Snapshots Spillover: Even More Halloween Horror Film Songs

When I was a kid, I vividly remember the thrill of watching the old Universal horror movies late Saturday night on BBC2. You'd never see these classics on TV these days, and they're in danger of being airbrushed out of history for anyone other than ardent cinephiles... but we remember them today, starting with Victor (or Henry, as he was known in James Whales' film) Frankenstein and his monster, played by Boris Karloff...

The Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein

That was the obvious tune, although curiously it only made it to Number 5 in My Top Ten Frankenstein Songs back in 2015...

Before you knew it, the Monster demanded a mate... in the form of Elsa Lanchester.

I couldn't immediately think of a song named after The Bride, but then I discovered New Zealand's Toy Love, who were on Flying Nun, so they had to be worth a listen. Here they are in 1980...

Toy Love - Bride of Frankenstein 

Todd Browning's Dracula was the first of many Universal films featuring the Lord of the Undead (and his family), although it's the only one to feature Bela Lugosi in the title role (unless you count his guest appearance in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein). Despite that, Lugosi is the actor most often associated with the Count, even long after his death...

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Dracula can be found in quite a few songs in my hard drive, but only one is named solely after him, from this Aberdonian indie band...

The Little Kicks - Dracula

The direct sequel to Lugosi's Dracula featured Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zaleska, aka Dracula's Daughter. Which leads us nicely to Colin Meloy and co....

The Decemberists - Dracula's Daughter

Soon after that, Boris Karloff returned, not with bolts through his neck this time, but wrapped in bandages...

Benji Hughes - The Mummy

More bandages were wrapped around Claude Rains in 1933... although when he took them off, he disappeared completely. There's loads of Invisible Man songs to choose from (see here), but this was the obvious choice, still one of Declan's finest album tracks...

Elvis Costello - The Invisible Man

And now for a few more Universal Monster movies turned into songs...

The Frantic Elevators - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

(featuring the immortal line, "I'm an ugly sod, but it's not my fault")

The Who - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde

Dave Edmunds - The Creature From The Black Lagoon

Sarah Brightman & Steve Harley - The Phantom Of The Opera

(Yes, I went there.)

Round Robin - I'm The Wolfman

Ah yes, The Wolfman. I used to be a Wolfman, but I'm alright nooooooooooooooooowwwwww. Etc. 

But did you know that the first Werewolf-based horror movie to be produced by Universal was not 1941's The Wolfman? 

Oh no. 

Six years prior to that, they released this beauty, starring Henry Hull as the... erm... hairy handed gent who ran amok in Kent...

How else could we close this post?

Snapshots #223: A Top Ten Knocking Songs

I chose the late John Mahoney to usher in this week's answers for two reasons. Firstly, Martin Crane's dog Eddie features in one of the clues below. Secondly, I figured he's bring a little respectability to this post... otherwise it's in danger of being mistaken for a knocking shop.

10. Webster Earplug.

Anagram!

Paul Westerberg - Knockin' On Mine

9. What to do with empty acorn producers.

Fill it. Fill the oaks.

Phil Ochs - Knock On The Door

8. One Wanted hitmaker, plus Brian, Al or Jackie. 

The Dooleys were Wanted. Yes, they were.

Jackie & Brian Wilson.

Dooley Wilson - Knock On Wood

(Play it again, Sam!*) 

(*Yes, I know Bogie doesn't actually say that line in the film.)

7. Where none of the students listen. 

Deaf School - Knock Knock Knocking

6. #1 + Chief ARP Warden.

We'll get to this week's #1 in a minute, but it was Chief ARP Warden Hodges in Dad's Army.

Eddie Hodges - I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door

(I only know that because it was in a Tarantino soundtrack. Honest.)

5. SUV demanded by Welsh rocker.

"SUV demanded" is an anagram...

Dave Edmunds - I Hear You Knocking

Great intro.

4. 68 + A Good Year...

68 Guns + A Good Year For The Roses.

Guns 'n' Roses - Knocking On Heaven's Door

(Because Dylan would have been too obvious. And I like how Axl string out the notes.) 

3. Sounds like he's online.

It's a rhyme. 

Online...

John Prine - Knocking On Your Screendoor

2. Follows darkness.

It's always darkest before the dawn.

Dawn - Knock Three Times

I'm pretty sure that video was filmed at Greenhead Park in Huddersfield. They must have had a dome on the cafe in the 70s.

1. Martin's dog and Muppet bassist.

Martin Crane (see the top of this page) had a dog called Eddie.

Floyd was the bass player in the Muppet band.

Snapshots will come knocking again next Saturday. Please answer your door.

Snapshots #205: A Top Ten Playing Card Songs

Every gambler knows that the secret to survival is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep. Because every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser, and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

Wiser words have seldom been sung. Here's this week's full house...

10. Kermit and inlaw.

No, it's not Flash Gordon.

Anagram! 

Wink Martindale - Deck Of Cards

9. Initial ocean view? Correct!

O.V.... right?

O.V. Wright - Ace of Spades

8. Follows extra time.

As Prince sang... "I just want your extra time... and your Kiss!"

Kiss - Deuce

(One for serious card players, that.)

7. Road to Damascus? Almost, Nina.

Saint Paul had a moment on the road to Damascus.

Nina Simone... almost.

Paul Simon - Ace In The Hole

6. Cthulhu.

Cthulu was created by H.P. Lovecraft... the writer, not the band.

H.P. Lovecraft - Blue Jack Of Diamonds

5. Osibisa headline at King's College.

Osibisa sang about a Sunshine Day.

KC & The Sunshine Band - Queen of Clubs

4. Sam's pal buries saint in Suffolk.

Sam's pal was Dave.

Bury St Edmunds is in Suffolk.

Dave Edmunds - Queen Of Hearts

3. Fab doctor and sex expert.

The Fab Doctor is Robert.

The sex expert is Johnson (of Masters & Johnson).

Robert Johnson - Little Queen Of Spades

2. Top Gear.

Top Gear is for Petrolheads... or...

Motörhead - Ace Of Spades

1. And evil trembles...

Another anagram!

Steve Miller Band - The Joker

You've got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them... and know when to turn up again for more Snapshots. Next Saturday!

Hot 100 #52

This week's image was an obvious choice, and even came up as a song suggestion from Brian...

The B-52s - 52 Girls

Effie
Madge and Mabel
Biddie, see them on the beach
Or in New
York City, Tina Louise
And there's Hazel and Mavis

But this wasn't the only mention of the B-52 bomber I found in my library. We could also have...

Bobby Gibson & The Voyagers - B-52

Saint Etienne - 52 Pilot

David Lee Roth - Skycraper

Float like a buttuerfly
Acrobatic
Sting like a B-52
Dramatic
And the radar locks on you
No static

The Monochrome Set - Apocalypso

I'm wrapped in silver foil
My blood is on the boil
B-52s flutter coyly

Or... my own personal favourite, natch...

Bruce Springsteen - Growin' Up

...a song where the B-52 button on a jukebox allows Bruce to bomb them with the blues.

A few other lyrical 52s that you suggested include:

The Cure - So What (C)

Cake icing and decorating set
Special offer
Only 3 pound 30
Save 1 pound 52 on recommended retail price

(No prizes for guessing why Robert Smith required such a product. Presumably it's what he used to apply his make-up.)

The Divine Comedy - Festive Road (Rigid Digit)

...which gets top marks for being a song about 80s kids' TV show Mr. Benn. Another hero of my childhood.

Dave Edmunds - I Hear You Knocking

I told you way back in 52
That I would never go with you

C wondered who did the original of that. RD replied that it was Smiley Lewis... and that if you listen carefully to the instrumental break, Dave gives a shout out to him, along with Huey 'Piano' Smith (who played piano on the original version), Fats Domino (who also covered it) and Chuck Berry (who doesn't appear to have recorded it at all, but maybe he played it live?).

Smiley Lewis - I Hear You Knocking

Rigid Digit also suggested this belter...

The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

I heard you on the wireless back in '52...

RD then offered the controversial opinion that the cover versions by Ben Folds Five and Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club were both better than Trevor Horn's original. I'm not sure I agree with that - there's something about the original that just sends a shiver down my spine (in a good way) although they're both fine covers. I'd add the version by Presidents of the United States of America to the list of cracking covers.

Other songs I found that referenced 1952 included...

Roger Miller - South

She was born in '52, she finished in a Mississippi school

M. Ward - Beautiful Car

It was a baby blue fifty-two Roadstar
It was a beautiful car

The Swede offered one of his go-to artists...

Robyn Hitchcock - 52 Stations

(I'm going to see Robyn play Huddersfield Library on a Sunday afternoon soon. ROCK 'N' ROLL! Wonder if he'll play that then?)

Meanwhile, I found a few more lurking in the back of my hard-drive...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Area 52

Fish - Brother 52

There are, of course, 52 weeks in a year, so I thought I might find loads of references to that. However, the only ones that leapt out at me were these...

Julia Fordham - Downhill Sunday

52 weekends

52 to go
Sliding from heaven
To the flames below

The Undertones - I Don't Know

I got a postcard from my Majorca
She's now in love with a hotel worker
Holiday extended 52 weeks a year
I wish that I never tried to hurt her

There are also 52 cards in a pack... which obviously led me to this "classic" of my misspent youth...

Wink Martindale - Deck Of Cards

...which I'll play for Lynchie, because I know it's one of his favourites.

And friends, the story is true.
I know, I was that soldier.

All of which leads us to one of Lynchie's other suggestions... which is my runner-up this week...

Billy Joel - 52nd Street

(With a quick mention for Van Morrison - St. Dominic's Preview, which also takes a stroll on that particular road.)

However, I have to agree with both Lynchie and Rigid Digit that there was one very clear winner this week. It was the song that introduced me to this particular artist and established him in my mind as both a lyricist and guitar player of great note...

Said James, "In my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a Redheaded girl.
Now Nortons and Indians and Greavses won't do.
Oh, they don't have a Soul like a Vincent '52

If that doesn't break your heart by the end of the song, then you've got granite in your chest...



51 next week... anyone got anything that can challenge The Swede's obvious suggestion?

Saturday Snapshots #62 - The Answers

Reach out and touch faith - it's your own personal answers to Saturday Snapshots. It was just A Question of Time.

Alyson took the Early Bird trophy this week, ably assisted by Chris, Charity Chic, Rigid Digit and a last minute save, all the way from Dubai (thanks, Jim). C took issue with the Siouxsie & The Banshees photo which turned out to be Siouxsie and a bunch of non-Banshees, for which I apologise... but it was the least recognisable Siouxsie photo I could find on the interweb. She has a pretty iconic look.

Even if you only got one of them right this week, remember... Everything Counts!

My explanations will be brief this week due to an impending visit from Ofsted. (Yes, they know check music blogs too. Not much chance of this one getting Outstanding.)


10. The search for Shatner with Gin prezzies.

Spizzenergi - Where's Captain Kirk?

9. Say Goodnight... but not to Car B... and get down with Gordon!

Irene Cara - Flashdance (What A Feeling)

8. This is a warning - keep away from men with hooked needles!

Jim Croce - Don't Mess Around With Jim

7. Charlie's cute royal sibling turns off the lights.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See A Darkness

6. Shelter from the bombs in a flower patch.

Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden

5. Occultists can't handle early mornings.

The Supernaturals - I Wasn't Built To Get Up

4. Ancient lines that connect donkey brays will guide us down the road this evening.

Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours

3. Native American wailing spirits play baby games.

Siouxsie & The Banshees (minus Banshees in the picture) - Peekaboo

 2. Sounds like Elvis's catfish has taken Nilsson's medicine with a buffet carrier. 

Elvis's catfish jumping on a pole was King Creole, Nilsson's medicine was Coconut, which sounds a bit like...

Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Stool Pigeon

1. Not the First Noel, after the crash.

Just Can't Get Enough? Don't worry, Saturday Snapshots will be back next week. Until then... Enjoy The Silence!

Mid-Life Crisis Songs #23: Cat's Eyes

Driving into work last week, I was rather disturbed to see the following sign at the roadside. Apparently these signs have caused upset around the country to children and motorists from other countries who don't know that the cat's eyes in question are these...

...the small reflecting lights placed down the white line in the centre of roads, designed to keep motorists on the right side at night time.

My own upset though wasn't caused by the idea that some crazed loon from the council or the Highways Agency was going round the local area blinding felines... it was over the fact that these wonderful inventions were being removed, seemingly never to be replaced.

I realise as I type these words that I'm sounding more and more like the kind of Grumpy Old Man who writes to the local paper (if, indeed, there still is a local paper) and begins his letter with the phrase "Why, oh why, oh why...?" but my dismay goes beyond the usual "it's another budget cut which will end up costing lives!" whinge (though it probably will) and even the kind of good old Yorkshire patriotism that would fuel the average "Dear Sir..." scribbler (Cat's Eyes, in case you didn't know, were invented by Halifax-born Percy Shaw). No, my real cause for consternation is over the loss of yet another icon of my childhood. Many's the happy hour myself and a mate would spend sitting in the middle of the road with a pen-knife, trying desperately to extract the jewels from a cat's eye. Well, perhaps not that many. But we did it once or twice before we got bored. It was a rite of passage round these parts - in honour of good old Percy - though if the local bobby caught you, you'd be for it.

Being a parent, of course, turns all that on its head. I'd be horrified to discover Sam was doing anything similar when he gets a bit older - if not because of the wanton vandalism, then certainly for the threat of getting mown down by a speeding motorist. I doubt my own parents gave it much thought, if they even knew such stuff was going on - after all, those were the days when we'd go  out in the morning and come back for tea and nobody worried where we were or what we were up to in between. If they had found out, they'd probably have just said, "boys will be boys"... and then given us a good thrashing with the slipper. (That last bit's a joke, my parents never thrashed me with a slipper. It was a studded belt. No, it wasn't even that. But if I'm going to turn into a Whinging Old Git, I might as well go the whole hog!)

But isn't this supposed to be a music blog, you scream? Well, of course, dear...


I suppose I could have featured Cat's Eyes by Cat's Eyes today, except... no, I'd never heard of it either. So instead, here is a stark indictment of the consequences of removing cat's eyes from our local highways...


23. Dave Edmunds - Crawling From The Wreckage


I've heard a rumour this was written by Graham Parker, though he didn't get around to recording his version for another 25 years. Dave's version came from his fourth album, Repeat When Necessary, released in 1979. Although it only made #59 in the UK singles chart, the next two singles from the album (Costello's Girls' Talk and Hank DeVito's Queen of Hearts) were both big hits. Much as I love both of those, Crawling From The Wreckage still stands up for me as Dave Edmunds' finest moment...

Crawling from the wreckage, crawling from the wreckage
Bits of me are scattered in the trees and in the hedges
Crawling from the wreckage, crawling from the wreckage
Into a brand, new car

My Top Ten ...In Wonderland Songs

Last post, we dealt with Songs About Alice... here's the obvious sequel.


10. James - Rabbit Hole

In which Tim Booth is late, always late.

9. Ash - Return Of The White Rabbit

Man, those are some chunky, funky guitars.

8. Milburn - Cheshire Cat Smile

They're not from Milburn, they're from Sheffield. Which probably explains why they sound so much like the Arctic Monkeys.

7. Julian Cope - Mock Turtle

And if you're a fan of Mock Turtles, I'm sure U Dig this.

6. The Beatles - I Am The Walrus

A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.

5. Dave Edmunds - Queen Of Hearts

The joker ain't the only fool who'll do anything for you

4. XTC - Wonderland

Or, if you prefer, same title: different song from Big Country.

3. Elton John - Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

Long before the tantrums and tiaras, the dirge for Diana, the ridiculous megastar pomposity... it's easy to forget that once upon a time, Elton John & Bernie Taupin wrote songs as beautiful as this one.

2. The Cure - Caterpillar

Not Mad Bob's only visit to Wonderland. He's no doubt got a season ticket.

1. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice - when she's 10 feet tall

So those are the tunes that Carroll my Lewis... but which song sends you down the rabbit hole?