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In 1973, Pickett rerecorded "Me and My Mummy" for a
Metromedia 45 (it did not chart). Another of Pickett's songs, "Graduation Day", made number 80 in June 1963. Then in 1985, with American culture experiencing a growing awareness of rap music, Pickett released "Monster Rap", which describes the mad
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Though
Pickett never achieved the same success as he did with "Monster Mash" on charts, he continued to lend his voice to further parodies and other songs throughout the rest of his life. Pickett also made appearances on television, film, and radio as a guest star, narrator, actor, and disc jockey.
380:-themed follow-up, "Monster's Holiday", (with "Monster Motion" on the B side) was also released in 1962 and reached number 30 in December that year. "Blood Bank Blues" (with "Me and My Mummy" on the B side) did not chart. This was followed by further monster-themed recordings such as the album
197:, Pickett watched many horror films as a result of his father's position as a local movie theater manager. He started improvising impressions of Hollywood film stars at a young age. At a turning point in his career, Pickett was a vocalist for a local
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to the top of the charts in 1962, making him one of pop music's most enduring one-hit wonders, died
Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 69. His longtime manager, Stuart Hersh, said the cause was leukemia.
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in 1962. It was styled as being by "Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers". The track re-entered the U.S. charts twice, in August 1970, and again in May 1973, when it reached the #10 spot. In
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neighborhood and he attended
Somerville High School. His father was a theater manager and as a nine-year-old, he watched many horror films. He would later incorporate impressions of them in his
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In 2004 and 2005, Pickett provided vocals for two Flash cartoons, "Monster Slash" and "Climate Mash", featuring new versions of his hit single. The cartoons protested inaction on the
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He co-wrote his signature song, "Monster Mash", with
Leonard Capizzi in May 1962 as a spoof of popular contemporary dance crazes. Pickett's performances include impersonations of
416:'s radio show for many years. He also performed a duet with Ferrara in 1976 titled "King Kong (Your Song)" spoofing the movie by the same name that was released that year.
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In 1993, Pickett wrote and performed "It's Alive", another sequel of sorts to the original "Mash" song. It did not chart but was played occasionally on the
Demento show.
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scientist's frustration at being unable to teach the dancing monster from "Monster Mash" how to talk. The problem is solved when he teaches the monster to rap.
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act in 1959. An aspiring actor, Pickett began his musical career as a vocalist for a local swing band, Darren Bailes and the Wolf Eaters. Pickett served in the
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In the early 1980s a musical "sequel" to "Monster Mash" called "Monster Rap" was released, which featured
Pickett teaching the creature to speak in rap.
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that
Pickett along with Ned Ormand and R.B. Chris Christensen had formed Nico Records. Christensen had been a partner and professional manager in
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Bluebook Music
Publishing co. They had acquired an instrumental from the Daco label which was to be their first release. The instrumental was by
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Robert
Pickett, 11 February 1938 (Report). Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem. United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Pickett appeared in such roles as Archie Bunker as part of a stage comedy revue about television, presented in Boston, titled
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on August 28, 1973. The song has since re-charted three more times—in 1970, 1973 (when it reached the Top Ten) and 2021.
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agreed to release it in the United States. "Monster Mash" was met with instant success and peaked at No. 1 on the US
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309:" with Leonard Capizzi in May 1962. The song was a spoof on the dance crazes popular at the time, including the
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and such singles as "Werewolf Watusi" and "The Monster Swim", the latter of which made it to No. 135 on the
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473:. It has been produced by local theaters around the United States. They followed it with another musical,
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For many years, Pickett performed for "The Lost 45s with Barry Scott" Halloween show in the Boston area.
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called "Star Drek" with Peter Ferrara, again performing some of the various voices, which was played on
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Biographical obituary discussing in-depth the life, career and importance of Pickett and his hit song
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it took until October 1973 for the tune to become popular, peaking at number 3 in the
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agreed to produce and engineer it. Among the musicians who played on it were pianist
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Twist?"). Every major record label declined the song but after hearing it,
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band called Darren Bailes and the Wolf Eaters. He would later serve in the
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232:(1931)), and although many major labels declined to distribute the song,
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In 1967, Pickett and television author Sheldon Allman wrote the musical
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826:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 426.
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753:"Bobby "Boris" Pickett remembered on our first Halloween without him"
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chart and was credited under "Bobby Pickett and The Rolling Bones".
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Interview with Bobby Pickett, June 18, 2003; author: Linda Alexander
182:. He is best known for co-writing and performing the 1962 smash hit
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Pickett appeared in films in several classic genres: beach movie,
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879:"Bobby Pickett and The Rolling Bones - Top Songs / Chart Singles"
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for two weeks in October 1962, including Halloween. The song was
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In 2004, Pickett served as the narrator of the children's film
349:, the single became a million seller, reaching number 1 on the
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Bobby "Boris Pickett" performing Monster Mash - Halloween 2005
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show featured a documentary retrospective of Pickett's work.
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from March 9, 1956, to March 13, 1959, and was stationed in
162:(February 11, 1938 – April 25, 2007), better known as
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I'm Sorry the Bridge Is Out, You'll Have to Spend the Night
853:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. ≠
1018:"'Monster Mash' Singer Bobby 'Boris' Pickett Dies at 69"
797:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.
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Real Life Rock: The Complete Top Ten Columns, 1986-2014
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In 1991, he appeared as a guest on the television show
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In 1965, he appeared in several episodes of the sitcom
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In 2005, Pickett published his autobiography through
1001:, directed by Kent McKenzie (Milestone) and Revels,
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In 1962, it was reported in the December 1 issue of
325:(the latter with the line "Whatever happened to my
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731:"Gary James' Interview With Bobby "Boris" Pickett"
278:, on February 11, 1938. His family lived in the
1100:Classicbands.com entry on Bobby "Boris" Pickett
550:In 1962 or 1963, Pickett also hosted a weekly
571:as either Walter Thorp or Stonewall Jackson.
495:, but later released in the United States as
262:, an autobiography, in 2005. Pickett died of
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651:at age 69. The May 13, 2007, episode of the
491:, produced a movie of it, originally titled
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673:"Bobby Pickett, 69; Scored 'Monster' Hit"
533:. On ABC-TV, he appeared on a segment of
1151:Musicians from Somerville, Massachusetts
205:from 1956 to 1959, and was stationed in
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16:American singer-songwriter and comedian
477:. In 1995, the co-writers of Pixar's
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932:"Pickett A Partner In New Disk Firm"
630:Monster Mash: Half Dead in Hollywood
402:In 1975, Pickett recorded a novelty
260:Monster Mash: Half Dead in Hollywood
643:On April 25, 2007, Pickett died in
590:(1972) and the sci-fi comedy film,
1171:20th-century American male singers
1161:Deaths from leukemia in California
1024:. Associated Press. Archived from
681:. Associated Press. April 27, 2007
14:
972:Marcus, Greil (20 October 2015).
951:Sachs, Bill (December 26, 1960).
751:Guha, Auditi (October 31, 2007).
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940:. December 1, 1962. p. 30B.
824:British Hit Singles & Albums
297:for an unknown period of time.
266:on April 25, 2007, at age 69.
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1166:20th-century American singers
501:. Pickett starred in it with
1181:Comedians from Massachusetts
1156:United States Army soldiers
904:"US Hot 100 Bubbling Under"
618:Spookley the Square Pumpkin
356:chart for two weeks before
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1141:Singers from Massachusetts
1096:from NewYorkNightTrain.com
429:government's part towards
847:Murrells, Joseph (1978).
791:Murrells, Joseph (1978).
383:The Original Monster Mash
276:Somerville, Massachusetts
195:Somerville, Massachusetts
79:Somerville, Massachusetts
28:
850:The Book of Golden Discs
794:The Book of Golden Discs
122:Singer, writer, comedian
1176:American male comedians
953:"Folk Talent and Tunes"
822:Roberts, David (2006).
547:, on January 26, 1966.
498:Monster Mash: The Movie
583:Chrome and Hot Leather
461:" and "Six Pak" fame.
209:for a period of time.
41:Background information
1071:Official MySpace site
707:"Gold & Platinum"
601:Don't Touch That Dial
593:Lobster Man from Mars
345:. Issued on Paxton's
160:Robert George Pickett
51:Robert George Pickett
475:Frankenstein Unbound
441:Record label venture
274:Pickett was born in
647:, California, from
626:Trafford Publishing
577:It's a Bikini World
536:The Long Hot Summer
61:Bobby Boris Pickett
1146:RCA Victor artists
733:. Classicbands.com
678:The New York Times
568:Petticoat Junction
493:Frankenstein Sings
305:Pickett co-wrote "
291:United States Army
203:United States Army
174:, was an American
99:, California, U.S.
609:Beyond Vaudeville
176:singer-songwriter
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327:Transylvania
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222:(1932)) and
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188:Monster Mash
184:novelty song
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136:Years active
91:(2007-04-25)
1136:2007 deaths
1131:1938 births
883:musicvf.com
653:Dr. Demento
645:Los Angeles
588:Deathmaster
560:Los Angeles
552:disc jockey
541:Roy Thinnes
515:John Kassir
451:Buck Owens'
414:Dr. Demento
323:Bela Lugosi
280:Winter Hill
224:Bela Lugosi
97:Los Angeles
1125:Categories
1032:2015-08-26
1005:(Sundazed)
999:The Exiles
737:2015-08-26
716:2023-09-15
685:2007-07-21
659:References
511:Mink Stole
485:Joel Cohen
459:Church Key
455:The Revels
343:Mel Taylor
270:Early life
127:Instrument
72:1938-02-11
47:Birth name
1003:Intoxica!
958:Billboard
628:, titled
480:Toy Story
409:Star Trek
378:Christmas
358:Halloween
352:Billboard
287:nightclub
284:Hollywood
245:certified
239:Billboard
219:The Mummy
140:1959–2007
1022:Fox News
991:June 26,
765:June 25,
649:leukemia
596:(1989).
554:show on
341:drummer
313:and the
264:leukemia
193:Born in
180:comedian
1111:YouTube
1089:Discogs
937:Cashbox
539:, with
447:Cashbox
372:and on
362:Britain
354:Hot 100
250:by the
241:Hot 100
229:Dracula
172:Pickett
109:Novelty
982:
861:
830:
805:
374:iTunes
301:Career
145:Labels
130:Vocals
105:Genres
81:, U.S.
639:Death
404:spoof
370:radio
311:Twist
295:Korea
207:Korea
199:swing
168:Boris
164:Bobby
1080:IMDb
993:2020
980:ISBN
915:2022
890:2022
859:ISBN
828:ISBN
803:ISBN
767:2020
711:RIAA
556:KRLA
543:and
529:and
487:and
457:of "
433:and
376:. A
337:and
321:and
252:RIAA
248:gold
190:".
178:and
86:Died
66:Born
1109:on
1078:at
997:9.
855:333
799:150
558:in
406:on
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
