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Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
@jeremydwilliams
1:00 AM 31st October 2024
arts
Review

Halloween Albums: The Original Monster Mash

 
The Original Monster Mash
Monster Mash, Rabian - The Fiendage Idol, Blood Bank Blues, Graveyard Shift, Skully Gully, Wolfbane, Monster Minuet, Transylvania Twist, Sinister Stomp, Me and My Mummy, Monster Motion, Monster Mash Party, Irresistible Igor, Bella's Bash, Let's Fly Away, Monster's Holiday

Label: Decca


Bobby Pickett was fascinated by horror films as a young man. His father was a manager of a local cinema, and the young Bobby used his father's job as an excuse to immerse himself in the genre. While he enjoyed the screenings, he also built his ability to impersonate an array of cult horror stars. By 1962, he had teamed up with Leonard Capizzi to pen Monster Mash, a horror-driven spoof of all the dance crazes that dominated the radio airwaves of the time. Part Twist, part Mashed Potato, part Boris Karloff, part Bela Lugosi—the record labels at the time thought it was forgettable, and many passed on the opportunity to sign it for release. However, the duo persisted and eventually signed to Garpax Records. The move was a wise one for the label, as the song was a smash hit, selling over a million records.

While we all know Monster Mash. Who hasn't danced to it at the school Halloween party? There is less awareness of the album that the gargantuan hit spawned. Titled The Original Monster Mash, it was released in 1962 and peaked at 120 on the US charts, although it fared better in Canada, where it reached 78. With Halloween upon us once again, the record label has decided to revisit the collection and released a glow in the dark vinyl!

The novelty factor of the vinyl, which glows in the dark, certainly appeals to Halloween enthusiasts. However, what about the album itself? The Original Monster Mash is a well-constructed, very listenable collection, particularly for a fun dance on a quiet night in (or for an early morning one with young kids in the build up to Halloween).

Fans of the horror genre designed and created the album, ensuring it appealed to a broad audience. As a result, it is never too niche, and with the dance focus, it is one that should have really spawned more novelty hits at its time of release.

Although this is not an album you will pop on every day of the week, it is one that could easily be dug out each October for a playful listen or three.