Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus
October 29, 2004 | 
19 Comments
The Artist: Bauhaus
The Song: Bela Lugosi’s Dead
The Album: Singles Volume One
Released 1994 (Originally 1979)
Bauhaus is one of the best. Legendary if you will, and perfect for halloween. What better song to kick off the holiday weekend than “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” a true classic and one of my favorite songs of all time.
Bauhaus formed in the late 70’s and are the true father’s of Goth rock, even if much of their music I wouldn’t consider “goth.” This week’s song, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”, became one of their signature tracks and help to pave the way for bands like The Cure, Sisters of Mercy and The Mission.
I’m not sure when it was originally released, but it was my first introduction to Bauhaus and I’m pretty sure the first time I heard it was during the opening of The Hunger—one of my favorite vampire flicks. Staring David Bowie, who Bauhaus later covered with their awesome version of “Ziggy Stardust.”
It’s a simple song. The basic, yet deep, bleak and powerful bass line rolling beneath Peter Murphy’s cool, emotionless chant:
White on white translucent black capes Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi’s dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box
Bela Lugosi’s dead
Undead undead undead
The virginal brides file past his tomb
Strewn with time’s dead flowers
Bereft in deathly bloom
Alone in a darkened room
The count
Bela Lugosi’s dead
Undead undead undead
A classic Halloween track. Enjoy.
Recommended if you like: The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Peter Murphy, Joy Division
Filed under: Song of The Week
Comments
1. a said:
There was just no sense of humor with those guys, was there?
Posted on October 29, 2004 08:24 AM | #
2. Justin Perkins said:
Great pick, couldn’t think of a more fitting tune for the weekend. Let’s see some Joy Division in the coming weeks ;)
Posted on October 29, 2004 09:33 AM | #
3. Peter said:
Well, perhaps Ministry’s “Every Day is Halloween” is slightly more fitting. But “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” has already come up twice this morning in Party Shuffle, so apparently iTunes agrees with you…
Posted on October 29, 2004 09:43 AM | #
4. Keith said:
Yeah, “Every day is Halloween” was a thought, and it’s a great track. Maybe next year eh?
Posted on October 29, 2004 10:15 AM | #
5. Kevin said:
Love this song. I saw them live in Philadelphia years ago and it was easily in the top three concerts of all time. Peter Murphy is/was a true rock legend, and I like wuite a bit of his solo material as well.
Anyway, this is one of their best tracks, and I still have my original 12” version from 1979.
And Bauhaus does have a sense of humor. Some of their later material is just out there, but they have been pigeonholed by this song.
Posted on October 29, 2004 11:59 AM | #
6. Jason Marble said:
Props to the greatest Vampire of all time.
Posted on October 29, 2004 12:35 PM | #
7. Ray said:
He would have been perfect in Polanski’s “The Fearless Vampire Killers”.
Posted on October 29, 2004 02:13 PM | #
8. Adrian said:
I saw them a couple of dozen times across the UK and like Kevin, still have the original 12” along with a heap of their other stuff. Murphy ws something else but I never had any time for that Ash chap, don’t know why, he always seemed such a prat on stage!
Another idea for a suitable Halloween song might be ‘Release the bats’ by the Birthday Party.
Posted on October 29, 2004 03:37 PM | #
9. Daniel Walker said:
Yes, and there’s another poor chap who’s just died… He was a GREAT chap. He must have listened to so many records, and yet, during the dismal dying months of 1979, he heard this unpromising record from an unknown rock band, that didn’t fit any established genre and (after everyone else declared it to be tuneless shit) thought to himself: “You know, that isn’t half bad! I’ll feature it on my next show!”
God bless you, John Peel, you made the world a better - if not always a brighter - place for your having passed through it: which is all that the rest of us can aspire to.
Posted on October 29, 2004 05:48 PM | #
10. Crano said:
I totally agree this song has for about 10yrs been on my Halloween playlist. There are also some FANTASTIC remakes out there. The Electric Hellfire Club did an amazing job on there remake… very sweet!
For those of you interested in hearing more of bahauas I would recomend “Crackle”. It was released on Beggars Banquet records in 1998 and it is a best of album.
Happy Halloween!
Posted on October 29, 2004 06:11 PM | #
11. Tony said:
Heeheehee…wow. I never ever though I’d see this in any of my RSS feeds. Bauhaus was one the most influential bands on my art during my highschool years(‘94-‘98). My band also covered this song all the time during practice and shows.
In regards to humor…well…dig through their collection, and humor you will find (All We Ever Wanted). Good stuff, good post Keith.
Posted on October 29, 2004 08:32 PM | #
12. Jason Santa Maria said:
Perfect perfect perfect choice.
Posted on October 29, 2004 09:55 PM | #
13. Adrian said:
Daniel, I’m with you 100%. Without John Peel, none of us would have heard of Bauhaus or indeed many of the other bands that we hold so close to our hearts. John will be sadly missed.
Posted on October 29, 2004 10:47 PM | #
14. Geoffrey said:
I saw Peter Murphy do a show in San Francisco once where he did a segway right from Bela Legosi’s Dead into Prince’s Purple Rain without missing a beat. It sounds a little odd, but it worked perfectly!
Try that on your cross-fader sometime. Happy Halloween.
Posted on October 30, 2004 09:50 AM | #
15. Allan said:
Have you seen the movie 24 Hour Party People? Not about Bauhaus, but Joy Division feature in it. Great movie.
Posted on October 31, 2004 09:25 PM | #
16. Ian Firth said:
My playlist from our party, about 9 hours of the best Halloween music.
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/images/temp/halloween/playlist.gif
If you peruse the folder it’s in, you’ll find some pictures as well.
Posted on November 1, 2004 10:29 PM | #
17. Nano said:
Hello, I just wanted so say thank you guys !
I really like your site and i hope you continue improving it.
Kind regards by Nano
Posted on November 5, 2004 03:11 PM | #
18. Jimmy said:
Other gothic halloween classics:
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dazzle
Specimen - Hex
and yeah. Release the Bats. ;)
But I would strongly disagree with Ministry playing anything like gothic. They seem more industrial metal, kinda Manson.
Posted on April 14, 2005 02:08 AM | #
19. Cynthia said:
Bauhaus is giving another tour. Indeed they are. I am currently listening to their album “Burning from the Inside”. Fields of the Nephilim are also coming out with a new album.
Posted on September 11, 2005 10:38 AM | #
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