Way back in September 2014, there was the Mix-Tape Monday post about the odd little genre of Splatter Platters (or death discs), the quirky and morbid teen tragedy genre of music from the 1950s and 60s. Songs that told stories of lost love, usually through a motor vehicle accident. The genre was at its height during the 50s and early 60s, and faded in popularity soon after. Songs like Jan & Dean's Dead Man's Curve in 1964, and the Shangri-Las Leader Of The Pack also from 1964, were the peak of the genre, that all but disappeared, until artists of the 70s and 80s rediscovered the genre, and began to be inspired by them.

From The Damned's New Rose (1977), with its opening line that is directly lifted from Leader Of The Pack, and Good Riddance's 2003 punk cover of it, to The Bonzo Doo-Dah Band's comedy song Death Cab For Cutie (1967), to the deeply dark and depressing Emma (1983) by The Sisters Of Mercy (itself a cover of the Hot Chocolate song from 1974). There's the wonderful Pearl Jam cover of Last Kiss (2000), originally recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961. As well as lead singer of The Damned, David Vanian with his band The Phantom Chords covering the British splatter platter Johnny Remember Me, first recorded by Johnny Leyton also in 1961. So download and enjoy.

Not done a Mix-Tape Monday for quite a while now. In fact I posted a blog post related to this mix-tape all the way back in October, with Weird Music: Atomic Platters.  Anyway, better later than never and all that. Hope it was worth the wait. This is actually one of my personal favourites, and the quirkiest mix-tape so far. A mix of songs from all weird and wonderful genres of music, from extremely up-tempo happy tunes to... Actually they're all quite up-tempo considering the theme! All interspersed with Civil Defense PSAs and atomic attack radio warning messages. Giving it a bit of weird retro a 50s/60s radio station feel. 

After our blog post Weird Music: The Dirty Blues it seemed right  that this Mix-Tape Monday should be related to the bizarre sub-genre of the Blues. The mix-tape represents an across the board look at those risqué and sometimes down-right in-your-face songs form some of the most famous Blues artists over the years. From Delta Blues of the 1930s, through swing Blues and to whacked Rhythm 'n' Blues of Screamin' Jay Hawkins. It's all here for your aural listening pleasure. From platters of pure carnal desires, misogynistic melodies and down-home dirty discs. 

Thinly veiled food as phallic symbol tracks like Bo Carter's Banana In Your Fruit Basket (1931) and I Wanna Hot Dog For My Roll by husband and wife team Butterbeans & Susie from way back in 1927. With his hit Big Ten Inch Record (1952), Bull Moose Jackson pulls no pushes. No wonder he's says that he ...Wants A Bowlegged Woman (1948). But the infamous Lucille Bogan really puts it all out there when she asks to Shave 'Em Dry (1935).

Then there's the scatalogical themed fun of Stepped In What (1991) by Johnnie Johnson and the brilliant Constipation Blues from Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1969. Just goes t show the Blues ain't all about your dog dying and your woman leaving you. 

Download Bizarre Blues here.

Not so much a Mix-Tape this week, more a smörgåsbord of the so utterly strange it's beyond description. Albums beyond categorization, they orbit planet Earth, while we can only stare up in wonder at quirky bizarreness as they pass over us. Included in the mix is a taste of Tortura (1965) mentioned in a recent Weird Music post on the Captain's Blog. Simply known as 'Track 11' from the first album, the 'sounds of pain and pleasure' are accompanied by a cool jazz piano, as a whip is cracked and a woman laughs manically throughout. You really have to wonder what twisted mind came up with this piece of vintage vinyl.

Janet Greene, was the right-wing conservative version of Joan Baez. Recruited into the CACC (Christian Anti-Communist Crusade), she released only a small number of recordings. Probably her most infamous song is Fascist Threat (1966), a little Calypso inspired number. Apparently when asked where the Calypso influence came from she stated, it was the Chiquita Banana radio commercial which was popular at the time. (Also included on the sampler, for comparison.) The track was released with the very McCarthy-esque Commie Lies.

Art Linkletter was a famous TV host of House Party and People Are Funny during the 50s and 60s.  At the height of his fame in 1963, Art narrated a cute and quirky little album for children about 'the birds and the bees' called Where Did You Come From. A cutesy piece mixing simple biology with animal analogies. The best line comes about three-quarters through side-1, as Art describes how the sperm of a male horse fertilizes the egg of the female. "The father horse places the sperm in the body of the mother horse, through a 'little' tube that grows outside the daddy's body."

The Splatter Platters Mix-Tape takes you on a car crash journey through the golden age of teen tragedy songs, during the mid-50s to mid-60s. High-lights include Nervous Norvus - Transfusion (1956), originally banned, it uses the same stock car crash sound effect the can be heard on both Jan & Dean's - Dead Man's Curve (1964) and Leader Of The Pack (1964) by The Shangri-Las. (Both also on the mix-tape.)

Also included is the wonderfully wacky little known parody song I Want My Baby Back (1965) by Jimmy Cross. Voted one of the worst records of all time in 1978. Quite possibly the final nail in the coffin of the teen tragedy genre.

Download Splatter Platters Vol.1 - The Originals here.