Brita Borg (1926-2010) was a versatile Swedish performer whose career spanned fifty years. Her material was often comedic and even self-parodying. She was a variety artist, a pop star of the Fifties and, in later years, an actress in stage musicals and operettas. Horror fans will note that she appeared briefly as a dance hall singer in the 1959 Swedish giant yeti film known alternately as Terror in the Midnight Sun and Invasion of the Animal People.
Frankenstein Rock was a novelty hit released in the monster boom year of 1958. The record sleeve (courtesy LP Cover Lover) is a quick and dirty paste-up of Borg and Boris in his Bride of Frankenstein getup. The song is a basic, commercial, Bill Haley-type rock ‘n roll number.
Listen…
What a great song! Basically, the narrator of the song is singing about going to see Frankenstein with her boyfriend at the movies and how scared it makes her. ("I get cold and I get goosebumps/You'll have to hold me for hours after".) She promises her boyfriend that if he protects her from Frankenstein she'll be "very good to him." Draw your own conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI have liked this song for years, but have only heard the version by Eddie Thomas (also 1958*.)It's part of the compilation CD MONSTER BOP. (An essential disc for retro horror music devotees like myself.) The song can be heard (in part) at its Amazon listing:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/3dk3aqv
Who recorded it first?
* Source: http://tymime.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/horror-rock/
The song was written by Beverly Ross and Lee Morris, so I'm guessing it was first recorded in its original English version. Furthermore, the Borg version was released late, in December of '58.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info and the spotlight on this lesser-known version!
ReplyDeleteThe original lyrics to "Frankenstein Rock" can be found here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cod.edu/People/Faculty/pruter/Horror/frankrock.htm