Cover Me: Monster Mash

Oy, what a mess.

Bruce has spoiled us in recent years–we’re now used to him attempting covers of songs he’s never played before and hitting them out of the park.

But on Halloween night on the Wrecking Ball Tour… well, at least he got on base. I think.

We gotta give Bruce some points though: first, because he anticipated the request and worked it up at soundcheck; second for taking a chance with an unusual arrangement; and third for never once wavering in his commitment.

The occasion was captured in terrific audio and HD multi-cam quality, so enjoy Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band covering Bobby Pickett’s 1962 novelty hit, “Monster Mash,” for the first and only time.

Yeah, that reggae arrangement doesn’t really do the song any favors. Bruce realizes it a couple of minutes into the song but does his game best to carry it to conclusion.

Unfortunately, though, he compensates with shtick. He obviously didn’t rehearse that Transylvania accent, and that ad libbed “Boss Man” reference caught the band so off-guard that more than one back-up singer stepped on his line.

Still, it was great fun–and isn’t that the point of a novelty song?  And when it comes to hamming it up to “Monster Mash,” it’s pretty tough to beat the original artist:

“Monster Mash” was a huge hit around Halloween when it was originally released, and it’s been a seasonal favorite ever since–so maybe it’s not out of the question for Bruce to give it another shot someday.

Let’s just hope he chooses a different arrangement.

Monster Mash
First performed: October 31, 2012 (Rochester, NY)
Last performed: October 31, 2012 (Rochester, NY)