Daily Jam (October Edition) - He's a Vampire

Here's some novelty Halloween doo-wop from the '50s to kickstart this last week in October.  Check out Archie King and the Al Lombardy Orchestra with "He's a Vampire," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Horror Staccato

Here's some great '60s novelty Halloween music from the jazzy surf rock, and excellently named, band Frankie Stein and His Ghouls.  Listen to "Horror Staccato" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Dracula's Theme

The '60s was a wonderful time for novelty Halloween pop music, particularly of the surf and garage rock variety.  I guess there was just something in the air.  Here's a track from 1964 from The Ghouls.  Listen to "Dracula's Theme" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - The Night Before Halloween

In 1962, American songwriter released a great novelty pop 7" including the songs "Beware" and "The Night Before Halloween."  Both tracks are admittedly goofy, but i love them.  Here's "The Night Before Halloween," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - The Purple People Eater

The Halloween season is full of old novelty tracks, and i am here for them.  Here's Sheb Wooley with 1958's "The Purple People Eater," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Cool Gool

Here's and old rock n' roll novelty track from Sharkey Todd & The Monsters.  Listen to "Cool Gool" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - The Lurch

Ted Cassidy, the actor who portrayed Lurch on "The Addams Family" in the '60s, recorded a novelty track as his TV character with musician Gary S. Paxton.  Lurch is no longer just creepy butler.  Now it's a dance.  Do "The Lurch" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - You Created a Monster

I don't know about the rest of you, but i very much enjoy '60s Halloween novelty songs.  So here's a track from The Munsters.  Listen to "You Created a Monster" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Halloween

Here's a lovely little piece of 1970s kids Halloween novelty music from Wade Denning and Kay Lande.  Let it put you in the right spirit.  Listen to "Halloween" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Beware

Somewhere in internet-land the other day, i saw someone suggest that artists should start recording Halloween novelty songs again.  That's a sentiment i could not agree with more.  Bring back the Halloween novelty song!  Here's one from 1962 from Bill Buchanan.  Listen to "Beware" below, our Daily Jam.

Found Vinyl: Children of The Night - Dinner with Drac!

Every decade is plastered with novelty hits of some sort or another.  Some join the cultural lexicon while many others become the forgotten relics of bargain bins and memories, occasionally popping up in some ironic incarnation or another.  Children of The Night's 1977 album "Dinner with Drac!" piles on the shock and schlock of the Universal monster movies with some old school Rock & Roll.  The result is an interesting album i would have loved when i was five, but that i still kind of dig now.  The title track is a cover of cool ghoul John Zacherley's 1958 tune of the same name.  The Children of The Night's version of the jam ups the rock aspect a notch, but keeps the cheese that makes it special.  The rest of the album features skits and more songs about monsters.  All in all, a fun listen and a "hipper" counterpart to the old standby "Monster Mash."  I'll have to be sure to bust this one back out during Halloween.

Below is a 1984 video shot for the title track by Bruce Dunn.  It's complete and total cheese, but fun nonetheless.  Give it a look.


I'll be back with another one of these next week.