MITCHELL AYRES & HIS ORCHESTRA – HOORAY HOORAY, I’M GOIN’ AWAY (2.47) 5. BETTY HUTTON – BLOW A FUSE (IT’S OH SO QUIET) (3.02) 6. ANNIE ROSS – TWISTED (7.38) 7. DINAH WASHINGTON – NEW BLOWTOP BLUES (2.33) 8. JOHNNIE RAY – MOUNTAINS IN THE MOONLIGHT (2.34) 9. LOUIE INNIS – SUICIDE (2.25) 10. THE TIBBS BROTHERS – I’M GOING CRAZY (2.38) 11. REDD FOXX – IT’S FUN TO BE LIVIN IN THE CRAZY HOUSE (2.29) 12. MOSE ALLISON – LOST MIND (3.31) 13. JACK TURNER – NIGHTMARE (2.05) 14. SLICK SLAVIN – SPEED CRAZY (1.52) 15. LITTLE WALTER – CRAZY MIXED UP WORLD (1.58) 16. THE ZANIES – MAD SCIENTIST (1.51) 17. THE MIGHTY SPARROW – THE MAD BOMBER (3.53) 18. WILLIAM PENIX – DIG THAT CRAZY DRIVER (1.53) 19. LITTLE WILLIE JOHN – SPASMS (2.41) 20. BO DIDDLEY – CRACKIN’ UP (2.02) 21. EDDIE COCHRAN – NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (2.18) 22. LENNY BRUCE – PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS (2.25) 23. BUDDY KNOX – I THINK I’M GONNA KILL MYSELF (1.59) 24. JAMES BROWN – I’LL GO CRAZY (2.06) 25. DIANA DORS – CRAZY HE CALLS ME (2.51) 26. WOODY LEAFER – THERE ARE DRUMS IN MY TYPEWRITER (2.16) 27. THE CREED TAYLOR ORCHESTRA – YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY (2.03) 28. BOBBY HENDRICKS – PSYCHO (2.25) 29. PATSY CLINE – CRAZY (1962 TV BROADCAST) (2.15)