Monster Mash
Encyclopedia
"Monster Mash" is a 1962 novelty song
and the best-known song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett. The song was released as a single
on Gary S. Paxton
's Garpax Records
label in August 1962 along with a full-length LP
called The Original Monster Mash
, which contained several other monster-themed tunes. The "Monster Mash" single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
chart on October 20 of that year, just in time for Halloween
. It has been a perennial holiday favorite ever since.
while performing The Diamonds
' "Little Darlin'
". The audience loved it and fellow band member Lenny Capizzi encouraged Pickett to do more with the Karloff imitation.
Pickett and Capizzi composed "Monster Mash" and recorded it with Gary S. Paxton
, Leon Russell
, Johnny McCrae, Rickie Page, and Terry Berg, credited as "The Crypt-Kickers". (Mel Taylor
, drummer for The Ventures
, is sometimes credited with playing on the record as well, while pianist Leon Russell
, who arrived late for the session, appears on the single's instrumental B-side, "Monster Mash Party".) The song was partially inspired by Paxton's earlier novelty hit "Alley Oop
", as well as by the Mashed Potato
dance craze of the era. A variation on the Mashed Potato was danced to "Monster Mash", in which the footwork was the same but Frankenstein
-style monster gestures were made with the arms and hands.
The song is narrated by a mad scientist
whose monster, late one evening, rises from a slab to perform a new dance. The dance becomes "the hit of the land" when the scientist throws a party for other monsters. The producers came up with several low-budget but effective sound effects for the recording. For example, the sound of a coffin opening was imitated by a rusty nail being pulled out of a board. The sound of a cauldron bubbling was actually water being bubbled through a straw, and the chains rattling were simply chains being dropped on a tile floor. Pickett also impersonated horror film
actor Bela Lugosi
as Dracula
with the lyric "Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?"
had banned the record from airplay in 1962 on the grounds that the song was "too morbid". It was re-released in the United Kingdom in 1973, where it peaked at #3 in early October. To celebrate this popular release, Bobby and the Crypt-Kickers toured Dallas and St. Louis around the 1973 Halloween holiday. On this tour, the Crypt-Kickers were composed of Brian Ray (now guitarist with Paul McCartney), drummer Brian Englund, keyboardist Don Chambers, singer Jean Ray, and others. The "Monster Mash" re-entered the British Charts again on November 2, 2008 at #60.
"Monsters' Holiday", a Christmas
-themed follow up, was recorded by Pickett and released in December 1962, peaking at #30 on the Billboard chart. The tune was penned by the renowned novelty song composer Paul Harrison. In 1985, with American culture experiencing a growing awareness of rap music, Pickett released "Monster Rap", which describes the mad scientist's frustration at being unable to teach the dancing monster from "Monster Mash" how to talk. The problem is solved when he teaches the monster to rap
. A movie musical based on the song
starring Pickett was released in 1995.
s have been recorded over the years.
band the Misfits recorded a cover version
of "Monster Mash" in 1997 as part of a promotion surrounding a DVD
release of the 1969 stop motion
film Mad Monster Party. Their version was released as a single
in 1999, and a new version was recorded for their 2003 album Project 1950
.
. Bassist
Jerry Only
later stated that "The 'Monster Mash' was a no-brainer for the Misfits to cover as a timeless Halloween
release. The song was always a childhood favorite of mine." The recording was the first time that Only had performed lead vocals
for the band, while then-Misfits lead singer Michale Graves
provided backing vocals. On October 18, 1997 a live performance of the song was recorded and broadcast from the studio of the New Jersey-based cable television
music show "Power Play", the same studio in which the song was recorded.
The Misfits' version of "Monster Mash" was used in a cross-promotion campaign arranged by Deluxo and John Cafiero
, who had directed the Misfits' music video
s for "American Psycho" and "Dig Up Her Bones
", to create awareness of a home video release of the 1969 Rankin/Bass
stop motion
film Mad Monster Party. Deluxo had recently acquired the rights to the film in hopes of restoring it, but could not find a quality print. They eventually found a quality 16 mm
print and the Misfits hosted a special screening of the film at Anthology Film Archives
in New York City, with the "American Psycho" music video as an opening featurette. Notable attendees at the screening included members of the Misfits, Cafiero, Marky Ramone
, Jimmy Gestapo
of Murphy's Law
, and executives from both Geffen Records
and Roadrunner Records
. Deluxo restored Mad Monster Party from the 16 mm print and re-released it on VHS
in limited numbers. A music video for the Misfits' live recording of "Monster Mash" was created interspersing clips from the film with footage from their "Power Play" performance, and was intended to be included as a bonus feature on a forthcoming DVD
release. However, due to complications over distribution rights, the DVD was not released and the VHS version was discontinued. A DVD version of the film was eventually released in 2003 by Anchor Bay Entertainment
, restored from a different 35 mm
print.
As part of the promotional campaign, an image of Boris Karloff
as he appears in Mad Monster Party was used under license from his daughter Sarah Karloff in artwork for a 7" vinyl single
of the Misfits' version of "Monster Mash". Percepto Records used the same image of Karloff for the cover of the film's soundtrack album which was released in September 1998. The Misfits single was intended to be released the following month, but was delayed due to lack of time to properly mix
the studio recording. Instead the artwork was used in connection with a free MP3
download of the band's live recording of "Monster Mash", available through their website as a "virtual single". The image was used again as cover artwork when the finished single was released physically in October 1999 as the first release of the band's new label Misfits Records
.
The Misfits' studio recording of "Monster Mash" was included on their 2001 compilation album
Cuts from the Crypt
. At the insistence of the band's label Roadrunner Records
, the live recording was omitted from the album and only the studio version was used. The Misfits recorded a new version of the song, featuring Cafiero on backing vocals, for their 2003 album Project 1950
. By this time the band had a new lineup consisting of Jerry Only
(bass guitar
and lead vocals
), Dez Cadena
(guitar
and backing vocals), and Marky Ramone
(drums
). Only called this version of the song "probably the best version we've ever done. I'm really happy with it. We've recorded it several times in the past and this is the hardest hitting version of them all." Ramone commented: Monster Mash' always reminded me of Boris Karloff. Our version's a lot faster than the original, which was a slower 4/4 beat. I always liked the way the drums seemed to come in out of nowhere after Igor
walked across the room." Cadena, meanwhile, remarked that "If I didn't know any better ['Monster Mash'] could have been written for the Misfits."
and official website. 1,000 promotional CD
copies of the studio version were also pressed and used for limited solicitation to radio stations. A second pressing of the vinyl single had the studio version on side A and the live version on side B and consisted of 1,000 copies on glow-in-the-dark vinyl, available exclusively by mail order through the band's website. The single sold out and is no longer in print.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
and the best-known song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett. The song was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on Gary S. Paxton
Gary S. Paxton
Gary S. Paxton, sometimes Pax , is an American record producer, and a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning songwriter and recording artist.-Biography:...
's Garpax Records
Garpax Records
Garpax Records was an American record label established by Gary S. Paxton which first issued the song "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett in 1962. It was distributed by London Records. The label lasted from 1962 to 1965....
label in August 1962 along with a full-length LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
called The Original Monster Mash
The Original Monster Mash
The Original Monster Mash is an album by Bobby Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers. It was recorded and released in late 1962, following the success of Pickett's "Monster Mash" single....
, which contained several other monster-themed tunes. The "Monster Mash" single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart on October 20 of that year, just in time for Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. It has been a perennial holiday favorite ever since.
Background
Pickett was an aspiring actor who sang with a band called The Cordials at night while going to auditions during the day. One night, while performing with his band, Pickett did a monologue in imitation of horror movie actor Boris KarloffBoris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
while performing The Diamonds
The Diamonds
The Diamonds are a Canadian vocal quartet who rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with sixteen Billboard hit records. The original members were Dave Somerville , Ted Kowalski , Phil Levitt , and Bill Reed .-1950s:...
' "Little Darlin'
Little Darlin'
"Little Darlin" is a popular Top 40 song.It was written by Maurice Williams with both melody and doo-wop accompaniment strongly emphasizing the clave rhythm. It was first recorded by Excello Records in January 1957 and quickly released as a rhythm-and-blues song by Williams's R&B group, The Gladiolas...
". The audience loved it and fellow band member Lenny Capizzi encouraged Pickett to do more with the Karloff imitation.
Pickett and Capizzi composed "Monster Mash" and recorded it with Gary S. Paxton
Gary S. Paxton
Gary S. Paxton, sometimes Pax , is an American record producer, and a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning songwriter and recording artist.-Biography:...
, Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, Johnny McCrae, Rickie Page, and Terry Berg, credited as "The Crypt-Kickers". (Mel Taylor
Mel Taylor
Mel Taylor , was the longtime drummer for The Ventures from 1962-1996. He was the older brother of Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor.-Tenure with The Ventures:...
, drummer for The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
, is sometimes credited with playing on the record as well, while pianist Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, who arrived late for the session, appears on the single's instrumental B-side, "Monster Mash Party".) The song was partially inspired by Paxton's earlier novelty hit "Alley Oop
Alley Oop (song)
"Alley Oop" is a song written by Dallas Frazier. The song, heavily inspired by the V. T. Hamlin-created comic strip of the same name, was first recorded by Frazier as a country tune in 1957.-The Hollywood Argyles:...
", as well as by the Mashed Potato
Mashed Potato
The Mashed Potato is a dance move which was a popular dance craze of 1962. It was danced to songs such as Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time". Also referred to as "mash potato" or "mashed potatoes", the move vaguely resembles that of the Twist, by Sharp's fellow Philadelphian, Chubby...
dance craze of the era. A variation on the Mashed Potato was danced to "Monster Mash", in which the footwork was the same but Frankenstein
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
-style monster gestures were made with the arms and hands.
The song is narrated by a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
whose monster, late one evening, rises from a slab to perform a new dance. The dance becomes "the hit of the land" when the scientist throws a party for other monsters. The producers came up with several low-budget but effective sound effects for the recording. For example, the sound of a coffin opening was imitated by a rusty nail being pulled out of a board. The sound of a cauldron bubbling was actually water being bubbled through a straw, and the chains rattling were simply chains being dropped on a tile floor. Pickett also impersonated horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
actor Bela Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
as Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
with the lyric "Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?"
Re-releases and other versions
The song was re-released several times and appeared in the Billboard charts on three occasions after the original release — December 1962, August 1970 and May 1973. The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
had banned the record from airplay in 1962 on the grounds that the song was "too morbid". It was re-released in the United Kingdom in 1973, where it peaked at #3 in early October. To celebrate this popular release, Bobby and the Crypt-Kickers toured Dallas and St. Louis around the 1973 Halloween holiday. On this tour, the Crypt-Kickers were composed of Brian Ray (now guitarist with Paul McCartney), drummer Brian Englund, keyboardist Don Chambers, singer Jean Ray, and others. The "Monster Mash" re-entered the British Charts again on November 2, 2008 at #60.
"Monsters' Holiday", a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
-themed follow up, was recorded by Pickett and released in December 1962, peaking at #30 on the Billboard chart. The tune was penned by the renowned novelty song composer Paul Harrison. In 1985, with American culture experiencing a growing awareness of rap music, Pickett released "Monster Rap", which describes the mad scientist's frustration at being unable to teach the dancing monster from "Monster Mash" how to talk. The problem is solved when he teaches the monster to rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
. A movie musical based on the song
Monster Mash (1995 film)
Monster Mash is a horror-themed musical film, based on the Bobby "Boris" Pickett song Monster Mash and the 1967 stage musical, I'm Sorry the Bridge Is Out, You'll Have to Spend the Night, also by Pickett and Sheldon Allman. The film starred Pickett himself as Dr...
starring Pickett was released in 1995.
Cover versions
"Monster Mash" became a pop music standard, and many cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s have been recorded over the years.
- Radio/television horror host John ZacherleJohn ZacherleJohn Zacherle is an American television host, radio personality and voice actor known for his long career as a television horror host broadcasting horror movies in Philadelphia and New York City in the 1950s and 1960s. Best known for his character "Roland/Zacherley," he also did voice work for...
recorded his own version of the song in 1962, for an album of the same name. - The Beach Boys covered the song just two years after its original release, on their 1964 album Beach Boys ConcertBeach Boys ConcertBeach Boys Concert is a live album by The Beach Boys, released in 1964. It is their seventh album in all, and their third alone in the same year...
. - The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band covered it on their 1969 album Tadpoles having performed it on the British television series Do Not Adjust Your SetDo Not Adjust Your SetDo Not Adjust Your Set was a children's television series produced originally by Rediffusion, London, then by the fledgling Thames Television for British commercial television channel ITV from 26 December 1967 to 14 May 1969....
in 1968. - Boris KarloffBoris KarloffWilliam Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
was so taken with the song that he performed it himself on a 1965 episode of Shindig!Shindig!Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
. - In 1972 horror filmHorror filmHorror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
actor and DJ Mike RavenMike RavenAustin Churton Fairman , who used the name Churton Fairman but was more widely known under the pseudonym Mike Raven in the 1960s and early 1970s, was a British radio disc jockey, actor, sculptor, sheep farmer, writer, TV presenter and producer, ballet dancer, flamenco guitarist and...
performed a version of "Monster Mash" on the music show 2 G's and the Pop People. - Actor Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
recorded a version of it as well in 1977. - A 1978 HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
episode of Happy DaysHappy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
featured Ron HowardRon HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
performing a rendition of the song, using a Peter LorrePeter LorrePeter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
impression rather than Pickett's Karloff one. - In 1980, the British skaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Bad MannersBad MannersBad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
covered "Monster Mash" on their debut album Ska 'n' BSka 'n' BSka'n'B is the first album by Bad Manners from the year 1980. It reached number 34 on the UK album chart.-Track listing:*All songs by Bad Manners unless noted.# "Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu" - 2:35# "Here Comes The Major" - 2:54...
. - Hardcore punkHardcore punkHardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band Ill ReputeIll ReputeIll Repute is an American hardcore punk band from Oxnard, California, formed in 1981. They are noted for popularizing the "Nardcore" sound in the mid-1980s hardcore punk scene, and recorded for Mystic Records....
covered it as well on their 1985 album Omelette. - In 1988, The Big OThe Big Ois a Japanese animated television series created by director Kazuyoshi Katayama and designer Keiichi Sato for Sunrise Studios. The writing staff was assembled by the series' head writer, Chiaki J. Konaka....
covered it for the Return of the Living Dead Part IIReturn of the Living Dead Part IIReturn of the Living Dead Part II is an American zombie horror comedy film that was released in 1988. It was written and directed by Ken Wiederhorn. The film was released by Lorimar Motion Pictures on January 8, 1988, and was a minor box office success, making over $9 million at the box office in...
Soundtrack. - In 1994, Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered the song for their Halloween special "Trick or Treason." - The 1996 album Test for EchoTest for EchoTest for Echo is the sixteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1996. The album marks the final Rush work prior to the events in Neil Peart's life that put the band on hiatus for several years...
by the Canadian rock trio RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
includes an instrumental track, Limbo, which contains several samples from "Monster Mash" including the line "Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?". - In 1997, the horror punkHorror punkHorror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...
group The Misfits released a music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of them covering "Monster Mash" live. They also released a studio version as a single in 1999, and recorded a separate version for their 2003 album Project 1950Project 1950-Chart positions:-Bonus DVD:# "This Magic Moment"# "Dream Lover"# "Diana"# "Donna"# "Runaway"*Tracks 1-4, recorded at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships*Track 5, recorded live, at The World in NYCBonus Material...
(see below). - In the Walt Disney RecordsWalt Disney RecordsWalt Disney Records is a family music record label owned by the Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Records was formed in 1956 as Disneyland Records. Before that time, Disney recordings were licensed out to a variety of other labels such as . It was Walt Disney’s brother Roy O...
album Mickey's Monster Bash, GoofyGoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
sings the cover version of "Monster Mash". - A Kidz BopKidz BopKidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring child session musicians performing contemporary music. The series was developed by Razor & Tie co-founders Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam in 2001...
cover version appeared on the 2004 album Kidz Bop HalloweenKidz Bop HalloweenKidz Bop Halloween is an album in the Kidz Bop series.-Track listing:#Ghostbusters#Monster Mash#Addams Family#Witch Doctor#Nightmare on My Street#Thriller#Werewolves of London#The Purple People Eater#Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!# Haunted House...
. - Mannheim SteamrollerMannheim SteamrollerMannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis and Jackson Berkey, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.-Beginnings:...
also covered the song for their 2006 album Halloween, Vol. 2: Creatures Collection. - The song has also been covered by Zombina and the SkeletonesZombina and The SkeletonesZombina and the Skeletones are a horror rock band from Liverpool, England, formed in 1998 around the nucleus of vocalist Zombina and songwriter Doc Horror. The majority of their tongue in cheek lyrical content deals with themes of horror and science fiction, yet their musical style is upbeat and...
. - In 2008, The Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
released a live recording of the song from Halloween of that year through Live Smashing PumpkinsLive Smashing PumpkinsLive Smashing Pumpkins is a joint venture between the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and the music distributor Nugs.net Enterprises to sell audio recordings "mastered directly from the soundboard" of The Smashing Pumpkins concerts from the band's 2008 20th anniversary tour of...
. - In 2011 Shake It UpShake It Up (TV series)Shake It Up is an American television sitcom airing on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on November 7, 2010. Created by Chris Thompson and starring Bella Thorne and Zendaya, the show follows the adventures of Cece Jones and Rocky Blue as they star as background dancers on...
stars Kenton DutyKenton DutyKenton Duty is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his recurring role as "Young Jacob" on the final season of the ABC primetime drama, Lost, and for his co-starring role as the flamboyant European exchange student, Gunther Hessenheffer on the Disney Channel comedy series, Shake It...
, Adam IrigoyenAdam IrigoyenAdam Irigoyen is an American actor, singer, rapper and dancer. He is best known for his role as Deuce Martinez on the Disney Channel original series Shake It Up.-Career:...
and Davis ClevelandDavis ClevelandDavis Cleveland is an American television actor, rapper and singer. He is best known for his role as the mischievous little brother Flynn Jones on the Disney Channel original series Shake It Up.-Career:...
covered the song for the film Spooky Buddies
Misfits version
Horror punkHorror punk
Horror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...
band the Misfits recorded a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Monster Mash" in 1997 as part of a promotion surrounding a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of the 1969 stop motion
Stop motion
Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
film Mad Monster Party. Their version was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1999, and a new version was recorded for their 2003 album Project 1950
Project 1950
-Chart positions:-Bonus DVD:# "This Magic Moment"# "Dream Lover"# "Diana"# "Donna"# "Runaway"*Tracks 1-4, recorded at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships*Track 5, recorded live, at The World in NYCBonus Material...
.
Background
The Misfits recorded their version of "Monster Mash" in 1997 in a recording studio in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Jerry Only
Jerry Only
Jerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
later stated that "The 'Monster Mash' was a no-brainer for the Misfits to cover as a timeless Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
release. The song was always a childhood favorite of mine." The recording was the first time that Only had performed lead vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
for the band, while then-Misfits lead singer Michale Graves
Michale Graves
Michael Emanuel , better known by his stage name Michale Graves, is an American singer and songwriter, singing for the late 1990s re-incarnation of The Misfits from 1995 to 1998 and again from late 1998 until late 2000. Graves grew up in Dumont, New Jersey...
provided backing vocals. On October 18, 1997 a live performance of the song was recorded and broadcast from the studio of the New Jersey-based cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
music show "Power Play", the same studio in which the song was recorded.
The Misfits' version of "Monster Mash" was used in a cross-promotion campaign arranged by Deluxo and John Cafiero
John Cafiero
John Cafiero is an American punk rock musician, film director and film producer. He is best known as the frontman for the punk supergroup Osaka Popstar, whose debut album was released the summer 2006...
, who had directed the Misfits' music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for "American Psycho" and "Dig Up Her Bones
Dig Up Her Bones
"Dig Up Her Bones" is the seventh single by the horror punk band the Misfits. It was the first single released by the re-formed lineup of the band, after the original incarnation broke up in 1983...
", to create awareness of a home video release of the 1969 Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
stop motion
Stop motion
Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
film Mad Monster Party. Deluxo had recently acquired the rights to the film in hopes of restoring it, but could not find a quality print. They eventually found a quality 16 mm
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
print and the Misfits hosted a special screening of the film at Anthology Film Archives
Anthology Film Archives
__notoc__Anthology Film Archives is a film archive and theater located at 32 Second Avenue on the corner of East Second Street in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City devoted to the preservation and exhibition of experimental film. It is the only non-profit organization of its...
in New York City, with the "American Psycho" music video as an opening featurette. Notable attendees at the screening included members of the Misfits, Cafiero, Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
, Jimmy Gestapo
Jimmy Gestapo
James Drescher, better known as Jimmy G or Jimmy Gestapo and also known as Jimmy Spliff, is the lead singer for New York based hardcore punk band Murphy's Law....
of Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (band)
Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
, and executives from both Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
. Deluxo restored Mad Monster Party from the 16 mm print and re-released it on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in limited numbers. A music video for the Misfits' live recording of "Monster Mash" was created interspersing clips from the film with footage from their "Power Play" performance, and was intended to be included as a bonus feature on a forthcoming DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release. However, due to complications over distribution rights, the DVD was not released and the VHS version was discontinued. A DVD version of the film was eventually released in 2003 by Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
, restored from a different 35 mm
35 mm film
35 mm film is the film gauge most commonly used for chemical still photography and motion pictures. The name of the gauge refers to the width of the photographic film, which consists of strips 35 millimeters in width...
print.
As part of the promotional campaign, an image of Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
as he appears in Mad Monster Party was used under license from his daughter Sarah Karloff in artwork for a 7" vinyl single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
of the Misfits' version of "Monster Mash". Percepto Records used the same image of Karloff for the cover of the film's soundtrack album which was released in September 1998. The Misfits single was intended to be released the following month, but was delayed due to lack of time to properly mix
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
the studio recording. Instead the artwork was used in connection with a free MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
download of the band's live recording of "Monster Mash", available through their website as a "virtual single". The image was used again as cover artwork when the finished single was released physically in October 1999 as the first release of the band's new label Misfits Records
Misfits Records
Misfits Records is an independent record label founded in 2002 by Jerry Only of the Misfits as a division of his publishing company Cyclopian Music, Inc...
.
The Misfits' studio recording of "Monster Mash" was included on their 2001 compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Cuts from the Crypt
Cuts from the Crypt
- Band :* Michale Graves – vocals* Jerry Only – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Monster Mash"* Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein – guitar* Dr. Chud – drums- Additional musicians :* John Cafiero – vocals on "I Wanna Be a NY Ranger"...
. At the insistence of the band's label Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, the live recording was omitted from the album and only the studio version was used. The Misfits recorded a new version of the song, featuring Cafiero on backing vocals, for their 2003 album Project 1950
Project 1950
-Chart positions:-Bonus DVD:# "This Magic Moment"# "Dream Lover"# "Diana"# "Donna"# "Runaway"*Tracks 1-4, recorded at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships*Track 5, recorded live, at The World in NYCBonus Material...
. By this time the band had a new lineup consisting of Jerry Only
Jerry Only
Jerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
(bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and lead vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Dez Cadena
Dez Cadena
Dez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and backing vocals), and Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Only called this version of the song "probably the best version we've ever done. I'm really happy with it. We've recorded it several times in the past and this is the hardest hitting version of them all." Ramone commented: Monster Mash' always reminded me of Boris Karloff. Our version's a lot faster than the original, which was a slower 4/4 beat. I always liked the way the drums seemed to come in out of nowhere after Igor
Igor (fictional character)
Igor is the traditional stock character or cliché hunch-backed assistant or butler to many types of villain, such as Count Dracula or a mad scientist, familiar from many horror movies and horror movie parodies, the Frankenstein series and Van Helsing films in particular.-Origins:Dwight Frye's...
walked across the room." Cadena, meanwhile, remarked that "If I didn't know any better ['Monster Mash'] could have been written for the Misfits."
Pressing information
Two separate pressings of the Misfits single were released, both issued on 7" vinyl in 1999. The first pressing had the studio version on both sides and consisted of 1,000 copies: 800 on green vinyl, 100 on red, and 100 on gold. It was sold by the band while on tour and also by mail order through their "Fiend Club" fan clubFan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
and official website. 1,000 promotional CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
copies of the studio version were also pressed and used for limited solicitation to radio stations. A second pressing of the vinyl single had the studio version on side A and the live version on side B and consisted of 1,000 copies on glow-in-the-dark vinyl, available exclusively by mail order through the band's website. The single sold out and is no longer in print.
Track listing
Personnel
- Jerry OnlyJerry OnlyJerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Michale GravesMichale GravesMichael Emanuel , better known by his stage name Michale Graves, is an American singer and songwriter, singing for the late 1990s re-incarnation of The Misfits from 1995 to 1998 and again from late 1998 until late 2000. Graves grew up in Dumont, New Jersey...
– backing vocals - Doyle Wolfgang von FrankensteinDoyle Wolfgang von FrankensteinDoyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein , is an American guitarist best known for his material with the horror punk band the Misfits.-Life and career:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals - Dr. ChudDr. ChudDr. C.H.U.D. is an American rock drummer and singer.-Life and career:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....