“Monster Mash” is Sort of a Banger
The Novelty Song Enduresby Michael Harris B’29published on October 29th, 2025
The Novelty Song Enduresby Michael Harris B’29published on October 29th, 2025
Do y'all know that video of the Canadian DJ who hates “Monster Mash?” The one where he says, “This is not a banger. And I know bangers.” Do y’all not know that video? Everyone looks at me like I’m crazy when I bring it up. I swear this was a viral video. Go watch it. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/rHVvBX556xE?si=WsC2n9cqOdfK0NK3.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the nature of what a banger is and if Monster Mash is really so far from that classification. The definition of banger that comes up when you Google it is “an excellent or memorable song, especially one with an energetic beat that is good for dancing too.” Alright, so for “Monster Mash” to be a banger, it has to be excellent or memorable, and it also (but not inherently) should have an energetic beat and successfully inspire dancing.
For that first issue, well, excellence is hard to define. It is entirely subjective and therefore is pretty useless for our exercise, so let's focus on whether it's memorable. Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers’ “The Monster Mash” was first released in August of 1962. There’s something to be said for the fact that we’re still talking about it over 60 years later. “Monster Mash” has had incredible staying power. It has been number 30 on the US Billboard Top 100 in this decade. That’s pretty memorable if you ask me.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the nature of what a banger is and if Monster Mash is really so far from that classification. The definition of banger that comes up when you Google it is “an excellent or memorable song, especially one with an energetic beat that is good for dancing too.” Alright, so for “Monster Mash” to be a banger, it has to be excellent or memorable, and it also (but not inherently) should have an energetic beat and successfully inspire dancing.
For that first issue, well, excellence is hard to define. It is entirely subjective and therefore is pretty useless for our exercise, so let's focus on whether it's memorable. Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers’ “The Monster Mash” was first released in August of 1962. There’s something to be said for the fact that we’re still talking about it over 60 years later. “Monster Mash” has had incredible staying power. It has been number 30 on the US Billboard Top 100 in this decade. That’s pretty memorable if you ask me.
Benedetta Ramos B‘29 had this to say about how memorable the “Monster Mash” is: “I feel like every holiday needs its songs and, y’know, Halloween doesn’t get too many, so we need a couple good ones in there.” In a way, she credits the staying power of “Monster Mash” to the limited number of Halloween songs. You might not like the reasoning, but according to Google, all a banger needs to be is memorable, so this exclusivity provides an easy path to definitional bangerhood. Take that, guy in the video (who is a fictional creation of comedians Garret Fuller and Mike Smith for their web series Wayne County Lyfe).
Well, he does have me on the "energetic beat” and good to dance to points. The “Monster Mash” is quite slow compared to modern club hits, and it takes a bit of effort to really bust it down to (worth a shot though!). But that's not all that matters if you ask Rho Bloom-Wong B’29. “I think the alliteration is doing a lot for me. ‘Monster Mash,’” they said, “Also… the deepness of their voices. There’s a particular timbre that is quite compelling.”
Overall, words are nonsense. Definitions are fake. “Monster Mash” is cool. Timbre is a fun word to say. Happy Halloween.