The "Monster Mash" by Bobby 'Boris' Pickett reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on October 20 1962. This novelty hit is a song that everyone can sing right along with...in their very best 'Boris' voice, of course!

Pickett was an aspiring actor who also sang with a band called The Cordials. The story goes that one night while the group was performing, Pickett broke out into his Boris Karloff impression while performing The Diamonds' hit "Little Darlin'". The crowd loved it, so Bobby and one of his band mates decided to write a song that could feature the voice. The song they came up with was 'Monster Mash' and it borrowed heavily on a popular song at the time, 'The Mashed Potato' by DeeDee Sharp.

The song and it's B-side was recorded with Gary S. Paxton, Leon Russell, Johnny McCrae, Rickie Page, and Terry Berg, credited as "The Crypt-Kickers". That's right, Leon Friggin' Russel was a piano player in the Crypt-Kickers!

Here's Pickett performing the song:

Although Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell WAS a member of the Crypt-Kickers, he didn't appear on the 'Monster Mash'. Apparently, he came late to the session and played on the B-side...'Monster Mash Party'.

You can hear him on the keyboards here:

More From Awesome 98