Spooky Scary Skeletons

Hey Zoo Freaks, it's your lantern-lit Zoo Crew drifting in from the whispering willows of THE ZOO, where the fog curls like fingers from the grave and the full moon's got a grin full of secrets. We're rattling the bones with Andrew Gold's "Spooky Scary Skeletons" from that delightful haunt-fest Halloween Howls: Fun and Scary Music, and oh man, this one's a merry-go-round of mischief that'll have you humming through the haze long after the candles gutter out. Picture Andrew, that soft-rock sage with a twinkle in his eye, whipping it up in '96 as a love letter to his little Jewish daughters—Victoria spilling on TikTok how Dad dreamed up the whole album for their costumed capers, crooning about shrieking skulls and bone bands that "send shivers down your spine" while pleading, "We're sorry we frighten you," like misunderstood ghouls at a garden party. It snuck into Disney's '98 sing-along tape Happy Haunting, paired with Ub Iwerks' bouncy '29 short The Skeleton Dance, where those xylophone taps make the ribs rattle in sync—pure cartoon catnip that simmered till a 2010 YouTube mash-up by Dave Wave exploded it to 30 million views, birthing the "2spooky4me" meme on 4chan's /v/ board with closet-popping tales and sarcastic shivers. Fast-forward, and the Living Tombstone's EDM remix cranks it to fever pitch, though whispers say Andrew's estate yanked the copies when it outshone the original—family first, even in the afterlife. Fans on X are still summoning it this Samhain, one post crowing about Boomer's TikTok dances racking up billions, another clipping the Red Hot Chili Peppers' live romp where Flea's bass bounces like a poltergeist at prom. It's whimsical woe with a winking heart, Zoo Freaks—like a pumpkin pie laced with moonlight.

Now let's wander back to the sun-kissed studios of Hollywood where a prodigy with showbiz blood first plucked strings like spells from the air, 'cause Andrew Gold didn't just tumble into tunes—he was born humming harmonies under the shadow of Oscars and spotlights. Little Andy, whelped in '51 Burbank to composer dad Ernest—Oscar king for Exodus—and ghost-voice mom Marni Nixon, who dubbed Audrey Hepburn's trills in My Fair Lady, grew up in Laurel Canyon's magic mist, tinkling ivories by his folks' awards while the British Invasion crashed like waves on his window. At thirteen, he's scribbling songs already, dazzled by Beatles bounce and Byrds jangle, mastering guitar, bass, keys, drums—a one-man orchestra before he could drive. Ships off to UK school at sixteen, demos dazzle Polydor suits, snagging a deal for "Of All the Little Girls" with chum Charlie Villiers under their twosome tag— a '67 single that flickered but fanned the flame. Back stateside, he's jamming with high-school haunt Bryndle—Karla Bonoff, Wendy Waldman, Kenny Edwards—then fate fangs when he catches Linda Ronstadt's Stone Poneys strut, girlfriend be damned for those leg-glances. By '74, he's her secret weapon on Heart Like a Wheel, fingering that iconic guitar bridge on "You're No Good"—her lone Billboard crown—sticking through four platinum platters till '77, all while Asher produces his solo splash Andrew Gold. From canyon kid to canyon king, he wove pop's golden thread, proving melody's mightier than any family fortune.

If the skeletons are shimmying in your dreams, Zoo Freaks, shuffle over to the official Andrew Gold site for vault visions, spooky scrolls, and that fresh platinum plaque glow on Halloween Howls. Gather 'round the Facebook hearth where thousands of faithful swap liner notes and legacy lore, a digital drawing room for the devoted. No fresh Instagram or X haunts these days—Andrew's spirit lingers in the ether—but kindred souls flicker eternal on the Andrew Gold Fans group, a cozy coven of 500 brewing bootlegs and ballad whispers. Unearth gems at the AllMusic archive for disc dives that'll hook your heart, or haunt Wikipedia's winds for the full family saga. Light the taper, tap the xylophone, and let's dance with the dearly departed till the first frost falls, my twilight troubadours.