Why did "The Monster Mash" become the de facto standard monster song?

[ChrisW]

Why do you think it's the song that's perennially played on the radio during Halloween? It was written and released in 1962, which was probably the high-water mark of monster-dom in the U.S., but there were a number of other monster-themed songs both before and after that which could have fit that niche.
I personally think timing has the most to do with it - what is your opinion?

[The Creeper]

Maybe because of the variety of monsters and such mentioned in the song?  I always liked it!

[BlackLagoon]

I think there are a few reasons. No doubt there are songs that lyrically touch on monsters and horror in much more detail, but Monster Mash? For one, when it came out, I dont think you could have picked a better time for the scene. The overall "sound" of the song, the vocals, the lyrics, the vocal patterns for that matter...it just says "classic creepy" all over it.

A ton of rock and heavy metal bands have screamed about monsters, great beasts, horror and things that go bump in the night...and the masses dont know about it because that music is not always socially acceptable. The Monster Mash however is a fun song that is radio friendly and still holds up today as being catchy. I think it got/gets alot of exposure and people will always associate The Mash as the theme song for monsters and monster kids.

Here is an updated version from punk rock legends The Misfits (though many would say this isnt the Misfits at all!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp7y1HiXuBY

enjoy!...great topic by the way!

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

I have heard other songs on the radio during halloween, like "Werewolf of London", but "Monster Mash" is the best, simply because it
is family friendly.

"Trick or Treat" movie soundtrack is a great metal Halloween music to listen to.
I believe at least 90% of America own a copy of "Monster Mash".
I know I do, and I listen to it alot, even have it as one of my Created Wrestler's theme song.

[GaryP11111]

Monster Mash was a HUGE #1 hit in October 1962.  It's also a very well-crafted song.  It became so indelibly linked to Halloween that it was a Top 100 hit (#91) in 1970 and reached #10 in 1973.  Some of the backup musicians on the track included Leon Russell and members of the Daytonas, Ventures and Bermudas ( a lot of those guys were prolific studio musicians).

Though there were many, many hundreds (possibly a couple thousand, actually) of horror-themed songs released in the 1950s and 1960s, only a few became hits.  The Purple People Eater was a smash hit in 1958 as was David Seville's (real name Rostom Sipan Bagdasarian) Witch Doctor.  The first horror hit could be Transfusion by Nervous Norvus (aka Jimmy Drake; #8, 1956), though it's more of a dark humor novelty tune that may have been successful because it tapped into the sick joke fad of the time.  Bill Buchanan was famous for his "break-in" novelty records (usually it's some sort of interview in which the interviewee responds whith lines culled from popular songs of the day; think Mr. Jaws) and his "Flying Saucer, Pt 1" (recorded with Dickie Goodman) was a hit in 1956.  He recorded several other monster themed break-ins, including Frankenstein of '59 and The Creature (From a Science Fiction Movie).  Another monster hit was Dinner with Drac by Zacherley and it reached #6 on the charts in 1958 with a little help from Dave Appell and the Applejacks (nice guitar hook).

But it's Monster Mash with its pantheon of monster cameos that worked its way into the public conscious and remained there since 1962.

[coughcool]

I blame Dr. Demento. Horse whipping is not good enough for him.   

[The Creeper]

I think there are a few reasons. No doubt there are songs that lyrically touch on monsters and horror in much more detail, but Monster Mash? For one, when it came out, I dont think you could have picked a better time for the scene. The overall "sound" of the song, the vocals, the lyrics, the vocal patterns for that matter...it just says "classic creepy" all over it.

A ton of rock and heavy metal bands have screamed about monsters, great beasts, horror and things that go bump in the night...and the masses dont know about it because that music is not always socially acceptable. The Monster Mash however is a fun song that is radio friendly and still holds up today as being catchy. I think it got/gets alot of exposure and people will always associate The Mash as the theme song for monsters and monster kids.

Here is an updated version from punk rock legends The Misfits (though many would say this isnt the Misfits at all!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp7y1HiXuBYGreat cd, I have this and it's awesome!

enjoy!...great topic by the way!

[Toy Ranch]

Monster Mash was a HUGE #1 hit in October 1962.  It's also a very well-crafted song.  It became so indelibly linked to Halloween that it was a Top 100 hit (#91) in 1970 and reached #10 in 1973.  Some of the backup musicians on the track included Leon Russell and members of the Daytonas, Ventures and Bermudas ( a lot of those guys were prolific studio musicians).

Though there were many, many hundreds (possibly a couple thousand, actually) of horror-themed songs released in the 1950s and 1960s, only a few became hits.  The Purple People Eater was a smash hit in 1958 as was David Seville's (real name Rostom Sipan Bagdasarian) Witch Doctor.  The first horror hit could be Transfusion by Nervous Norvus (aka Jimmy Drake; #8, 1956), though it's more of a dark humor novelty tune that may have been successful because it tapped into the sick joke fad of the time.  Bill Buchanan was famous for his "break-in" novelty records (usually it's some sort of interview in which the interviewee responds whith lines culled from popular songs of the day; think Mr. Jaws) and his "Flying Saucer, Pt 1" (recorded with Dickie Goodman) was a hit in 1956.  He recorded several other monster themed break-ins, including Frankenstein of '59 and The Creature (From a Science Fiction Movie).  Another monster hit was Dinner with Drac by Zacherley and it reached #6 on the charts in 1958 with a little help from Dave Appell and the Applejacks (nice guitar hook).

But it's Monster Mash with its pantheon of monster cameos that worked its way into the public conscious and remained there since 1962.

Precisely.  It was the theme song of the monster craze of the 60's and remained very popular since.  All the others came later, after it was entrenched.  And it's arguably the best.  I was born in '62 and my mother sang it to me every night while giving me a bath.  I have no memory of that, but obviously it stuck

[Scatter]

Precisely.  It was the theme song of the monster craze of the 60's and remained very popular since.  All the others came later, after it was entrenched.  And it's arguably the best.  I was born in '62 and my mother sang it to me every night while giving me a bath.  I have no memory of that, but obviously it stuck

Any residual effects from having a monster song sung to you, every night, while young, impressionable, wet, naked, and having your private areas sponged??

[Toy Ranch]

Any residual effects from having a monster song sung to you, every night, while young, impressionable, wet, naked, and having your private areas sponged??

Nah.

[Cinemacabre]

I still can't believe how many people think Karloff sang it on the single.

[Toy Ranch]

I still can't believe how many people think Karloff sang it on the single.

Well, Bobby "Boris" Pickett did a great job with it.

[neonnoodle]

It is the first song I remember recognizing/noticing being played on the radio when I was really young in the early 70's.  It was so radio-friendly that it was played, occasionally, all year round.

A lot of the other "monster comedy" records that came out in the 60's had a much grimmer, more downbeat tone, however fun they were.  For me, "The Monster Mash" cut to the heart of the essence of classic monster fandom, which is/was that the fan finds the material very enjoyable, stimulating, and non-threatening. 

Hearing the record on the radio, playing with my plastic toy truck on the blacktop driveway, I instantly understood that the subject matter was macabre but light and funny.

[Fester]

In my opinion, Monster Mash became a hit for several reasons.  First of all, it is upbeat and happy.  The monsters in it were not threatening to little kids. They were rocking out at a party.  Teens could relate to the rocking monsters too--the song was a new twist in the top 40 stuff on the airwaves.  Grownups didn't mind it--it was a harmless novelty song.

There were plenty of other monster-themed songs out there, but many had an uncomfortable edge to them. Jimmy Cross's  I Want My Baby Back ended up with him digging up his dead girlfriend.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put a Spell on You isn't exactly a love song.  And Screaming Lord Sutch's songs were a sort of monster-themed rockabilly. And Jack the Ripper is sort of high on the creepy scale--and not in a Universal Monster way.

But I think the main reason Monster Mash hit it big and became so universally loved had to do with two main factors:  First--Pickett's uncanny Karloff imitation.  I remember as a kid in the very early 60's arguing that Karloff really did not sing it.   Second--it had a great hook and everyone could learn to sing along when it came on the radio.  

Admit it: We all know the song and almost all of us sing along when we hear it--at least if nobody is around to catch us doing it!

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

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

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

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

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

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?"

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

Then you can mash
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