THE DEAD MAN’S DANCE [INTRO — MUSIC BOX, DISTANT BELLS, CREAKING DOOR] [Spoken — Deep Male, Theatrical] Come in... Don't mind the cobwebs. We've been expecting you. [Door Slams] [Whispered Choir] Midnight... midnight... [VERSE 1 — PIANO, PIZZICATO STRINGS, SWINGING BASS] At the stroke of midnight, heard a knock downstairs, A ghost in the hallway said, “Don't be scared.” There was a haunted house at the end of the lane, With a crooked little sign saying, “Dance with the insane.” I stepped through the doorway, what did I see? A skeleton band playing just for me. Ol' Bones on the piano, skull tilted back, While a witch stirred drinks for a dancing black cat. [PRE-CHORUS — BRASS ENTERS, TEMPO BUILDS] She raised up her cauldron, said, “Take you a sip!” I said, “What's in the potion?” She said— [BAND STOPS] “DON'T WORRY 'BOUT IT!” [Maniacal Laughter — BAND EXPLODES IN] [CHORUS — HUGE THEATRICAL METAL / SWING] DANCE! DANCE! DO THE DEAD MAN'S DANCE! Grab a ghost and take a chance! LEFT! RIGHT! SHAKE THOSE BONES TONIGHT! There's a party in the graveyard Under pale moonlight! STOMP! STOMP! Till the tombstones crack! Once you join the dead, There ain't no turning back! HEY! HEY! Everybody raise your hands— WELCOME TO THE DEAD MAN'S DANCE! [POST-CHORUS — HORNS / GANG VOCALS] Da-da-da-da—DANCE! Da-da-da-da—DANCE! [VERSE 2 — BOUNCING CABARET GROOVE] A vampire in a tux said, “May I have this dance?” A lady zombie smiled, “Honey, you ain't got a chance.” A werewolf hit the floor when the full moon rose, Started doing something awful— [Female Voice] “Does he KNOW how that goes?” [Male] Not even a little. [Female] “Bless his heart.” [Male] Then a bat flew by with a bow tie on, While the skeleton drummer lost his jaw mid-song. He picked it off the floor and snapped it back— [Skeleton Voice] “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!” [DRUM FILL] [CHORUS] DANCE! DANCE! DO THE DEAD MAN'S DANCE! Grab a monster, take a chance! LEFT! RIGHT! SHAKE THOSE BONES TONIGHT! There's a party in the graveyard Under pale moonlight! STOMP! STOMP! Till the tombstones crack! Once you join the dead, There ain't no turning back! HEY! HEY! Everybody raise your hands— WELCOME TO THE DEAD MAN'S DANCE! [INSTRUMENTAL — MANIC VIOLIN + BRASS → HEAVY GUITAR SOLO] [BRIDGE — WALTZ TIME, CREEPY CHOIR] [Female — Soft, Haunting] Won't you stay a little longer? [Male] Darlin', I'd love to, but I've really gotta go. [Female] But the party's just beginning... [Male] Yeah... That's what I'm afraid of. [CHOIR] Stay... Stay... Stay... [Male — Nervous] Why'd you lock the door? [Female — Sweetly] What door? [HEAVY GUITAR HIT] [BREAKDOWN — HALF-TIME METAL] The fog rolled in, The candles went black, Heard a thousand footsteps coming up from the back. The graveyard opened— [Gang] WIDE! The dead poured out— [Gang] ALIVE! [Male] If I'm going down tonight... THEN TURN THAT MUSIC UP! [DOUBLE-KICK BUILD] [FINAL CHORUS — FULL ORCHESTRA + METAL + CHOIR] DANCE! DANCE! DO THE DEAD MAN'S DANCE! Grab the dead and take a chance! LEFT! RIGHT! SHAKE THOSE BONES TONIGHT! We've got monsters in the graveyard And we're raising hell tonight! STOMP! STOMP! MAKE THE TOMBSTONES CRACK! Throw your head up laughing Till the devil laughs back! HEY! HEY! Everybody raise your hands— WELCOME TO THE DEAD MAN'S— DANCE! [FINAL INSTRUMENTAL — CHAOTIC ORCHESTRA / GUITAR / HORNS] [ABRUPT SILENCE] [Creaking Door] [Male — Quietly] So... What time does this place close? [Female — Whispering] It doesn't. [FINAL ORCHESTRAL STAB]
