John Waters' Mondo Trasho: The Soundtrack (updated for 2017)

Divine carries Mary Vivian Pearce in this ad for John Waters' "gutter film," Mondo Trasho.

Little Richard, the film's patron saint.

After several years of making experimental short films like Hag in a Black Leather Jacket and Eat Your Makeup in the mid-to-late 1960s, Baltimore filmmaker John Waters finally took the feature-length plunge in 1969 with his dreamlike, almost plotless epic Mondo Trasho. But in those days, Waters was operating on such a low budget that he couldn't even afford to record synchronized sound as he was filming. His first full-length talkie, Multiple Maniacs, was released in 1970, a full 43 years after The Jazz Singer. But just because Mondo Trasho was shot silently, that doesn't mean it's a silent film. In fact, the 95-minute comedy has an incredible soundtrack pieced together a few seconds at a time from records in John Waters' personal music collection. The trouble was, he never got permission to use any of this stuff, meaning that Mondo Trasho has never seen legitimate release on DVD or any digital format. It never will.

The range of music used in Mondo Trasho is stunning. Waters clearly has an ear for rock and R&B, stuff recorded back when the music was raw and vital. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Ike and Tina Turner are all represented here. In fact, Little Richard, Brown, and the Turners can be said to dominate the soundtrack. But Waters uses plenty of classical and operatic music, too. Among the composers who unwittingly contributed to Mondo Trasho: Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner. And then there are total oddities, like Lyda Roberti's "Take a Number From One to Ten" and Mae West's "Treat 'Em Right." And who can classify such recordings as "Visage" by Luciano Berio?

I've been fascinated with Mondo Trasho's soundtrack for the last twenty years, and I've spent plenty of time in used record stores and online forums trying to identify each and every last scrap of music used in the film. Now, I'm happy to say that I have assembled a list that is as complete as I can make it at this time. I've published various versions of my Mondo Trasho soundtrack over the years, but this one makes all others obsolete.

A few notes before we begin. I have decided to catalog every distinct bit of audio that I can detect in Mondo Trasho. This includes occasional sound effects and instances of so-called "wild track" dialogue recorded by Waters and his actors, including Divine, Mink Stole, Pat Moran, and David Lochary. You will notice that many of the songs are repeated, some multiple times. Waters generally uses "Slow Walk" and "Come Go With Me" for the film's many traveling scenes, for instance. A siren and some gunshots from "Riot in Cell Block 9" are heard over and over again as well, as are some strange bleeps and bloops from "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" by Buchanan & Goodman. I have tried to denote those instances in which a live version of a song is used. The items printed in red are the last few stragglers, the pieces I still cannot identify fully. Corrections, comments, suggestions, and additions are more than welcome.

That being said, let's have some fun.

Crucial Update for 2017: Well, ladies and gentlemen, the day of reckoning has arrived. A John Waters superfan named Tyler Henry has compiled a downloadable 110-track playlist of every piece of  music in Mondo Trasho. And, bless my soul, I think he's managed to track down every last scrap of audio in the film. Tyler talks all about the project in this Facebook post. After all these years, it would appear that the hunt for Mondo Trasho music is now complete. For posterity's sake, I've updated my playlist to reflect these new findings.

Prologue/Opening Credits

• "Jack the Ripper" - Link Wray And His Ray-Men

Bonnie Walks to the Bus Stop and Rides the Bus

• "Short Shorts" - The Royal Teens
• "Life Savers Girl (from Mondo Cane)" - Riz Ortolani
• "Pomp and Circumstance, March No. I" - Sir Edward Elgar
• "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" - Jo Stafford

In the Park

• "I'm Following You" - The Duncan Sisters
• "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" - Elvis Presley
• "Sitting In the Park" - Billy Stewart
• Donizetti: Anna Bolena, Act II: "Piangete voi?" - Maria Callas
• "Strangers in the Night" - Frank Sinatra
• "Little Bitty Pretty One" - Thurston Harris

The Shrimping

• Bloch: "Sonata for Violin and Piano (1920): III. Moderato" - Isaac Stern and Alexander Zakin
• "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" - Perry Como
• "It's Almost Like Being In Love (live)" - Judy Garland
• "See You Later, Alligator" - Bill Haley and His Comets
• "Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)" - Teresa Brewer

Divine Enters in the El Dorado Cadillac

• "Long Tall Sally (live)" - Little Richard
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos
• "Tutti Fruitti (live)" - Little Richard
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos
• "The Girl Can't Help It (live)" - Little Richard
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos
• "Long Tall Sally (sax solo)" - Little Richard
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos

The Car Accident

• "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos
• "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
• "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5." -Heitor Villa-Lobos
• "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
• "Leader of the Pack" - The Shangri-Las
• Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, First Movement
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
• "Strange Things Happen" - James Brown

On the Run with an Unconscious Girl

• "I Want You To Be My Girl" - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
• "It Only Hurts For a Little While" - The Ames Brothers
• "I Want You To Be My Girl" - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
• "Riot in Cell Block 9"- The Robins
• "No Particular Place to Go" - Chuck Berry
• "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" - Jerry Lee Lewis
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
• "Two Faces Have I" - Lou Christie

Shoplifting Shoes from the Thrift Store

• "Finger Poppin' (live)" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Riot In Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
• "The Girl Can't Help It (live)" - Little Richard
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
• "Night Train (live)" - James Brown
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
• "Marche Slav" - Tchaikovsky

The Laundromat and the First Miracle

• "Under the Moon of Love" - Curtis Lee
• "Poor Fool" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Rite of Spring" - Igor Stravinsky
• "Holy Holy Holy" - Alan Dean (from Songs of Faith LP)
• Monologue by Divine
• Sound effect: bells ringing
• "Holy Holy Holy" - Alan Dean 
• "The Girl Can't Help It (live) - Little Richard
• "The Angels Listened In" - The Crests
• "You Turn Me On" - Mae West
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin

The Cadillac is Stolen

• "Rip It Up" - Elvis Presley
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
• "Riot In Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "Treat 'Em Right" - Mae West
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
• "Oh Lonesome Me" - Don Gibson
• "Waddle, Waddle" - The Bracelets
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
• "It's Almost Like Being In Love (live)" - Judy Garland
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin

Mink Stole/Mental Hospital Dragnet

• "Visage (for tape)" - Luciano Berio and Cathy Berbarian
• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "I Got Stung" - Elvis Presley
• Puccini: "Tosca: Presto, su! Mario!" - Renato Tebaldi
• "I Almost Lost My Mind" - Pat Boone
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "Combination of the Two" - Big Brother and The Holding Company
• "Tell The Truth (sax solo)" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Riot In Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, First Movement
• "I Got Stung" - Elvis Presley

The Mental Hospital/Mink's Topless Dance

• "We're Off to See the Wizard" - The Wizard of Oz Cast (Judy Garland and Ray Bolger)
• "Visage" - Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian
• "I Feel A Song Coming On (Live at the Palace)" - Judy Garland 
• "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" - Little Eva
• "Visage" - Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian
• "Take a Number From One to Ten" - Lyda Roberti
• Fats Gonder's intro to James Brown 'Live' at the Apollo
• Take A Number From One to Ten" - Lyda Roberti
• "What'd I Say (Parts 1 and 2) (live)" - Ray Charles

The Second Miracle: Escape from the Snake Pit

• "Holy Holy Holy" - Alan Dean
• Monologue by Divine
• Sound effect: bells ringing
• "Holy Holy Holy" - Alan Dean
• "The Angels Listened In" - The Crests
• "Earth Angel" - The Penguins
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 and 2)" - Buchanan and Goodman
• "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" - The Ikettes
• "Tutti Fruitti (live)" - Little Richard
• "Ready Teddy (guitar solo)" - Elvis Presley
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin
• "634-5789 (Soulsville U.S.A.)" - Wilson Pickett
• Sound effect: phone ringing
• Dialogue by Pat Moran and Divine

Getting to the Doctor and Robbing the Cab

• "Slow Walk" - Sil Austin (overlaid with Divine yelling, "Taxi! Taxi!")
• "Woo-Hoo" - The Rock-A-Teens
• "(I Need Some) Money" - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
• "Life Savers Girl (from Mondo Cane)" - Riz Ortolani
• "See You Later, Alligator" - Bill Haley & The Comets
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings

In the Doctor's Waiting Room

• "Black And Tan Fantasy" - David Rose And His Orchestra
• "You Tickle Me Baby" - The Royal Jokers
• Excerpt from Justine, or the Misfortune of Virtue by the Marquis de Sade (from 1966 recording) - "Help! Help, someone!"
• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• Excerpt from Justine, or the Misfortune of Virtue by the Marquis de Sade
• Sound effect: whistle
• "Comedians Gallop" - Kabalevsky
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
• Excerpt from Justine, or the Misfortune of Virtue by the Marquis de Sade
• "Rumble" - Link Wray
• "Coronation March" - Giacomo Meyerbeer
• "Rumble" - Link Wray
• Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, First Movement

Dr. Coat Hanger's Dreadful Experiments

• "Trouble (live from 1968 comeback special)" - Elvis Presley 
• "Jenny, Jenny (live - stage patter)" - Little Richard
• Dialogue and narration from Justine, or the Misfortune of Virtue by the Marquis De Sade

WOMAN: These monsters are going to use me in one of their dreadful medical experiments! 

MAN: Care for a girl? Ha ha. My dear fellow, I thought you knew me better than that! Ha! My extreme taste for certain pleasures causes me to sacrifice at whatever altars are available. And I often imagine that a girl is actually a boy and use her accordingly.

SECOND MAN: Let me inspect your veins.

• "True Fine Mama (live -stage patter)" - Little Richard
• "Fantasie in F Minor, KV 608" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
• "Dr. Feelgood" - Aretha Franklin
• "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las
• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings (overlaid with monologue by John Waters)

Shootout in the Waiting Room

• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
• "Get A Job" - The Silhouettes
• "Western Movies" - The Olympics
• "Oh, Baby, Don't You Weep (Live - Royal Theater)" - James Brown
• "He's So Fine" - The Chiffons
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
• "Western Movies" - The Olympics
• "Please Please Please (live at Royal Theater)" - James Brown
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes
• "Western Movies" - The Olympics
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels 
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels 
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels 
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels 
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels 
• "A Fool for You (live in Texas)" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Western Movies" - The Olympics 
• "Get a Job" - The Silhouettes 
• "Riot in Cell Block 9" - The Robins (lyrics used for the first time)

Bonnie in Peril!

• "Along Came Jones" - The Coasters
• "A Fool for You" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Along Came Jones" - The Coasters
• "I'm Moving On" - Ray Charles
• Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, First Movement
• "Love at First Sight" - Roddy Jackson
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand") - The Shangri-Las
• "Bertha Lou" - Clint Miller

On the Run with Dr. Coat Hanger

• "Come Go With Me" - The Del-Vikings
• "Mars, Bringer of War" - Gustav Holst
• "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" - Perry Como
• "Rescue Me" - Fontella Bass
• "I Feel Good" - Shirley and Lee
• "Lollipop" - The Chordettes
• "I Feel Good" - Shirley and Lee
• "A Letter From Tina" - Ike and Tina Turner
• "Angel Baby" - Rosie and the Originals
• "Kansas City" - Wilbert Harrison
• "All I Could Do Was Cry" -Ike and Tina Turner
• "A Letter From Tina" - Ike and Tina Turner
•  "I Feel Good" - Shirley and Lee
• "Goodbye to Love" - The Marcels

They're a Twosome Again/In the Pigsty

• "Rumble" - Link Wray
• "Ride of the Valkyries" - Wagner
• "Holy Holy Holy" - Alan Dean
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
• "Catulli Carmina: Chorus/Actus I" - Carl Orff
• "Maybe" - The Chantels
• "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman

Back to Reality, Such as it Is

• "Here I Stand" - The Rip Chords
• "Going Out of My Head" - Little Anthony and the Imperials
• "Surfin' Bird" - The Trashmen
• "(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
• "Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)" - Buchanan & Goodman
• Dialogue by Mink Stole and David Lochary
• "Whole Lotta Shaking Going On" - Jerry Lee Lewis 

Mink Stole (left) and Mimi Lochary in Mondo Trasho.

As a little bonus, here is a transcription of the dialogue between the two gossipy ladies played by Mink Stole and Mimi Lochary at the end of the film. Mink provides her own, post-dubbed voice, but Mimi's lines are done by her son, David. In this scene, the two ladies stand at a bus sop and pass judgment on Mary Vivian Pearce's character, who has just materialized in front of them.

LADY 1: Is that a boy or a girl? 

LADY 2: Is it a faggot? 

LADY 1: It's a dyke. 

LADY 2: No, it's a hippie.

LADY 1: A communist? 

LADY 2: Perhaps it's a drag queen. 

LADY 1: Or a wash rag queen. 

LADY 2: It's probably a speed freak. 

LADY 1: Or a pothead. 

LADY 2: Or a muffin queen. 

LADY 1: Look at her. It's just a whore. 

LADY 2: Or maybe a gold digger. 

LADY 1: She's a hustler. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or some sort of intellectual. 

LADY 1: She's probably a rimmer. 

LADY 2: Hmmm. Maybe a speed freak. 

LADY 1: A chicken queen. 

LADY 2: Or a shrimp freak. 

LADY 1: But, but it could be a narc. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe a beatnik. 

LADY 1: Or a junkie. 

LADY 2: Yes or an acid-head. 

LADY 1: Or a spade. 

LADY 2: Or just a gigolo. 

LADY 1: Just a flower child. 

LADY 2: Yeah, a shit-kicker. 

LADY 1: Or a red. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or a glamour girl. 

LADY 1: Maybe she's some just sort of snob. 

LADY 2: Yeah. Maybe just some Polack. 

LADY 1: Or a warmonger. 

LADY 2: Yeah or an S&M queen. 

LADY 1: Oh, it's just a teenager. 

LADY 2: Yeah, maybe it's one of those Hell's Angels. 

LADY 1: You think it's a baby butch? 

LADY 2: It could be a fag hag. 

LADY 1: Or maybe it's a b-girl. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or a closet queen.  

LADY 1: A hair hopper. 

LADY 2: Yeah, maybe a movie star. 

LADY 1: Well, she's a dropout of some sort.  

LADY 2: Yeah. What is that word? Uh, dingleberry. 

LADY 1: Or a draft dodger.  

LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe just a runaway.  

LADY 1: Or some sort of, you know, peacenik. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or a hooker. 

LADY 1: Or she's one of those Yippies.  

LADY 2: Mmmm. Maybe it's one of those jet-setters. 

LADY 1: But I'll bet it's just a whore. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or maybe a dinge queen. 

LADY 1: A rimmer. 

LADY 2: Yeah, or a size queen. 

LADY 1: A hustler. 

LADY 2: Oh, she makes me sick. 

LADY 1: Whore. 

(Having heard enough, Pearce's character clicks her heels together, a la Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and magically disappears.)

LADY 2: What is that? 

LADY 1: Oh my god! Isn't that disgusting? 

LADY 2: Let's wait for the bus somewhere else! 

LADY 1: This whole thing has just made me sick. 

LADY 2: Me, too. Let's move up here. Maybe we can wait for the bus in peace.

(They walk to the next corner as the film ends.)