This Day In History: Monster Mash #1 On Billboard

It's Halloween season.
By John Amato — October 21, 2025

Who hasn't heard of this song?

Halloween is upon us.

How did this tune come about?

The song was a toss-off idea by Bobby “Boris” Pickett, a lifelong fan of legendary horror film actor Boris Karloff, who started doing Karloff impersonations at talent competitions. After deciding to pursue an acting career in California, he teamed up with a friend, singer Leonard Capizzi, to make a novelty song featuring Pickett’s Karloff voice. In less than an hour, Pickett and Capizzi recorded “Monster Mash” with a band they called The Crypt-Kickers.

The song re-charted in 1970 and '73.

Open thread...

Can you help us out?

For over 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but social media is limiting our ability to attract new readers. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Become a subscriber:
 
Make a donation:

If you don't mind the ads and would rather donate, please select one of the options below:

Kindest
Donate via PayPal
Via Snail Mail
payable to: Crooksandliars
2708 Wilshire Blvd. #148
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Explore more

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon