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Here’s how the song ‘Monster Mash’ came to be

October 26, 2024

A monster hit

“Monster Mash” was originally written as a parody of several pop fads that have faded away, but the song is an American novelty song that lives on like a vampire.

In the early 1960s two cultural trends set the stage for the making of “Monster Mash.” One was that the broadcasting of 1930s and 1940s monster films by TV stations had reintroduced Count Dracula and others to a new generation.

One of the most popular toys for Christmas in 1962 was a plastic Frankenstein model.

The big influence was the dance fad at the time that brought songs about dances such as The Twist and Mashed Potato to the top of the charts.

The writers

Bobby Pickett was an aspiring actor looking for work in Hollywood.

On the weekends he sang with a group called the Cordials in clubs around Los Angeles.

Pickett worked a Boris Karloff Frankenstein’s Monster impression into the act and it was well received.

Fellow Cordials band member Leonard Capizzi and Pickett wrote the song together and pitched it to record labels.

They were rejected four times before it was picked up by Gary S. Paxton’s Garpax Records. Paxton had a novelty song hit with “Alley Oop” in 1957 and produced “Monster Mash,” as well as the song on the B-side, “Monster Mash Party.”

Musicians on the recording

The band credited on the recording is “The Crypt-Kickers,” and are said to have included Leon Russell on piano and the Ventures drummer Mel Taylor on one or both of the recordings.

Chart success

The song was released in Aug. 1962 and went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts for the week of Oct. 20-27. The song has charted three times: 1962, when it reached No. 1, and in 1970 and 1973. The song is still a popular ringtone and digital download.

Monstrous endorsement

Above, is a promotional photo of Boris Karloff from “Bride of Frankenstein.”

Karloff liked the “Monster Mash” song so much that he performed it himself on a 1965 episode of the televised musical variety show “Shindig!”

Pickett’s acting career resulted in parts in a few B-rated movies, but he made a fortune from royalties of “Monster Mash,” which has been featured in more than 40 TV shows and films.

Pickett died in 2007 in Los Angeles at the age of 69.

Making a graveyard smash hit

Well covered: “Monster Mash” has been recorded by more than 20 other groups and in many different languages.

“Monster Mash: The Movie” came out in 1995 and featured Bobby Pickett as Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

Some of the notable cover versions include Vincent Price’s version in 1977, a Smashing Pumpkins version in 2008 and Alvin and the Chipmunks version in 1994.

You can do the mash

There is no official dance for the “Monster Mash,” but the song’s music is a spoof of the song “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Sharp that was released in 1962.

This is a version of the Mashed Potato Dance with arms held like a monster. Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” released in 1960, kicked off a named dance craze.

You can find a beginner tutorial on Youtube here.

Other Halloween hits

“Addams Family Theme”Written by: Victor “Vic” MizzyMizzy also wrote the theme song for the 1960s sitcom “Green Acres.” Mizzy wrote several scores for films and many songs that were hits for such artists including Doris Day and The Andrews Sisters.“The Addams Family,” a sitcom featuring New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams’ characters, ran for 64 episodes in two seasons between 1964-66.The song’s arrangement features a harpsichord and finger-snaps.Mizzy’s theme was popular enough to be released as a single, but it failed to make the national charts.

“The Munsters”The instrumental theme song, titled “The Munster’s Theme,” was composed by composer/arranger Jack Marshall.The song had lyrics written by the sitcom’s co-producer, Bob Mosher, but were never aired.First verse: When you are walking down the street at nightAnd behind you there’s no one in view.But you hear mysterious feet at night,Then the Munsters are following you.The theme was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1965.“The Munsters” had 70 episodes between 1964-66.

“Thriller”Michael Jackson’s 13-minute music video for the song “Thriller” became the best selling music video in history.

Billboard magazine ranked it the No. 1 Halloween song of all time and it is still listed as the most successful music video of all time, selling more than nine million copies. It was released on Dec. 2, 1983.

The film begins with a disclaimer:

“Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult.” —Michael Jackson

You can find Billboard.com’s 20 biggest Halloween hits here.

Spoiler alert: The Billboard list has Monster Mash at No. 1, and “Thriller did not make the top 20.

“Monster Mash”Written by Bobby Pickett & Leonard Capizzi

I was working in the lab, late one nightWhen my eyes beheld an eerie sightFor my monster from his slab, began to riseAnd suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash, he did the monster mashThe monster mash, it was a graveyard smashHe did the mash, it caught on in a flashHe did the mash, he did the monster mash

From my laboratory in the castle eastTo the master bedroom where the vampires feastThe ghouls all came from their humble abodesTo get a jolt from my electrodes

They did the mash, they did the monster mashThe monster mash, it was a graveyard smashThey did the mash, it caught on in a flashThey did the mash, they did the monster mash

The zombies were having funThe party had just begunThe guests included Wolfman,Dracula, and his son

The scene was rockin’, all were digging the soundsIgor on chains, backed by his baying houndsThe coffin-bangers were about to arriveWith their vocal group, ‘The Crypt-Kicker Five’

They played the mash, they played the monster mashThe monster mash, it was a graveyard smashThey played the mash, it caught on in a flashThey played the mash, they played the monster mash

Out from his coffin, Drac‘s voice did ringSeems he was troubled by just one thingOpened the lid and shook his fist and said“Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?”

It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mashThe monster mash, it’s now a graveyard smashIt’s now the mash, it caught on in a flashIt’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash

Now everything’s cool, Drac’s a part of the bandAnd my Monster Mash is the hit of the landFor you, the living, this mash was meant tooWhen you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you

Then you can mash, then you can monster mashThe monster mash, and do my graveyard smashThen you can mash, you’ll catch on in a flashThen you can mash, then you can monster mash

Sources: The Associated Press, RIAA, Billboard, Rolling Stone magazine, IMDb

Orange County Register

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Here’s how the song ‘Monster Mash’ came to be

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