There are novelty songs, and then there is Monster Mash, the king of all novelty songs. Released in 1962, this is one of the most enduring "trick" songs ever released, built around and relying upon Bobby Pickett's dead-on impersonation of famed horror movie actors Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The song itself is a pretty simple tune accompanied by some fairly clever lyrics imagining a dance craze similar to the twist or the mashed potato started by a monster. The song is essentially a silly piece of fluff, but it is an enduring silly piece of fluff, and has become a staple of Halloween music programs.
This video has the added bonus of being a montage of classic horror and monster movie clips. I love old monster movies. They usually had bad acting, frequently had terrible scripts, and pretty much always had bad special effects, but they had an awkward charm and earnestness that more than made up for any deficiencies. And, of course, these were exactly the kinds of movies that Monster Mash was referencing with its lyrics.
Previous Musical Monday: Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
Subsequent Musical Monday: Lame Monster Party by Paul & Storm
Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers Musical Monday Home
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