The Skeleton Dance (Walt Disney 1929)

[Intro – Whispered / Distant Organ] Tick... tick... tick... Midnight... The graveyard wakes... CRACK! One bone... Two bones... Three bones... RISE! [Verse 1] Moonlight spills across the stones, Something's rattling underneath the bones, Coffins creak and the graveyards shake, Midnight's calling—every skeleton wakes! Skull in the moonlight, grin ear to ear, Clattering footsteps getting closer near, Hands come flying from an open grave, Nobody's sleeping when the dead misbehave! [Pre-Chorus] Hear that rhythm? Hear that sound? Bones are dancing underground! Clack-clack! Click-click! Tap your feet! When the skeletons rise— You better move to the beat! [Chorus] 🎵 Dance! Dance! Dance! Till the skeletons fall apart! Clack your bones! Shake your bones! It's a dead man's party in the dark! Dance! Dance! Dance! Let the graveyard start to rock! When the midnight bell goes— DING! DING! DING! The Skeleton Dance is on the clock! [Verse 2] One old skeleton grabs his spine, Plays it like a fiddle and he's feeling fine, Another bonehead bangs a tombstone drum, Then a crooked little skeleton says— "Everybody, come!" Rib cages rattling, skulls roll around, Feet keep stomping to the underground sound, Jawbones snapping to the rhythm tonight, Four pale skeletons dancing in the moonlight! [Pre-Chorus] Left bone! Right bone! Spin around! Drop your skull— Pick it up off the ground! Arms up high! Bones down low! When the graveyard starts to swing— GO! GO! GO! [Chorus] 🎵 Dance! Dance! Dance! Till the skeletons fall apart! Clack your bones! Shake your bones! It's a dead man's party in the dark! Dance! Dance! Dance! Let the graveyard start to rock! When the midnight bell goes— DING! DING! DING! The Skeleton Dance is on the clock! [Bridge – Dark Gothic Waltz] The moon spins round... The clouds roll in... The cemetery orchestra begins... Organ... Cello... Trumpet... Bones! The dead don't need a heartbeat When they've got a rhythm like this! [Skeleton Choir] Clack! Clack! Click! Click! Rattle! Rattle! Bone! Clack! Clack! Click! Click! Nobody dances alone! [Breakdown – Spoken] Who's got the skull? ME! Who's got the spine? ME! Who's got the biggest skeleton groove? WE DO! [Instrumental Break] Manic piano • pipe organ • upright bass • bone percussion • gothic strings • brass stabs • tom-toms • distorted guitar • handclaps • sinister choir [Skeleton Dance Break] Left! CLACK! Right! CLACK! Turn! CRACK! Drop! BOOM! Pick your bones up off the floor— And dance until you can't no more! [Final Chorus – Explosive] 🎵 DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! Till the skeletons fall apart! Clack your bones! Shake your bones! It's a dead man's party in the dark! Dance! Dance! Dance! Everybody join the shock! When the midnight bell goes— DING! DING! DING! The Skeleton Dance— NEVER STOPS! [Outro – Gradually Fading] The moon goes down... The shadows fade... The skeletons crawl back into their graves... Clack... Clack... Clack... One skeleton whispers: "Same time tomorrow?" CRACK! [Maniacal laughter]