It's right nearin' All Hallow's Eve, kids, and it's time to pay homage to the man who brought you the one song that you probably associate with the season: the time-honored Monster Mash, brought to you by no one other than Bobby "Boris" Pickett.
His one hit was released in 1962 but was re-released over the years, charting more than once.
How'd it go again?
"I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise ..."
(Anyone conjuring up images of Rocky Horror's Frank N. Furter yet? No, just me? Okay.)
"He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash
It caught on in a flash
He did the mash
He did the monster mash"
(Speculation is that this was a play on a dance craze of the time, the mashed potato. Kinda woulda been cool as the "Monster Watussi" though, no?)
"From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes"
(Insert the "shoo be doos" here)
"They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash
It caught on in a flash
They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man
Dracula and his son"
(I wonder if anyone made a "Time of the Season" joke when this came out? Doubt I'm the first. Anyway, onward...)
"The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"
They played the mash
They played the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
They played the mash
They played the monster mash
Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?" "
("And the Best Spoken Line In a Novelty Song Award goes to........Bobby 'Boris' Pickett!")
"It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you"
(Wait guys....and I can mash?!?!)
"Then you can mash"
(WHEW!)
"Then you can monster mash
The monster mash
And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash"
Good stuff.
Pickett now plays assorted for-hire gigs and hawks autogrpahed merchanidse on his Web site. One hit sure ain't a bad legacy when the guaranteed royalties come through once a year without fail.
