Dracula Cha Cha Cha
Dracula Cha Cha Cha is a 1959 novelty song by Italian singer Bruno Martino (La Voce del Padrone, 7 MQ 1271, 1959).[1] Steno's horror-comedy film Tempi duri per i vampiri (1959) and released as a single the same year. It was later included in the album Italian Graffiti (1960/61) and performed onscreen in Vincente Minnelli's film Two Weeks in Another Town (1962).
Background
[edit]Dracula Cha Cha Cha followed in the wake of the success of John Zacherle's similar Dracula-themed song, Dinner with Drac (1958). Martino's song shares a similar comedic tone, yet performed in a cha cha cha style. He describes how Dracula scares people and bites people's necks, while advising him to "suck a chicken and leave women alone.".
It was released as the A-side to the song Ho Sognato D'Amarti and originally written and composed for the film Tempi duri per i vampiri (1959). The lyrics were provided by Bruno Brighetti. [2] Some original prints list the song as Dracula Cha Cha, but all subsequent releases have spelled the title as Dracula Cha Cha Cha since.
Martino released a follow-up song called Draculino (Vampiro un po' bambino) (1959), about Dracula's son.
Covers
[edit]The song was covered in 1959 by Renato Rascel.[3] French-language versions were recorded by Fernand Bonifay (1960) and Henri Salvador (1961).[4] The song was covered in English by Bob McFadden in collaboration with Jack Hansen & The Transylvanians (1960), with lyrics and music provided by Rod McKuen.[5][6] A German-language version was made by Walter Brandin in 1961.[7] Other notable cover versions were made by Bob Azzam (1960), Robert Donat (1960), The Good Fellas (2006) and The Tango Saloon (2008).[8]
Martino's original recording was also sampled by Gaby and the Batmacumba on their single Vampira Cha Cha Cha (2005).[9]
In popular culture
[edit]The song also inspired the title of the novel Dracula Cha Cha Cha (1998) by Kim Newman.
See also
[edit]Sources
[edit]- ^ https://www.discogs.com/release/14720177-Orchestra-Bruno-Martino-Dracula-Cha-Cha-Ho-Sognato-DAmarti
- ^ https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/154c14/Bruno-Martino-Dracula-Cha-Cha
- ^ https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/749302
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/release/20637349-Henri-Salvador-Faut-Rigoler-Dracula-Cha-Cha-Cha
- ^ https://secondhandsongs.com/work/196401/all
- ^ https://cover.info/en/song/Bob-McFadden-with-Jack-Hansen-and-The-Transylvanians-Dracula-Cha-Cha
- ^ https://secondhandsongs.com/work/196401/all
- ^ https://secondhandsongs.com/work/196401/all
- ^ https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/749302