Q 01/05

Who recorded the 1962 novelty hit 'Monster Mash' with a Boris Karloff impression?

A) Bobby Pickett

B) Sheb Wooley

C) Screamin' Jay Hawkins

D) Ray Stevens

Answer · why

A) Bobby Pickett

Pickett was an aspiring actor whose Karloff impersonation during a cover of 'Little Darlin'' went down so well his bandmate told him to build a song a...

Q 02/05

Which broadcaster banned 'Monster Mash' as 'too morbid' when it topped the Hot 100 in 1962?

A) Radio Luxembourg

B) The BBC

C) NBC Radio

D) CBC

Answer · why

B) The BBC

The song took its cue from the Mashed Potato dance craze; nearly 60 years later, in 2021, it re-entered the Hot 100 at number 37.

Q 03/05

The dance described in 'Monster Mash' was a variation on which real early-1960s craze?

A) The Watusi

B) The Locomotion

C) The Mashed Potato

D) The Twist

Answer · why

C) The Mashed Potato

The footwork was the same, but dancers added stiff-armed Frankenstein gestures.

Q 04/05

Which horror actor performs the spoken-word 'rap' at the end of the title track of Thriller?

A) Christopher Lee

B) Peter Cushing

C) Boris Karloff

D) Vincent Price

Answer · why

D) Vincent Price

Rod Temperton wrote the song and Quincy Jones produced it; it was the seventh and last single from the album.

Q 05/05

Songwriter Rod Temperton's first draft of 'Thriller' had a different title. What was it?

A) Starlight

B) Midnight Man

C) Creature Feature

D) Graveyard Shift

Answer · why

A) Starlight

The chorus ran 'Give me some starlight'; Quincy Jones's team wanted a stronger album title and 'Midnight Man' was tried before Temperton landed on 'Th...