''Songs in the Key of Z'' is a book and two compilation albums written and compiled by

Irwin Chusid Irwin Chusid (born April 22, 1951 in Newark, New Jersey) is a journalist, music historian, radio personality, record producer, and self-described "landmark preservationist". His stated mission has been to "find things on the scrapheap of history tha ...

. The book and albums explore the field of what Chusid coined as "

outsider music Outsider music (from "outsider art") is music created by self-taught or naïve musicians. The term is usually applied to musicians who have little or no traditional musical experience, who exhibit childlike qualities in their music, or who suffe ...

". Chusid defines outsider music as; "crackpot and visionary music, where all trails lead essentially one place: over the edge." Chusid's work has brought the music of several leading performers in the outsider genre to wider attention. These include

Daniel Johnston Daniel Dale Johnston (January 22, 1961 – September 11, 2019) was an American singer, musician and artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consisted of cassettes recorded a ...

Joe Meek Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 – 3 February 1967) was an English record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who pioneered space age and experimental pop music. He also assisted in the development of recording practices like over ...

Jandek Jandek is the musical alias of Houston, Texas based lo-fi folk singer Sterling Smith. Since 1978, Jandek has independently released over 45 albums without granting interviews or providing any biographical information, releasing on a self-made lab ...

and

Wesley Willis Wesley Lawrence Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was an American musician and visual artist. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1989, Willis began a career as an underground singer-songwriter in the outsider music tradition. Will ...

. In addition, his CDs feature some recordings by artists who produced very little work but placed their recordings firmly in the outsider area. Notable amongst these are nursing home resident Jack Mudurian who sings snatches of several dozen songs in a garbled collection known as ''Downloading the Repertoire'' and the obscure and extreme scat singer

Shooby Taylor William "Shooby" Taylor (September 19, 1929 – June 4, 2003) was an American jazz vocalist famous for scat singing over various records, including those of the Ink Spots, the Harmonicats, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, Mozart, and Cristy Lane, in a ...

AKA 'The Human Horn.'

The compilation albums

''Songs in the Key of Z – The Curious Universe of Outsider Music'', the companion compilation albums to Chusid's book were released on Which? Records, the first volume originally in 2000, with the two volumes later combined and released by Cherry Red. The collections, compiled by Irwin Chusid, include performances by

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

singer

Peter Grudzien Peter Grudzien (19412013) was an American country/psychedelic singer-songwriter, photographer, commercial artist, musician and recording engineer. Grudzien's music has been well known in the outsider music community since its inclusion in Irwin ...

, music schoolteacher

B. J. Snowden B. J. Snowden is an American songwriter and musician who sings and plays synthesizers. She has become a cult figure in Canada for her many songs about the country, including titles covering every Canadian province, and has been featured on CBC Ra ...

, and Swedish

Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

-impersonator

Eilert Pilarm Eilert Dahlberg (born April 2, 1953, in Anundsjö, Sweden), who uses the stage name Eilert Pilarm, is a Swedish Elvis impersonator. He gained fame when he performed on ''Morgonpasset'' on Sveriges Radio in 1992. Career Pilarm self-released sev ...

, along with better-known artists such as

the Shaggs The Shaggs were an American rock band formed in Fremont, New Hampshire, in 1965. The band was composed of the sisters Dorothy "Dot" Wiggin (vocals and lead guitar), Betty Wiggin (vocals and rhythm guitar), Helen Wiggin (drums) and, later, Rach ...

, and

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

.Hagan, Joe (2001)
MUSIC; Untamed Sounds From Well Beyond the Margins
, ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', 10 June 2001 The collections have drawn criticism from some quarters, with Alvin Dahn's wife unhappy with his inclusion in an 'outsider music' compilation, and B. J. Snowden also unhappy with the categorization.Burr, Ty (2003)
The worst of Irwin Chusid: Intriguing or just awful? A champion of 'outsider music' lets it speak for itself
, ''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'', 17 November 2003

Track listing

Vol. 1

1. "Philosophy of the World" –

The Shaggs The Shaggs were an American rock band formed in Fremont, New Hampshire, in 1965. The band was composed of the sisters Dorothy "Dot" Wiggin (vocals and lead guitar), Betty Wiggin (vocals and rhythm guitar), Helen Wiggin (drums) and, later, Rach ...

2. "

Walking the Cow "Walking the Cow" is a song written and recorded by singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston from his 1983 album ''Hi, How Are You''. The title was inspired by an illustration on a wrapper for Blue Bell ice cream depicting a young girl attempting to le ...

" –

3. "Walking On The Moon" –

Lucia Pamela Lucia Pamela (May 1, 1904 – July 25, 2002) was an American musician, nightclub singer, bandleader, and eccentric. She is remembered today largely for a science fiction themed musical album and coloring book concerning an imaginary trip to the M ...

4. " Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" –

5. "Downloading the Repertoire" (Excerpt) – Jack Mudurian
6. "Stout-Hearted Men" –

, The Human Horn
7. "In Canada" – B.J. Snowden
8. " Jailhouse Rock" –

9. "Virgin Child of the Universe" –

Song poem Song poems are songs with lyrics by usually non-professional writers that have been set to music by commercial companies for a fee. This practice, which has long been disparaged in the established music industry, was also known as ''song sharking ...

10. "Rock N' Roll McDonald's" –

11. "

Telstar Telstar is the name of various communications satellites. The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962. It successfully relayed through space the fir ...

" (Demo) –

12. "At the Grass Roots" –

Sri Darwin Gross Eckankar is a new religious movement founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965. Its membership today is primarily in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The spiritual home is the Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Eckankar is not affiliated ...

13. "Cousin Mosquito #1" – Congress-Woman Malinda Jackson Parker
14. "El Touchy" –

Luie Luie ''Touchy'' is a 1974 album by Luie Luie. Self-produced by the outsider musician and nightclub performer Luis Johnston, the album initially sold no more than 25 copies. ''Touchy'' was included in a list of the "101 strangest records on Spotify". ...

15. "Standing in a Trash Can (Thinking About You)" –

Legendary Stardust Cowboy Norman Carl Odam (born September 5, 1947, in Lubbock, Texas), known professionally as the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, is an outsider performer who is considered one of the pioneers of the genre that came to be known as psychobilly in the 1960s. ...

16. "Vampire Suite" –

& His Magic Band
17. "Butterfly Mind" – Arcesia
18. "They Told Me I Was a Fool" –

19. "Baby, Your Love's in Town" – "Dusty Roads" Rowe
20. " True Love" – Tiny Tim With Miss Sue

Vol. 2

1. " Lift Every Voice & Sing" –

2. "You're Out of the Computer" –

Bingo Gazingo Murray Wachs (June 2, 1924 – January 1, 2010), better known as Bingo Gazingo, was a poet from New York City, who was a postal worker for most of his career. Two versions, each also titled ''Bingo Gazingo'', were released of the only single-artist ...

& My Robot Friend
3. "Mr. Snuggles" - Dr. Love
4. "America" – B.J. Snowden
5. "You're Driving Me Mad" – Alvin Dahn
6. "Cousin Mosquito # 2" – Congress-Woman Malinda Jackson Parker
7. "

I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" is a song written with music by Annette Tucker and lyrics by Nancie Mantz, which was recorded in late 1966 by the garage rock band The Electric Prunes. Released as the band's second single, it reached number ...

" –

The Space Lady Susan Dietrich Schneider, known as The Space Lady (TSL) (née Susan Dietrich, and formerly Suzy Soundz), born 1948 in Pueblo, Colorado and raised in Las Animas, Colorado, US, is a singer and musician in the genres of space music, synth pop, and ...

8. "Touch of Light" – Luie Luie
9. "Curly Toes" – Unknown
10. "Stepping High Dance" – Eddie Murray
11. "5 Ft. 9 1/12 Inches Tall" – Dick Kent
12. "Recitation About

Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown ...

" – Gary Mullis
13. "Deep Bosom Woman" – Wayne
14. "High Speed" – Bob Vido
15. "Herma, Scene 5; Recitation/An" –

Thoth Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'', Egyptian: ', the reflex of " eis like the Ibis") is an ancient Egyptian deity. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a ...

16. "Jet Lady" – Tangela Tricoli
17. "Birthmark Story" – Buddy Max
18. "Heart of the Heartland" – Mark Kennis

Vol. 3

1. "Hap-Hap-Happy Heart" - Lucia Pamela
2. "Rock and Roll Baby" - Eddie Murray
3. "The Future is Now" - Neil Dick
4. "Indiana" - Shooby Taylor, The Human Horn
5. "Lonesome, Lonesome George Jones" - Queenie Montgomery
6. "Hitting the Bottom" - Tony Mason-Cox
7. "First Time" - Kitty
8. "Rock & Rolling Dance" - Gordon Thomas
9. "The Cook Who Couldn't Cook" - Bingo Gazingo & Leo Abraham
10. "Boo-Bah-Bah" - Bob Vido
11. "Because We Care" - Beulah
12. "Vote for Buddy Max" - Buddy Max
13. "Settle Down" - Polly Feazel
14. "Die With Your Boots On" - Anton Maiden
15. "They Are There! (Third Take)" - Charles Ives
16. "Adele's Laughing Song" - Florence Foster Jenkins
17. "Rainy Weekend" - San D'jinn Din
18. "Wake Up America" - Sylvia Boshers
19. "The President's Prayer" - Freddie Martell
20. "I Want To Marry An Egghead" - Leona Bass
21. "Hi, Dear Mister Master Keith Richards (Intro)" - Paul "Super Apple"
22. "Apple Love" - Paul "Super Apple"
23. "Love Lives On" - Paul "Super Apple"
24. "The Chance" - Paul "Super Apple"
25. "Please Call, Keith (Outro)" - Paul "Super Apple"

Vol. 4

1. "It Gets Better All the Time" - Shooby Taylor
2. "Star's Ghost" - Frances Cannon, The Singing Psychic
3. "I Wanna Job" - Abner Jay
4. "In the Ghetto" - Eilert Pilarm
5. "Moon Pilot" - Unknown
6. "Dock of the Bay" - Mexia State School Sunshine Singers
7. "Delightful Company" - Dana Drake
8. "Something" - Gary Strivant
9. "Michael Ferrucci" - Unknown
10. "Why Do People Try & Hurt Little Birdie" - Little Birdie
11. "Worship Me" - Amanda
12. "It Just Is" - Sri Darwin Gross
13. "I Really Don't Want to Know" - Ali Mapo & His Girls
14. "Cruise Around the Planets" - Unknown
15. "Hey Fireman, Put out the Fire" - Omo the Hobo
16. "Our Flag" - Tom Merlo
17. "Letter to a Christian" - Hallmark Song-Poems & Alice J. Jackson
18. "The Nightclub" - Michael O. Sullivan, The Singing Irishman
19. "Stella by Starlight" - Ivo Araujo
20. "The Garbage Can" - Bingo Gazingo
21. "Make Our Love Positive" - Martin Mechanic
22. "Genevieve, Oh My Genevieve" - "Dusty Roads" Rowe
23. "I Want a Nurse" - Jack Barrett
24. "Message to the Label Industry" - J&H Productions
25. "New York, New York" - Ken DeFeudis

References

External links

''Songs in the Key of Z'' – outsider music project
{{Authority control 2000 non-fiction books Music books 2000 compilation albums Cherry Red Records compilation albums Outsider music albums