With Halloween only day’s away we’re seeing plenty of pumpkins, Ghouls, Goblins and Spooks in general! And no doubt by Monday morning you will have heard Bobby Boris Picket’s classic “Monster Mash”over a Zillion times! But up here at SMS we feel it’s our obligation to offer up some diversion from your usual Holiday musical fare! We’ll bet your broomstick you were a fan of and faithfully watched The Munsters every week on CBS, but didja know The Munsters enjoyed a very brief career as recording artists ?
In 1964, fans of CBS’s The Munsters could pass the time between episodes by listening to one of the two LPs that accompanied the spooky sitcom.
The first album, The Munsters, comprises 12 songs that, although attributed to the eponymous family, are actually performed by a male trio known as The Go Go’s (no relation to The Go-Go’s), with some help from members of the Wrecking Crew. The upbeat, surf pop-inspired tracks include “Munster Creep” “Frankenstein had a Hot Rod Car, and “Vampire Vamp” among others
The other album, as Boing Boing reports, boasts the vocal talents of the TV cast itself. At Home With the Munsters promises “A Night with TV’s Most Unusual Family”—a bold assertion, considering that The Addams Family was also on air at the time—and it delivers exactly that. Basically, Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) addresses the listener as a neighbor, whom he proceeds to guide through a tour of the house, introducing them to all his memorable relatives along the way.
Everyone gets a chance to flaunt their singing chops. Lily (Yvonne De Carlo) warbles about how much she loves hosting house guests in “Everyone Is Welcome”; Grandpa (Al Lewis) talk-sings through an alphabet song that features “D’s for dark and dismal” and “J is for Jack the Ripper”; Eddie (Butch Patrick) illustrates his impressive sense of self-worth in “I Wish Everyone Was Born This Way”; and poor Marilyn (Pat Priest) laments being an ugly duckling (wink, wink) in “When Will I Find a Boy for Me?” Listeners are also treated to a version of the show’s theme song that has lyrics.
The album, created by Munsters composer Jack Marshall and Munstersscreenwriter Bob Mosher, is pretty difficult to come by in any physical form—but Rough Trade is offering a limited-edition reissue to the first 5000 buyers this Black Friday. However, In the meantime, you can enjoy to the entire Spooky Soundtrack and more right here at “Spooky Music Secrets….SMS
How ’bout you? Did you love Herman and the family as we did, or did you prefer your Munster with ham on rye ?
Thanks Rick. I had almost forgotten about those LP comedy records. We would buy the and all sit around and play them over and over again The First Family spoofs, and Bill Cosby’s records. They were good for hours and hours of entertainment. I don’t know how we were able to listen to them over and over again? We really were starved for content back in the day. Now we have unlimited nonrepeating content on the internet. Case in point, Sixty Music Secrets. I love you and your blog. Check in daily.
Hey Jim! You make a great point! And let’s not forget a very young George Carlin! Could neve get enough of The Hippy Dippy Weather Man…But to your point, what kept us re listening over and over Comedy only works if you don’t know the punch line or the pay off! Hell we knew every word to every bit those great comics delivered!
And thanx for reminding me of Vaughn Meader and his riff’s on the first family (The Kennedy’s)
Always great when you drop in!
Cheers
Rick