TRACK #391:

The Mummy by The Naturals

Tonight, for our first track of the season and the first track of our Monster Rally, we’re gonna dig up our old pal, The Mummy.

Now, there aren’t a whole lotta songs about The Mummy.

I mean, there’s plenty, don’t get me wrong. In fact, there’s probably more than anyone ever really needed about this character, to be honest. But when compared to Dracula, or Frankenstein or even The Wolfman really, the repertoire starts looking a little thin.

However, between 1958 and 1959, we got at least 3 different songs about our bandaged buddy. And for some reason the Mummy character in each one of these songs is saying some dumb phrase over and over again.

First, we got Lee Ross’ 1958 trend setter The Mummy’s Bracelet. That one finds the Mummy repeatedly demanding the return of that selfsame bracelet; “Give me my bracelet back!” he pleads through the finest tape-based effects 1958 had to offer. 

Jump to 1959, and we got Bob McFadden and Dor’s classic (and classically annoying) The Mummy, in which a poindexter-ass Mummy dweebishly repeats “I’m a Mummy” and it’s enough to make you want to punch your radio. If you’ve ever been curious just why this particular Halloween compilation staple has been ignored over here for 13 years, now you have an answer. I think it’s dumb and listening to it makes me mad, so you don’t have to hear it here. It is a classic, and I should probably at least acknowledge it. Maybe one day it’ll find its way onto the playlist, but not while there’s The Naturals to contend with.

Which brings us to tonight’s selection , a song also called The Mummy and also from 1959. This one is way less irritating and thus appears on the playlist. A group called The Naturals serve up this also-ran number which too features a Mummy catch phrase. “Put Me Back In My Tomb” is the mantra here, which is way better than the other two options. In fact, subjectivity aside, I’d say this is the best of the 3 tunes. Lee Ross’ song is a bit more moody and perhaps more fitting for the playlist, but I think I like this one better.

It’s funnier than Bob McFadden by a furlong and it’s far less irritating. Plus it grooves, something I definitely can’t say about Bob McFadden’s and would rather not say about Lee Ross’ take.

But enough about all of that, let’s get this Monster Rally, and indeed this entire season, off to an ancient start, with one of the oldest Monster Songs about one of the oldest monsters.

Here’s The Naturals with The Mummy!