“Little Monster Mash (Playlist and a Few Photos)” by Richard F. Yates

Hey Folks! Tuesday was the Little Monster Mash, the annual Halloween dance at the Longview Public Library in Longview, Washington, USA. I always enjoy playing music for little kids (they’ll “dance” to just about anything), and this is the fourth time I’ve volunteered to play tunes for this particular event. (It would have been my FIFTH time, but we were in Disneyland last year for Halloween…)

Anyway, the Friends of the Longview Public Library put together some fun parties, and this was no exception. They had face painting and crafts tables and snacks (like popcorn and cookies) and costume contests---and there were a TON of people. Our “contact” for the event (our friend, Jen King) said she thought that the “Little” Monster Mash has gotten BIGGER every year! And my family all agreed. Frankie and her baby gave me a ride to the event (all of my DJ gear was still in Frankie’s vehicle from the wedding I DJed a week or two ago), and Mariah (who was working in Astoria, Oregon, that day) and Ellie showed up a bit later---AFTER everything was all set up! (Geesh! Have to do EVERYTHING myself---except carrying stuff, cuz my back is bad…but I might have mentioned that already… Actually, I’m completely joking about having to do everything myself. I almost always have tons of help when I DJ. People really are happy to help out... Sometimes, in fact, I have TOO MUCH help---because I’m persnickety about my gear, and I put things away a certain way every time, and it weirds me out when folks “HELP” by grabbing wires and just stuffing them in boxes! Jeeze… Neurosis is a baaaaad thing. I need to learn to relax a bit. And, although I’m a weirdo, I DO appreciate that people like to help out!)

Before I get to the playlist, I thought I’d share a few photos from the event. I love watching the little kids dance (they genuinely have fun jumping up and down), and some of the costumes were actually pretty clever!

And these were some of the event coordinators! (The one on the right, the “Special Snowflake” is our friend, Jen!)

My FAVORITE costumes of the night were this thing…

…which is maybe a flea or a werewolf or something. (Very creepy, whatever it is…)

AND THIS…

Did you see it… in the background?

I appreciate when someone puts some effort into their costume, (which is also what I like about the cosplayers at comic conventions!)

Yeah… Anyway, Halloween parties are always a fun time, and this one was no exception. The baby was there, but she was a bit too young to really understand what was going on. Next year she’ll probably have a lot more fun! The little folks at this event jumped up and down all night (except for a few minutes where two dinosaurs were fighting, and then an entire CLAN of little kids dog-piled on the dino that survived the battle---but I’m happy to report that nobody seemed to have gotten hurt, so that’s good!) “But what did they dance to???” I hear you ask. Well, I’m about to tell you, so calm down. Take a breath. Maybe grab a cup of tea…

Here’s what I played:

[While I was testing the gear and getting the speakers set up:]
Midnight Star – “Freakazoid” (cuz it’s a nice, long song---and I had to restart it once…)

[Then we got things MOVING!]
John Zacherle – “Dinner with Drac Part 1” (He was one of the world’s first “horror hosts!”)
Bobby “Boris” Pickett – “Monster Mash”
Harry Belafonte – “Jump in the Line (Surecut Kids Re-Edit)” (with Beetlejuice samples)
Michael Jackson – “Thriller”
David Seville – “Witch Doctor”
Axwell & Sebastian Ingrosso – “Roar” (from the Monsters University film)
The Citizens of Halloween – “This is Halloween”
Rockwell – “Somebody’s Watching Me (12” Version)”
Bow Wow Wow – “I Want Candy” (as in trick-or-treating…)

[Next, we paused the tunes for the costume contest, although while the judges were deliberating, I did play some “deliberation” music…]
The Happy Haunts – “999 Happy Haunts” (from Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction)

[Then we kicked it back in gear:]
Antsy Pants – “Vampire”
Sheb Wooley – “The Purple People Eater”
Ray Parker Jr. – “Ghostbusters”
Taco – “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (a remake of the tune from Young Frankenstein)
The Calypso Carnival – “Zombie Jamboree”
Lipps Inc. – “Funkytown” (from Shrek 2, which has an ogre in it…so…close enough!)
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising” (from American Werewolf in London)
Stevie Wonder – “Superstition”
Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast – “The Time Warp”
Village People – “Y.M.C.A.” (they all dressed up in costumes)
Frou Frou – “Holding Out for a Hero” (also from Shrek 2, but also a creepy song!)
Duran Duran – “Hungry Like the Wolf” (maybe a werewolf song, right???)

And that was THAT! Short night---the whole party only went from 6:00 P.M. to 7:30, but that’s long enough for little kids. AND there were still quite a few there right up to the very end when I cut the music and told them all to go home---so that’s pretty cool! I’ve still got it! I can keep a room full of pre-schoolers dancing and shaking for an ENTIRE hour and a half! Woooo!!!

Will I do it again next year? If the Friends of the Longview Public ask me again, you bet. I’ll be there in a heartbeat…even if it’s coming from under the floorboards…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

---Richard F. Yates (Holy SPOOKY Fool)