creature from the black lagoon

Audio

Monster Movies

TRACK #336:

Monster Movies by Clif and Marty

Speaking of Jack and Jim, here’s another duo knockin’ out some more old time Monster Roll for ya.

Clifton Nivison and Martin Fulterman (the Clif and Marty here, respectively) were both former members of The New York Rock and Roll Ensemble. As it happens, they’re also former members of Former Members of The New York Rock Ensemble, but that’s a separate and confusing matter involving Opal Records selling a bunch of their music without Clif or Marty’s knowledge.

The Rock Ensemble were a group of Juilliard music students who decided to bust out some Rock ‘N Roll using conventional orchestral instruments. A novel concept at the time, to be sure.

After releasing 5 albums over the course of 6 years, The Rock Ensemble parted ways. Seems Clif and Marty were disillusioned with the Ensemble’s lack of commercial success, and signed with Specter Records/Opal Productions in order to make some career headway.

At Opal, Clif and Marty acted as a kind of utility duo, recording demos, writing music for other acts and releasing tunes under various pseudonyms.

And their single, Monster Movies, appears to have been just that kind of assignment.

Now, why Opal Records would assign these 2 guys some novelty Monster song in 1972 is anyone’s guess. What was the temperature on Monster Songs in ‘72? Hell, I couldn’t tell ya, cause the only other Track on Halloween Shindig from 1972 is Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein, and that’s definitely not a novelty monster song. In fact, ‘66 through ‘73 is a pretty barren wasteland for that kinda stuff, at least as far as this playlist is concerned anyway.

Now, that’s not to say the public wasn’t hungry for Monster Songs in ‘72, it just means there aren’t any that I’ve found or found and enjoyed enough to add to a 300+ rooster of songs which pretty much meet that exact specification. Just saying.

Regardless of how the 45-buying folks of 1972 felt, this is a fun and referential jam which goes so far as to specifically declare its love, not just for Godzilla, but directly to him, as though he might be out there somewhere in the South Pacific listening. Now, I gotta give that kinda thing just a little bit of love myself.

Outside of The Ensemble, and this particular single, I can’t suss out much about our boy Clifton, but Martin Fulterman is a bit of a different story.

See, Martin apparently changed his name to Mark Snow and went on to compose music for an almost absurd amount of Films, TV movies and shows. The most notable of his creations, no doubt, has got to be the famous X-Files Theme.  For real? Ole Monster Movie Marty? Pretty snazzy lineage attached to a 40 year old novelty song.

Other Mark Snow projects of note (to me anyway) include Ernest Saves Christmas, Dolly Dearest, Project ALF, Skateboard, TJ Hooker and even Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. And let me tell you, that’s cutting the list real short.

Mark Snow has composed, written songs for or worked on the music department of more shit than you’d believe. Over 350 different credits, including some ridiculous sounding TV movie called Ghosts Can’t Do It, which sounds like some PG-rated Lifetime version of Hellraiser that somehow features our 45th President himself, Mr. Donald Trump.

I’ll just leave you with that as we drop the needle on Clif and Marty’s lone 45, Monster Movies.

We love you Godzilla!

 

Audio

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

TRACK #215:

The Creature from the Black Lagoon by Dave Edmunds

Because there seems to be a serious shortage of songs specifically about The Creature from the Black Lagoon, we’re gonna spin you a twofer for the old Gillman.

This one comes from Welsh singer/songwriter/producer Dave Edmunds, who had a pretty solid career performing in several different rock acts in the late 60’s and 70’s while also producing a number of different artists.

The story behind this album is a little goofy, because by all accounts, this is an album by the band Rockpile.

You see, after several years of limited success with different bands and a solo album, Dave hooked up with notable singer/songwriter Nick Lowe. Together, with guitarist Ed Bremner and drummer Terry Williams they formed the band Rockpile. However, Lowe was signed to Stiff Records at the time and Dave was signed to Led Zeppelin label Swan Song. This caused a bit of confusion for recording and releasing albums.

What followed was a series of solo releases that actually featured the entire band as background accompaniment. These included Edmund’s 1978 Tracks on Wax 4, Lowe’s Labor of Lust and this album from 1979, Repeat When Necessary.

Offically, the writing credits for this tune belong to Ed Bremner. Now, why Ed decided to write a strange toe tapper about a 25 year old soggy monster, we may never know exactly. Why they all decided to slip it among the rest of the tracks on a fairly standard Pub Rock album, we may also never know.

My guess? Well, it’s a pretty fun tune that’ll quickly worm its way into your head.

This has been in the Shindig Bullpen for years, as it appears on Elvira’s compilation Haunted Hits. The bullpen is a secondary playlist I have filled with songs yet to get officially added or songs that I’m considering for addition. I listen to it throughout the year. I add songs, remove songs, play around with order, see what fits together nicely. That sort of deal.

For years this was a song I kinda hated. Slowly but surely though and against all odds, it finally weaseled its way into my head and I’ve come to enjoy it quite a bit. Perhaps you may find yourself having a similar response. Though, I certainly wouldn’t blame you if this one never comes around for ya like it did for me. I get it.

However, since there is that shortage I mentioned earlier and Lagoony is one of the Big 5, Dave Edmunds and his strange by the numbers rock song about a classic monster get their chance to swim.

 

Audio

(I’m In Love With) The Creature from the Black Lagoon

TRACK #214:

(I’m In Love With) The Creature from the Black Lagoon by Hans Conried & Alice Pearce

Long before Guillermo Del Toro won Oscars and appalled your Grandma by having a mute girl fuck a fish man, people have been musing about what it might be like to engage in some inter-species monster sex.

While not nearly as explicit, this old time ditty comes courtesy of an unlikely duo with whom you may be at least vaguely familiar.

For some reason (perhaps other than it seemed like a solid move in the late 50’s) comedians Hans Conried and Alice Pearce released the creature feature album Monster Rally. This classic Halloween LP from 1959 features tons of fun songs and another great album cover from the legendary Jack Davis.

Let’s take a moment here to just appreciate what an awesome artist and influence on horror imagery Jack Davis was. Here’s the full painting for the Monster Rally LP.

Now, if you’re a Bewitched fan, you may recognize Alice Pearce’s name and cadence, as she played nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz to Samantha and Darrin Stephens. Here she is:

Though it doesn’t seem like Conried makes much of an appearance on this particular tune, Alice sings up a storm detailing a brief and heartbreaking affair with our titular lagoon lurker.

In the end though, he leaves her for a sexy young flounder that swims passed. It’s all a little sad, really.

Hans Conried probably just provides some background sound FX here, but I couldn’t say for sure. Whether present or not, Hans may sound familiar to you as he is not only the voice of Dudley Do-Right antagonist Snidley Whiplash but also Captain Hook in Walt Disney’s classic Peter Pan.

More significantly (at least to the Shindig) he was the voice of Dr. Dred on The Drak Pack, and is the narrator for The Dr. Seuss Halloween Special Halloween is Grinch Night. Pretty neat. Plus he cut a fun novelty monster album? This guy’s batting 1000 right here.

So let’s take another brief moment here, amidst all of the very wholesome fare, to enjoy this short number and imagine what monster we might like to have sex with.

I’ll take the entire cast of Hammer’s Vampire Lovers.

You can take Audrey II.