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The Unexpected Origins of the Iconic "Monster Mash" Song
31 Oct
Summary
- "Monster Mash" started as a joke on stage in Los Angeles in the 1960s.
- The song became an unexpected hit, topping the Billboard charts in 1962.
- "Monster Mash" has remained a Halloween staple, resurrecting itself on the charts over the decades.
On October 31, 2025, the familiar beat of "Monster Mash" once again crawls back from the dead, as it has every Halloween since 1962. However, the origins of this iconic spooky anthem were far from a grand plan to soundtrack every Halloween party forever.
In 1962, actor Bobby Pickett, who was chasing comedy more than music, broke into his Boris Karloff impression during a show with his group, the Cordials. The crowd loved it, and his bandmate Lenny Capizzi saw potential in turning it into a song. What they created was a parody of the popular dance crazes of the time, like The Twist and The Mashed Potato, but with a monstrous twist.
Pickett, then 24 and still dreaming of film roles, did not expect his playful idea to become immortal. But when "Monster Mash" was released on a small label, it quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, dethroning Elvis Presley's "Return to Sender" and holding its own against Motown hits and surf rock anthems.
Unlike most novelty hits, "Monster Mash" refused to fade away. It returned to the charts in 1970 and 1973, kept alive by oldies radio and TV variety shows. The song became the prototype for the concept of a Halloween song, a title that no other track has ever truly claimed. Even decades later, "Monster Mash" continues to creep back onto streaming charts and into people's memories, as it has become a cheerful and eternal part of the Halloween tradition.
