"Surfin' Bird" The Trashmen's major notable hit was 1963's "Surfin' Bird", which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the later part of that year. The song was a combination of two R&B hits by The Rivingtons, "The Bird's the Word" and "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow". The earliest pressings of the single credit the Trashmen as composers, but following a threat from their legal counsel The Rivingtons were subsequently credited as composers. It was later recorded by many artists, including The Ramones, The Cramps, The Beach Boys, Pee-Wee Herman, Equipe 84, and even the thrash band Sodom. It has been used in several movies and television shows (such as well-known scenes in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket and John Waters' Pink Flamingos). It is featured in the soundtrack in the video game Battlefield Vietnam. More recently it has been the subject of an episode of the animated series Family Guy, launching the song to #8 on the iTunes Top 10 Rock songs chart.

"Live Bird '65-'67" Although marketed as a surf band, Minnesota's Trashmen were decidedly landlocked by geography, but not by spirit. The group's odd mix of surf, R&B, sneering garage pop, and psychotic instrumentals made them one of the most eccentric and interesting of the groups that sprang up around the surf craze of the early '60s. This delightful collection of rare live tracks shows the kind of offhand, humorous dementia that they channeled into their shows, climaxing in a near six-minute version of their wacky masterpiece, the manic "Surfin' Bird." But this was a surprisingly versatile and nimble band, and their versions here of Booker T. & the MG's' "Green Onions" and James Brown's "Mashed Potatoes" spotlight a funky little R&B groove, while "Same Lines" sneers along with the best of 1960s garage punk, and "Keep Your Hands off My Baby" is skillfully executed faux doo wop. Two of the songs here ("Bird Dance Beat," "King of the Surf") were recorded at the Home School for Girls at the Saux Centre in Minnesota in 1966, and the mere thought of young, impressionable girls listening to this band of goofy maniacs is a sobering one.

"Tube City!: The Best of The Trashmen" Tube City!: The Best of The Trashmen adds their Garrett singles to their lone 1964 album Surfin' Bird. That classic single is here in all of its raw, unfettered glory, and while it does tend to overshadow the rest of the Trashmen's output, the collection shows that their other work was also strong. Their covers of "Miserlou," "It's So Easy," and "Money (That's What I Want)" reflect the band's roots, and aren't overly respectful of the original versions, while "My Woodie" and "Kuk" are respectable surf-pop songs. The Trashmen's instrumentals also fare well, particularly "Tube City" itself , the flamenco-surf of "Malaguena," and "Bird Dance," a silly, tiki-bird infested bid to follow up the success of "Surfin' Bird." "Bird Dance Beat" follows suit, but songs like "Bad News," "Whoa! Dad," and "Real Live Doll" have as much energy, but a little more originality.

"The Great Lost Trashmen Album" Recorded in March 1964 and January/July 1966, The Great Lost Trashmen Album! was the supposed second release from those Minneapolis hodads who gave the world "Surfin' Bird." The material finds the Trashmen heading toward Beatles territory on the 1966 sessions, especially on "Talk About Love" (featuring Farfisa organ) and Buddy Holly's tune "Heartbeat." There's also plenty of amazing surf instrumentals and vocal tracks comparable to "Kuk," with cool gremmie/hot-dogging/kowabunga lyrics. "Think It Over" would have made an excellent inclusion in one of those AIP beach party movies of the early '60s. Needless to say, if you have any interest in surf music beyond the Beach Boys, buy this Sundazed disc immediately!

01. The Trashmen - Cyclon (2’36”) 02. The Trashmen - Sally Jo (2’32”) 03. The Trashmen - Johnny B. Goode (2’45”) 04. The Trashmen - Malagueña (# 1) (2’56”) 05. The Trashmen - Susie-Q (2’10”) 06. The Trashmen - Sweet Little Sixteen (3’01”) 07. The Trashmen - A Million Reasons (3’15”) 08. The Trashmen - Malagueña (# 2) (2’31”) 09. The Trashmen - Guitar Boogie (1’38”) 10. The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird (2’24”) 11. The Trashmen - King of the Surf (2’31”) 12. The Trashmen - This Should Go on Forever (1’59”) 13. The Trashmen - Yellow Jacket (2’31”) 14. The Trashmen - Rumble (2’23”) 15. The Trashmen - Let's Go Trippin' (3’35”) 16. The Trashmen - My Woodie (1’56”) 17. The Trashmen - Bird Bath (2’38”) 18. The Trashmen - Tube City (2’23”) 19. The Trashmen - Farmer Louie (3’52”) 20. The Trashmen - Goofy Foot (4’02”)

01. The Trashmen - Church Key (2’45”) 02. The Trashmen - Raw-Hide (2’11”) 03. The Trashmen - Bird Dance Beat (2’11”) 04. The Trashmen - A-Bone (2’09”) 05. The Trashmen - Stick Shift (2’53”) 06. The Trashmen - Ghost Riders in the Sky (2’47”) 07. The Trashmen - Think It Over (2’06”) 08. The Trashmen - Be True to Your School (2’12”) 09. The Trashmen - Too Young (2’07”) 10. The Trashmen - Greensleeves (1’49”) 11. The Trashmen - Wild Cat Loose in Town (2’00”) 12. The Trashmen - Green Onions (2’25”) 13. The Trashmen - Walk, Don't Run (1’59”) 14. The Trashmen - We Belong Together (2’09”) 15. The Trashmen - True True Lovin' (2’02”) 16. The Trashmen - Roll over Beethoven (2’23”) 17. The Trashmen - Congratulations (To Me) (3’20”) 18. The Trashmen - Hava Nagila (2’06”) 19. The Trashmen - Drive-In (1’51”) 20. The Trashmen - Walking the Dog (5’52”)

01. The Trashmen - Break Up (3’23”) 02. The Trashmen - Bad News (2’18”) 03. The Trashmen - On the Move (2’36”) 04. The Trashmen - New Generation (2’02”) 05. The Trashmen - Whoa Dad! (2’48”) 06. The Trashmen - Peppermint Man (2’43”) 07. The Trashmen - Baja (2’12”) 08. The Trashmen - Long Tall Texan (2’39”) 09. The Trashmen - Blue Feeling (4’15”) 10. The Trashmen - Great Balls of Fire (3’00”) 11. The Trashmen - Lost Angel (2’52”) 12. The Trashmen - Bye Bye Johnny (4’25”) 13. The Trashmen - Slow Down (3’16”) 14. The Trashmen - Walkin' My Baby (2’29”) 15. The Trashmen - Keep Your Hands off My Baby (2’32”) 16. The Trashmen - Hi-Heel Sneakers (4’42”) 17. The Trashmen - Summertime (4’19”) 18. The Trashmen - Long Tall Sally (4’29”) 19. The Trashmen - Real Live Doll (2’37”) 20. The Trashmen - Dancin' With Santa (2’31”)

01. The Trashmen - Bird '65 (2’48”) 02. The Trashmen - Ubangi Stomp (2’28”) 03. The Trashmen - That I Love You (2’36”) 04. The Trashmen - Love's Made a Fool of You (2’10”) 05. The Trashmen - Same Lines (2’11”) 06. The Trashmen - Hanging on Me (2’32”) 07. The Trashmen - Pretty Country Girl (3’05”) 08. The Trashmen - Mind Your Own Business (2’17”) 09. The Trashmen - Talk About Love (2’03”) 10. The Trashmen - Gloria (3’42”) 11. The Trashmen - Tell Me How (2’23”) 12. The Trashmen - Bird Diddley Beat (2’09”) 13. The Trashmen - It Takes Two (2’22”) 14. The Trashmen - Heartbeat (1’46”) 15. The Trashmen - Well...All Right (2’15”) 16. The Trashmen - Talk About Love (#2)(2’07”) 17. The Trashmen - (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (2’39”) 18. The Trashmen - Breathless (2’58”) 19. The Trashmen - What'd I Say (4’34”) 20. The Trashmen - Money (That's What I Want) (6’03”)