When was the song "The Monster Mash" released?

The song “The Monster Mash” was released in 1962.

Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers recorded the novelty song in May 1962, and Gary S. Paxton’s Garpax Records released it as a single in August of that year. Its spooky theme and playful dance-party storyline quickly made it a Halloween favorite.

Pickett wrote the song with Lenny Capizzi. Pickett performed it in an exaggerated horror-movie voice inspired partly by actor Boris Karloff, whose name explains the singer’s theatrical nickname. The lyrics imagine monsters gathering at a party and performing the “Monster Mash,” with references to figures such as Dracula and the Wolf Man.

The song became a major hit later in 1962, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in October, just before Halloween. It is sometimes remembered as a traditional Halloween song, but it is a modern pop recording. Its seasonal popularity has also led to later re-releases and chart appearances.