Take a Listen to a Bizarre 1964 Album Released by The Munsters

In 1964, fans of CBS’s The Munsters could pass the time between episodes by listening to one of the two LPs that accompanied the spooky sitcom.

The first album, The Munsters, comprises 12 songs that, although attributed to the eponymous family, are actually performed by a male trio known as The Go Go’s (no relation to The Go-Go's), with some help from members of the Wrecking Crew. The upbeat, surf pop-inspired tracks include “Munster Creep,” “Frankenstein Had a Hot-Rod Car,” and “Vampire Vamp,” among others.

The other album, as Boing Boing reports, boasts the vocal talents of the TV cast itself. At Home With the Munsters promises “A Night with TV’s Most Unusual Family”—a bold assertion, considering that The Addams Family was also on air at the time—and it delivers exactly that. Basically, Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) addresses the listener as a neighbor, whom he proceeds to guide through a tour of the house, introducing them to all his memorable relatives along the way.

Everyone gets a chance to flaunt their singing chops. Lily (Yvonne De Carlo) warbles about how much she loves hosting house guests in “Everyone Is Welcome”; Grandpa (Al Lewis) talk-sings through an alphabet song that features “D’s for dark and dismal” and “J is for Jack the Ripper”; Eddie (Butch Patrick) illustrates his impressive sense of self-worth in “I Wish Everyone Was Born This Way”; and poor Marilyn (Pat Priest) laments being an ugly duckling (wink, wink) in “When Will I Find a Boy for Me?” Listeners are also treated to a version of the show’s theme song that has lyrics.

The album, created by Munsters composer Jack Marshall and Munsters screenwriter Bob Mosher, is pretty difficult to come by in any physical form—but Rough Trade is offering a limited-edition reissue to the first 5000 buyers this Black Friday. In the meantime, you can listen to the entire thing on YouTube.

[h/t Boing Boing]