Be careful when parking with your girl in Lovers Lane, the Sadist Phantom is on the Loose!!!
This Garage Rock band from Fort Worth Texas named Larry and the Blue Notes released 2 versions of this song on 1966, Night of the Sadist, and Night of the Phantom. They are basically the same, but their producer was concerned they would not get any air play for a song with Sadist in the title and lyrics, so they changed that word to Phantom.
The song is guitar based, mid tempo. It's not all that scary or creepy, just a cautionary tale of what could happen when you're out parked somewhere with your girl, minding your own business, doing your own thing.
trying to make love!
I'll quote the lyrics provided by "Clue Vios" in a comment under the video on YouTube:
The night was dark, there was no moon above
I told my girl, yeah, this was a night for love
So we went parkin', yeah, and the night was just right
When someone grabbed me and I knew I was in a fight.
It was a night of the phantom, yeah
I remember that look in his eyes
It was a night of the phantom, yeah
Well I'll remember till the day I die.
He grabbed my throat, I could feel the blade of his knife
I touched his hand 'cause I knew he would take my life
I looked in his face, I saw the hate in his eyes
I looked at my girl and I heard her helpless cry, woah.
It was a night of the phantom, yeah
I remember that look in his eyes
It was a night of the phantom, yeah
Well I'll remember till the day I die.
Then something happened to him, he had a funny glare
He turned away, I could almost smell death in the air
Well thankful I am, but I'll never know to this day
What made him turn and slowly walk away.
It was a night of the phantom, yeah
It was a night of the phantom, yeah...
So basically a dance-able 60s garage pop tune that takes its lyrics from some Horror genre B Movies which were popular at drive-in theaters, in days gone by!
Here's The Night Of The Phantom by Larry & The Blue Notes. If you like the song, check YouTube because there have been several covers of it by Garage Rock revival bands, most notably The Fuzztones!
It's almost Halloween so Beware the Sadists and Phantoms and other Monsters!