Can’t Find My Mind-Cramps’ Lux Interior dead at 60

I’m still mourning the death of Lux Interior of the Cramps. I’ll probably never get over it.

I think the man was a genius in the vein of Screaming Jay Hawkins, Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper and others  but also one of those rare singer-songwriters in Rock n’ Roll who was a fierce evangelist for good, sometimes forgotten music (see if you can get a collection of nasty fifties music he curated called ‘BORN TO BE BAD’ on CD somewhere,) and a supporter of new bands all of his life. He and Poison Ivy (the band’s guitar player and musical composer and also his wife)  played a hard brand of nightmarish rockabilly often arranging songs with dual electric guitars, but no bass. Some of their drummers played some songs with a soda cracker tin as part of their drum kit. In any case, we thankfully have tons of music by these guys and they may have been the hardest working couple in Rock n Roll. They did a lot of covers of rare music, “Can’t Find My Mind” may be one of my favorites of the songs Mr. Interior wrote himself. Here are the lyrics

“Can’t Find My Mind” lyrics by Lux Interior

I’ve got a black skin suit,
alligator shoes.
Now I found success
and I paid my dues.

Well everything is fine,
but I can’t find my mind.

I’ve got a crystal ball,
and a divining rod,
magnifying glass,
and a pack of dogs.

I looked up my sign,
but I can’t find my mind

Oh I uphold/abhor the law.
I hired a private eye.
Turned in a A.P.B.,
with the F.B.I.

No matter what I do,
I still can’t find a clue.

Let’s Ride…

I don’t know what to think.
I’ve looked every place.
Where is the missing link,
that was behind my face ?
There’s only one thing to do…

This song still gives me chills, because it feels so autobiographical, confessional, scary and somehow funny.
Hope you all enjoyed it.
-SJ

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