Monster Rap

TRACK #53:

Monster Rap by Bobby “Boris” Pickett

Over the years, as the musical climate shifted, Boris Pickett attempted to recapture his Monster Mash lightning into all manner of bottle. The results were, well, not quite as successful.

In the early 80’s he tried rap, much to the delight of The Shindig.

Easily my favorite Boris Pickett tune, this goofy number is, I think, the funniest of his career. The ridiculous chorus of “Shock the body. Shock the body, body” in that Karloff voice is unmatched. Plus a rapping Frankenstein in the form of “Monster Mouth” is pretty fantastic too.

Though, I think the funniest aspect of the track is Boris’ initial excitement to hear the monster rap, and how quickly that turns to complete annoyance once the creature “won’t stop rapping.”

Even in the form of a silly rap, some remnant of Mary Shelley’s themes still persist,…kind of.

Either way, Boris Pickett’s Monster Rap is Shindig gold, all the way around.

The Mummy’s Bracelet

TRACK #51:

The Mummy’s Bracelet by Lee Ross

Here’s a bizarre Shindig entry from singer Lee Ross.
Never heard of him? Well, don’t let it bum you out, cause neither has the Internet apparently. Digging up information on Lee seems to lead to a lot of cold trails.

What we can be sure of however, is that Lee definitely performed this catchy little number about the Mummy. Which Mummy, we’re less sure of, as Lee’s story doesn’t seem to match up to any Mummy film that I can cross reference.

This matters little however, because Mummy songs aren’t exactly falling out of the pockets of novelty-rockdom. In a genre choked with Vampires, Ghosts and Frankensteins, a song about a Mummy is a breath of stale and musty air.

So lets sit back and enjoy this strange little ditty about the Mummy, and his bracelet.

Full Moon

TRACK #42:

Full Moon by Elvira

Segueing nicely from that last sample is this gem from everyone’s favorite wet nightmare Elvira.

Of all the Elvira originals on The Shindig (and there’s a few), this is perhaps my favorite. It’s got a fun 80’s synth-pop sound, and it features the Mistress of the Dark singing seductively about how essentially a full moon makes her crazy horny. Um, ok. ‘Nuff said. I’m in.

Here’s Elvira with Full Moon.

Thanks for the boner.

Riboflavin Flavored Non-Carbonated Polyunsaturated Blood

TRACK #36:

Riboflavin-Flavored, Non-Carbonated, Polyunsaturated Blood by Don Hinson & The Rigarmorticians

It may sound like Boris Pickett (hell everything did for a while, following the success of The Monster Mash) but this particular novelty installment comes from Vegas DJ Don Hinson and his Rigarmorticians.

I like this novelty track more than most because it’s well written, funny and has an interesting premise. A premise so interesting in fact, I’m fairly sure Charlaine Harris hijacked the whole concept for her Sooki Stackhouse Novels.

An honorable mention goes out to fan-favorites 45 Grave for their cover simply titled “Riboflavin” which does not appear on the Shindig.

The Lurch

TRACK #31:

The Lurch by Ted Cassidy

Holy shit! Lurch has a song?!

Yeah, that was my reaction too, and whenever I have such a response, onto the Shindig it goes.

What’s more? This song and it’s accompanying dance were both introduced to the world the day before Halloween in 1965, on ABC’s popular variety show entitled Shindig! Hows that for synchronicity?

This episode also had a guest host, none other than horror icon Boris Karloff himself, who indulges in a strange speak along to The Peppermint Twist.

We’ll also hear him close out the track with Lurch himself from that very program, wishing all you Shindiggers a fond farewell.

Until then, lurch along with Ted Cassidy, who probably says more here in 3 minutes than an entire season’s worth of The Addams Family.

The Purple People Eater

TRACK #28:

The Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley

A classic novelty song featured on countless Halloween lists and albums since it’s release in 1958, The Purple People Eater gets it day on the Shindig, but mostly just for that reason.

I like The Purple People Eater, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t find it terribly Halloweeny, aside from the fact that Halloween is probably the only time your liable to here it on the radio.

Interesting side note, do a quick image search for the Purple People Eater and you’ll find an array of 1 eyed, 1 horned winged purple things, mostly (but not limited to) “Purp” from the 1988 film Purple People Eater.

So what? Why wouldn’t you? Who gives a fuck?

No one, probably, however it is my assertion that The Purple People Eater is not himself purple, as indicated by the below lyric:

I said “Mr. Purple People Eater, what’s your line?”
He said “eating purple people, and it sure is fine”

So he eats purple people. Well, what the hell are purple people? This doesn’t make any sense.

Maybe on his planet there were purple people, because right after this he goes on to explain how that’s not the reason he came here. Well, of course, there are no purple people here.

So on his planet, they have people, they’re just purple? Still don’t make no goddamn sense.

Well, maybe not, but I’m just saying, ole Sheb here was pretty explicit in his songwriting, and that thing ain’t purple.

The Crypt Jam

TRACK #24:

The Crypt Jam by John Kassir and Chuckii Booker

In the early 90’s both hip hop and Tales from the Crypt were riding high on the pop culture wave, so it seemed only natural to some sleazy executive to combined these two concepts.

The result is The Crypt Jam, a rather curious musical number that finds our pal the Cryptkeeper inviting us to a “monster bash, if you will.”

The next 3 minutes or so is The Cryptkeeper (voiced by the great John Kassir) rhyming and punning his way through a generic 90’s hip-hop beat.

Even better is the video, featuring our pal dressed up in typical gansta threads of the era, dancing with a dozen or so fly-girls and a coupla pop-lockin’ zombies.

Was it a good idea? Well, The Shindig certainly thinks so, as this type of thing is right up our alley over here. However, that may not be everyone’s conclusion regarding this particular Monster Rap. Either way, the Cryptkeeper’s in the house, and we couldn’t be happier about that.

Werewolf Bar Mitzvah

TRACK #14:

Werewolf Bar Mitzvah by Tracy Jordan

Since the song The Wolfman’s Wedding Reception by the Goofy Toons doesn’t actually exist, I figured this was the next best thing to follow such an introduction.

From the always ridiculous brain of 30 Rock’s Tracy Jordan comes this monster novelty throwback spoof, to which Jordan received a Gold Record.

It may be a sweaty premise, but i think it sustains itself just fine.

Halloween Shindig

TRACK #13:

Halloween Shindig by Ed Twilley and the Creepers

13’s a pretty horrific number. You got 13 Ghosts, 13 floors, 13 turns in a hangman’s noose, that hockey masked guy, the Knights Templar and all sorts of Lunar and Witchcraft associations. It’s also a prime number and appears in Fibonacci’s Sequence. Hell, it even has it’s own phobia – Triskaidekaphobia.

So, it was a nice coincidence to see this song pull into the 13 spot after some sample/track merging (the playlist originally had separate tracks for all the lead-ins.)

From one of my favorites sketches from one of my favorite sketch comedy shows of all time, Mr. Show with Bob and David, comes the namesake of the entire playlist, Halloween Shindig.

It’s a spot-on spoof of paranormal phenomenon shows like Sightings entitled Probings, and it poses one of the greatest questions of our times..

Do Monster Parties really exists?

The Sinister Stomp

TRACK #5:

The Sinister Stomp by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

Alright, so we got a theme, a bumper, a genuine Halloween song, and a track from a horror movie; sounds to me like it’s time for a good ole fashion monster song.

While The Monster Mash is probably the likely choice, we’ve got some time before cracking that chestnut. However, Bobby “Boris” Pickett and his Crypt Kickers are gonna get some early respect here just the same. From The Original Monster Mash album (a fun Holiday album all around. Hell, there’s even a Christmas song on that fucker for christ’s sake,) comes The Sinister Stomp.

I’m not exactly sure what the hell Yanush is suppose to be (a zombie, a ghoul?) but he’s definitely the focal point of this song, having tripped Boris one night in a graveyard causing him to invent the titular dance, which I believe just involves Boris repeatedly stomping his heal into this thing’s back. An act which somehow manages to keeps him alive, yet also makes him a more efficient employee apparently. Oh, and run.

Yeah, the logic isn’t the easiest to follow, but it’s pretty damn Halloweeny all the same, featuring the usual ghouls from Igor to Frankie, plus it’s got a catchy Runaround Sue style beat, which I enjoy a great deal.

So, c’mon, do The Sinister Stomp. It’s good for the soul.