Although Halloween is generally too creepy for me, here's a fun-filled (and I mean full!) post of some innocent, 1960s spookiness.We're kicking this post off with a Halloween pop favorite, the novelty song "Monster Mash." During the early 1960s, Bobby "Boris" Pickett was an aspiring actor who first gained attention with his Boris Karloff impressions while singing with a band called
The Cordials. Composed together with guitarist Leonard Capizzi, Pickett recorded the "Monster Mash" with session musicians credited as "The Crypt-Kickers," and this monster-themed tune reached #1 on the charts in October of 1962, just in time for Halloween. Seeing Pickett's crazy facial expressions are crackup, though you're almost kind of relieved when you finally see him smile at the end (reminds me of the "first Darrin Stephens" from Bewitched in the mid-1960s).------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This next creepy tune is brought to you by The Turtles before they scored their best-known hit ("Happy Together") in 1967. Released as a single in May of 1966, "Grim Reaper of Love" barely made the Billboard charts since it was clearly too dark for record-buying public. Written by Turtles lead guitarist Al Nichol and bassist Chuck Portz, it's actually a pretty cool and haunting song with the verses metered in a 5/8 feel (some nerdy musician language for ya).------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And who can forget one of the strangest families on 1960s television? Based on Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons, The Addams Family TV series ran for two seasons from 1964 to 1966 on ABC, and were often compared to their working-class rivals, The Munsters (that TV theme featured during Surf Rock Week). Composed by American TV and film composer Vic Mizzy (who also wrote the theme to Green Acres), this finger-snappin' tune is still remembered generations later.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next up is a "spooky little" cover by "The White Queen of Soul," British singer Dusty Springfield. Originally an instrumental song played a saxophonist, the best-known version of "Spooky" was actually by The Classics IV, whose jazz fusion/pop rendition reached #3 on the charts in 1968. Unfortunately no decent videos of The Classics IV's "Spooky" are currently available, so here's the next best cover by the beautiful and sultry Dusty, probably in the early 1970s since her signature beehive hairdo of the '60s is not included.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the most recognizable films in cinema history is Hitchcock's 1960 horror film Psycho, with Bernard Herrmann's musical score adding greatly to the tension and drama. Hitchcock himself stated that "33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music." The Shower Scene is probably the most famous cue in film music, with the shrill screeching of string instruments. However (no Shower Scene today), this sound clip below is the main title of the soundtrack, an intense yet truly fantastic piece of musical art.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And of course a Halloween post deserves a typical and crazy Monkees romp (a music video precursor), featuring the foursome with classic Hollywood monsters in the episode titled "The Monstrous Monkee Mash." Although the episode first aired in January of 1968, the filming actually started on Halloween of '67. Written together by all four of The Monkees with Diane Hilderbrand, "Goin' Down" shows off Micky Dolenz's impressive (and quick) vocal skills, and was the B-side to "Daydream Believer." Sock it to me! (The individual music video has been removed from YouTube, so here's the whole episode! "Goin' Down" begins around the 20-minute mark).-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First opening in August of 1969 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, the Haunted Mansion is a beloved dark ride with a classically creepy theme song heard in many different variations throughout "the tour." Composed by Buddy Baker with lyrics written by Disney legend "X" Atencio, "Grim Grinning Ghosts" featured a pickup group of vocalists including Thurl Ravencroft (in the clip, the "singing bust" on its side) who is also known for singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," as well as the voice of Tony the Tiger ("they're ggggreat!"). This particular sound clip comes from the "Graveyard Jamboree" variation where the theme is played the loudest in the ride, with ghosts singing over a background loop including the 1960s-style bass line and rhythm section. In college, I actually based a music composition homework assignment on these chords because I liked the progression so much. ("Graveyard Jamboree" begins around the 10:39 mark).-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To end this Spooktacular post, here's my favorite creepy song of the 1960s: "People Are Strange" by The Doors. Written by bandmates Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison, this psychedelic rock song was released as a single in September of 1967, and peaked at #12 on the Billboard charts and #10 on the Cashbox. As a teenager, I heard a cover version of this used for the opening credits of the 1980s vampire film The Lost Boys (with a teenage Keifer Sutherland!), which I think forever etched into my mind the eeriness of this tune. Showcasing The Doors' interest in the theatrical music of European cabaret, this song isn't at all Halloween-related but about alienation and being an outsider, and seems to expose Morrison's vulnerability. On that depressing note, enjoy!Other 1960s songs that you can include in your Halloween playlist are "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones (already featured here) and The Zombies' very interesting "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" from their Odessey and Oracle LP here.
Happy Fall, everyone!
