You know about that catchy, 1960s song that plays every Halloween? It's called the "Monster Mash", and it is an iconic song as it is spooky. I asked my mother recently before we left for a Halloween party "How do I do the monster mash?". She told me, "you just dance however you want". Now, I'm certainly not dancer or choreographer of the year, but I am a huge nostalgia nerd, and as I've heard this song many times throughout Halloween season, I was eager to learn the history of the song, and find out if there really is a thing such as "Halloween music".
As everyone is familiar with Christmas music and can name more than a dozen Christmas tunes, what makes memorable Halloween music? Halloween music certainly does not have a large following, and to be truthful, "Monster Mash" is the only Halloween song I know. Made popular by Bobby Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers in 1962, the Monster Mash became a favorite among dancers at Halloween parties. The song is narrated by Pickett, who sounds like he is playing the role of a Dracula-esque character, who tells the story of a dance at a party.
I was surprised to learn that Pickett's composition of "The Monster Mash" was written as a response to another song with a trendy dance at the time, called "The Mashed Potato", and to capitalize on the popular "dance craze" songs of the 1960s, most famous being "The Twist". Bobby Pickett was an aspiring actor by day who fronted a local band called The Cordials, in Massachusetts. His bandmate Leonard Capizzi enjoyed Pickett's impression of Dracula so much, that he encouraged him to play the character in a Halloween song idea that was being written. Pickett and Capizzi became the main songwriters of what would become "The Monster Mash". Although the song was intended to be a cash grab, it would become a memorable Halloween hit, perhaps the most iconic Halloween song.
Now, what about the dance that comes with it?
There are no steps, but just the rule of having fun. As many have told me, there is no instructions to the Monster Mash, as you're supposed to dance however you want.
Halloween is a fun holiday that people of all ages can enjoy, and "The Monster Mash" has become a signature song at Halloween parties for ages.
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