Vienna

Mozart

The Dreams Of Candlelight

Requiem (The Fifth)

I'll Keep Your Secrets

The Dark

Für Elise

After The Fall

A Last Illusion

This Is Who You Are

Beethoven

Mephistopheles' Return

Misery

Who Is This Child

A Final Dream

(Closing Poetry)

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“A Nightmare on My Street” is the third single from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s second studio album, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. The song became a crossover hit in the US, reaching #15 on the Hot 100. The song was released as a single in early 1988. The single was released on vinyl and audio cassette tape. The song humorously describes an encounter with the horror film villain Freddy Krueger and was considered for inclusion in the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, but the producers of the film decided against its inclusion.

New Line Cinema, copyright holders of the A Nightmare on Elm Street film franchise, sued DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s record label for copyright infringement, forcing the label to destroy a music video produced for the song (though a copy of the video did survive and is available online. Both sides eventually settled out of court, but as a result, vinyl pressings of the album He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper contain a disclaimer sticker that says, “[This song] is not part of the soundtrack…and is not authorized, licensed, or affiliated with the Nightmare on Elm Street films.” The song samples Charles Bernstein’s musical motif from A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The original track as included on the original LP and cassette pressings of the album He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper ran 6:09. However, the entire album could not fit onto compact discs of the time, so for the CD release, many tracks were shortened; the single version “A Nightmare on My Street” was used in place of the original. This version is not simply an edit of the original album cut, as it included different lyrics in certain sections. The version included on DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s Greatest Hits album is not the original single version. Although it is labeled “Single Edit” and runs the same length, it is simply an edited version of the original recording and does not include the different lyrics recorded for the single.

SIDE A:

A Nightmare On My Street (Extended Mix) 6:13

A Nightmare On My Street (Single Edit) 4:53

SIDE B:

A Nightmare On My Street (Instrumental) 6:13

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In 1992, the wisecracking host of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt decided to take his gruesome groove to the dance floor with “The Crypt Jam.” Voiced by John Kassir in character as the delightfully demented Crypt Keeper, the single was released on Big Screen Records and both written and produced by Chuckii Booker, the multi-talented R&B artist best known for his hits “Turned Away” and “Games.”

Booker’s production gives “The Crypt Jam” a slick early-’90s new jack swing feel—thick, punchy beats, funky synth bass, and layers of spooky samples. What could have been a mere novelty track is instead surprisingly danceable and well-crafted, thanks to Booker’s polished touch.

The Crypt Keeper’s signature cackles, graveyard puns, and horror humor are all here in full force—making it a fun, campy club track that bridges the gap between horror fandom and early ’90s dance culture.

The music video, featuring the Crypt Keeper rapping, dancing, and surrounded by creepy party guests, aired on MTV and was included on various Tales from the Crypt home video releases. It’s gloriously over-the-top: part Halloween special, part hip-hop parody, and pure early-’90s entertainment.

Though “The Crypt Jam” didn’t chart, it found an afterlife as a Halloween cult favorite. Fans of Booker’s production can easily hear his rhythmic fingerprints throughout, turning the Crypt Keeper’s macabre humor into something that could have haunted any club floor in 1992.

💀 Fun Fact:

Chuckii Booker’s involvement makes this one of the rare novelty singles tied to a TV character that actually carries legitimate R&B and dance credentials. Booker handled everything from songwriting to production, giving the track a professional polish that sets it apart from most TV tie-ins of the era.

🕸️ For this post, I created custom sleeve artwork to give this undead dance floor classic the proper cover it never had. Inspired by vintage Tales from the Crypt comic art and early-’90s horror design, it captures the ghoulish fun and funky energy of The Crypt Jam.

Even after three decades, this spooky groove proves that when it comes to beats from beyond the grave, nobody does it deader than the Crypt Keeper.

SIDE A:

Scales From The Crypt (Club Mix) 7:08

SIDE B:

The Crypt Jam (Album Version) 4:31

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