Halloween is all about dressing up, decorating with fake cobwebs and celebrating things that would normally scare the life out of you. So it makes sense that Dallas performer Dean Morgan, better known as his comedic alter ego Sheldon Mashugana, would take on Bobby Pickett’s “Monster Mash.” Released in 1962, the original has spent decades making monsters sound like the life of the party. Mashugana’s cover brings that same goofy energy to a new generation of Halloween fun.
Morgan has released 18 slapstick comedy films on YouTube under the Sheldon Mashugana name, making this single a natural extension of his character. The biggest change is the addition of “Mashugana” to the chorus, giving the familiar song a personal twist. It’s hardly a radical reinvention, but not every cover needs to be. Nobody’s waiting for a nine-minute post-rock version of “Monster Mash.” Well, probably nobody.
The idea is straightforward: “Monster Mash” is already a Halloween classic. A more ambitious arrangement might have added a few surprises, but it could also have distracted from the fun of hearing a familiar song filtered through a distinct comic persona.
Morgan initially struggled with the song’s pacing before finding a vocal approach that felt right. It’s a reminder that even silly performances take some work. Comedy depends on timing, and singing a song you know by heart isn’t always as easy as remembering the words. The cover was recorded at Justin Pierce Music studio in Dallas using a karaoke backing track rather than live instruments.
There’s also something refreshing about a project that knows what it wants to be. Mashugana isn’t trying to reinvent Halloween music or prove that every cover needs to be groundbreaking. Morgan has long enjoyed Pickett’s original, and this release gives him a chance to bring that affection into his own work.
It also fits Morgan’s goal of making people happier amid the stresses of everyday life. There’s plenty to worry about already, and entertainment doesn’t always need to deliver a grand message. Sometimes, a little familiar nonsense is enough to brighten someone’s day.
This cover probably won’t replace Pickett’s original as Halloween’s unofficial theme song, but that’s not really the point. Sheldon Mashugana has joined the monster party, worked his name into the chorus, and made himself at home. The monsters are dancing. Nobody needs to overthink it.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for various publications around the world, the former lead writer of review blogspace Atop The Treehouse and content creator for Manila Bulletin.
