When Monsters and Spooks Come Calling

Happy Halloween to one and all! So when your doorbell rings turn up the music it just might be Frankie, Wolfie, Drac, Mummy, and the rest of the gang come for a rocking good time and some blood-red punch. Enjoy, grab a ghoul, and do some wild dancing while waiting for trick-or-treaters.

“The Monster Mash” as the song says “it was a graveyard smash”. This is a 1962 novelty song that was recorded by American singer, songwriter, and actor Bobby “Boris” Pickett. It is featured on the album The Original Monster Mash with other monster-themed tunes. This Halloween favorite went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2021 almost 60 years after it was first released “Monster Mash” re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Meanwhile, in a creepy, kooky house strange people are dancing about. “The Time Warp” from the film “The Rocky Horror Show”. In 2016 an American musical comedy TV film was made “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again”. This is a tribute to and remake of the cult classic film that came out in 1975.

When ghosts make you dance from that incredibly funny scene from the film “Beetlejuice” and everyone singing “Day O (The Banana Boat Song)”. This is a traditional Jamaican folk song and a good example of calypso music. It's a call-and-response work song and the best version was recorded by Jamaican-American singer Harry Belafonte in 1956. His version is included in the above-mentioned film.

What happens when witches put a spell on you? “Put a Spell On You” from the Halloween film “Hocus Pocus”. This is a 1956 song that was written by Jalacy “Screamin' Jay” Hawkins. His recording of this song was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It is also at number 313 on the list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Do you know any wicked witches? “Season of the Witch” is a song written by and recorded by Scottish singer and songwriter Donovan. It came out in 1966 and is featured on the album Sunshine Superman.

This song relates very well to the crazy world we live in “People Are Strange” a song recorded by the American rock band The Doors. It is featured on their album Strange Days from 1967. The song was written by the band's vocalist Jim Morrison and guitarist Robby Krieger. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Meanwhile, Alice is inviting you, “Welcome to My Nightmare” a song recorded by American rock musician Alice Cooper. It is on his 1975 album of the same name. This album inspired the Alice Cooper: The Nightmare TV special, a worldwide concert tour, and the concert film Welcome to My Nightmare in 1976. In 2011 a sequel concept album was released Welcome 2 My Nightmare.

And when you think things just might get out of hand here come the “Werewolves of London” a rock song recorded by American singer and songwriter Warren Zevon. It was written by Zevon, LeRoy Marinell, and Waddy Wachtel. The song is featured on the album Excitable Boy from 1978. The track features Mick Fleetwood on the drums and John McVie on bass from the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a Halloween standard. The song lyrics “He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's/Gonna get a big dish beef chow mein” refers to Lee Ho Fook a Chinese restaurant in London's Chinatown in the West End of London.