For the next 13 days, I am going to list my all time favorite Halloween songs. There will be a new entry every day in reverse order, and the list will be kept on the “lists” page. I will also provide some commentary with each entry. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
13 Halloween Hauntings:
3) “Monster Mash”—Bobby “Boris” Pickett
This is the Halloween song that would make number one on most people’s personal lists…and it is worthy of that honor! It is a perfect blending of two campy satires from a time when Monster movies and AM radio controlled a teenager’s mind—when they weren’t thinking about sex!
The music of the song satirizes Dee Dee Sharp’s biggest fad dance craze hits: “Mashed Potato Time” and the follow up “Gravy” (For My Mashed Potatoes).” I guess she thought she would make a career out of doing the “mashed potatoes.”
Monster movies also were a huge fad in the early 60’s including ones that were made in the 50’s and even further back than that. They were shown for matinees and on late night TV. These sci-fi classics were so popular they were even used for several series of bubblegum cards that kids would trade like sports cards. Bobby Pickett does a spot-on impersonation of Boris Karloff, who was often featured in many of the best ones, to seal the deal!
I feel there isn’t a need to discuss the lyrics because I am going to guess that almost everybody has heard either this version of the song or some awful recreation. Unfortunately, there are a lot of those and the reason is obvious. If you can’t recreate that impersonation, there’s no reason to attempt it. But many punk and metal bands still give it a shot. After all, it’s a song that “cuts” across all genres and ages. The only alternative version that I find amusing as an alternative option is by the doo-wop accapella vocal group The Mighty Echoes.
The only reason I’m not making it my personal number one is because it is sometimes played to death. (No pun intended.) To programmers, this is the only acceptable Halloween song on many radio stations and they use it like the all Christmas format uses schmaltzy Christmas songs.
It has been “resurrected” and placed on the Billboard charts many times over the years.
I still love it and I always will! And my hope for it is that it gets reanimated every Halloween forever!
Down to the terrifying two…………………………….
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Until next time, take care of yourself, and take care of each other!
Peace!
Q
