The Nightmare Before Christmas Album Lyrics

---

Overture (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

Opening (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

(Patrick Stewart)

'Twas a long time ago,
longer now than it seems,
in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams.
For the story that you are about to be told
began with the holiday worlds of old.

Now, you've probably wondered where holidays come from,
if you haven't, I'd say, it's time you begun.
For the holidays are a result of much fuss and hard work,
for the worlds that create them for us.
Well, you see now, quite simply that's all that they do,
making one unique holiday especially for you.
But once a calamity ever so great occurred,
when two holidays met by mistake.

---

This is Halloween

(Danny Elfman)

SHADOW
Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?

SIAMESE SHADOW
Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween

PUMPKIN PATCH CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night

GHOSTS
This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright
It's our town, everybody scream
In this town of Halloween

CREATURE UNDER BED
I am the one hiding under your bed
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red

MAN UNDER THE STAIRS
I am the one hiding under your stairs
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair

CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween

VAMPIRES
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

MAYOR
In this town, don't we love it now?
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise

CORPSE CHORUS
Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can
Something's waiting now to pounce, and how you'll scream

HARLEQUIN DEMON, WEREWOLF, AND MELTING MAN
Scream! This is Halloween
Red 'n' black, slimy green

WEREWOLF
Aren't you scared?

WITCHES
Well, that's just fine
Say it once, say it twice
Take the chance and roll the dice
Ride with the moon in the dead of night

HANGING TREE
Everybody scream, everybody scream

HANGED MEN
In our town of Halloween

CLOWN
I am the clown with the tear-away face
Here in a flash and gone without a trace

SECOND GHOUL
I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?"
I am the wind blowing through your hair

OOGIE BOOGIE SHADOW
I am the shadow on the moon at night
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright

CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

CHILD CORPSE TRIO
Tender lumplings everywhere
Life's no fun without a good scare

PARENT CORPSES
That's our job, but we're not mean
In our town of Halloween

CORPSE CHORUS
In this town

MAYOR
Don't we love it now?

MAYOR WITH CORPSE CHORUS
Everyone's waiting for the next surprise

CORPSE CHORUS
Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back
And scream like a banshee
Make you jump out of your skin
This is Halloween, everyone scream
Won't ya please make way for a very special guy

Our man Jack is king of the pumpkin patch
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now

EVERYONE
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

CORPSE CHILD TRIO
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

EVERYONE
La la-la la, Halloween! Halloween!
La la-la la, Halloween! Halloween!
La la-la la, Halloween! Halloween!
La la-la la (La la la)

---

Jack's Lament

(Danny Elfman)

[JACK]
There are few who deny, at what I do I am the best
For my talents are rnowned far and wide
When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night
I excel without ever even trying
With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms
I have see grown men give out a shriek
With a wave of my hand and a well-placed moan
I have swept the very bravest off their feet

Yet year after year, it's the same routine
And I grow so weary of the sound of screams
And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King
Have grown so tired of the same old thing

Oh, somewhere dep inside of these bones
An emptiness began to grow
There's something out there, far from my home
A longing that I've never known

I'm a master of fright and a demon of light
And I'll scare you right out of your pants
To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky
And I'm known throughout England and France

And since I am dead, I can take off my head
To recite Shakespearean quotations
No animal nor man can scream like I can
With the fury of my recitations

But who here would ever understand
That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin
Would tire of his crown, if they only understood
He'd give it all up if he only could

Oh, there's an empty place in my bones
That calls out for something unknown
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears

---

Doctor Finklestein/In the Forest

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

What's This?

(Danny Elfman)

What's this? What's this?
There's color everywhere
What's this?
There's white things in the air
What's this?

I can't believe my eyes
I must be dreaming
Wake up, Jack, this isn't fair
What's this?

What's this? What's this?
There's something very wrong
What's this?
There are people singing songs
What's this?
The streets are lined with
Little creatures laughing
Everybody seems so happy
Have I possibly gone daffy?
What is this? What is this?

There are children throwing snowballs
Instead of throwing heads
They're busy building toys
And absolutely no one's dead

There's frost on every window
Oh, I can't believe my eyes
And in my bones I feel the warmth
That's coming from inside

Oh, look
What's this?
They're hanging mistletoe, they kiss
Why that looks so unique, inspired

They're gathering around to hear a story
Roasting chestnuts on a fire
What's this?

What's this?
In here they've got a little tree, how queer
And who would ever think
And why?

They're covering it with tiny little things
They've got electric lights on strings
And there's a smile on everyone
So, now, correct me if I'm wrong

This looks like fun
This looks like fun
Oh, could it be I got my wish?
What's this?

Oh my, what now?
The children are asleep
But look, there's nothing underneath
No ghouls, no witches here to scream and scare them
Or ensnare them, only little cozy things
Secure inside their dreamland

What's this?

The monsters are all missing
And the nightmares can't be found
And in their place there seems to be
Good feeling all around
Instead of screams, I swear
I can hear music in the air
The smell of cakes and pies
Are absolutely everywhere

The sights, the sounds
They're everywhere and all around
I've never felt so good before
This empty place inside of me is filling up
I simply cannot get enough
I want it, oh, I want it
Oh, I want it for my own
I've got to know
I've got to know
What is this place that I have found?
What is this?
Christmas Town, hmm

---

Town Meeting Song

(Cast & Danny Elfman)

[JACK]
There were object so peculiar
They were not to be believed
All around, things to tantalize my brain

It's a world unlike anything I've ever seen
And as hard as I try
I can't seem to describe
Like a most improbable dream

But you must believe when I tell you this
It's as real as my skull and it does exist
Here, let me show you

This is a thing called a present
The whole thing starts with a box

[DEVIL]
A box?
Is it steel?

[WEREWOLF]
Are there locks?

[HARLEQUIN DEMON]
Is it filled with a pox?

[DEVIL, WEREWOLF, HARLEQUIN DEMON]
A pox
How delightful, a pox

[JACK]
If you pleae
Just a box with bright-colored paper
And the whole thing's topped with a bow

[WITCHES]
A bow?
But why?
How ugly
What's in it?
What's in it?

[JACK]
That's the point of the thing, not to know

[CLOWN]
It's a bat

[CREATURE UNDER THE STAIRS]
Will it bend?

[CLOWN]
It's a rat

[CREATURE UNDER THE STAIRS]
Will it break?

[UNDERSEA GAL]
Perhaps it's the head that I found in the lake

[JACK]
Listen now, you don't understand
That's not the point of Christmas land

Now, pay attention
Now we pick up an over-sized sock
And hang it like this on the wall

[MR. HYDE]
Oh, yes! Does it still have a foot?

[MEDIUM MR. HYDE]
Let me see, let me look

[SMALL MR. HYDE]
Is it rotted and covered with gook?

[JACK]
Hmm, let me explain
There's no foot inside, but there's candy
or sometimes it's filled with small toys

[MUMMY AND WINGED DEMON]
Small toys

[WINGED DEMON]
Do they bite?

[MUMMY]
Do they snap?

[WINGED DEMON]
Or explode in a sack?

[CORPSE KID]
Or perhaps they just spring out
And scare girls and boys

[MAYOR]
What a splendid idea
This Christmas sounds fun
Why, I fully endorse it
Let's try it at once

[JACK]
Everyone, please now, not so fast
There's sometihng here that you don't quite grasp
Well, I may as well give them what they want

And the best, I must confess, I have saved for the last
For the ruler of this Christmas land
Is a fearsome King with a deep mighty voice
Least that's what I've come to understand

And I've also heard it told
That's he's something to behold
Like a lobster, huge and red
And sets out to slay with his rain gear on
Carting bulging sacks with his big great arms
That is, so I've heard it said

And on a darkm cold night
Under full moonlight
He flies into a fog
Like a vulture in the sky
And they call him Sandy Claws

Well, at least they're excited
Though they don't understand
That special lind of feeling in Christmas land
Oh, well...

---

Jack and Sally Montage

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

Jack's Obsession

(Cast & Danny Elfman)

[VAMPIRES]
Something's up with Jack
Something's up with Jack
Don't know if we're ever going to get him back

[WEREWOLF]
He's all alone up there
Locked away inside

[CORPSE MOTHER]
Never says a word

[CORPSE KID]
Hope he hasn't died

[ALL]
Something's up with Jack
Something's up with Jack

[JACK]
Christmas time is buzzing im my skull
Will it let me be? I cannot tell
There are som many things I cannot grasp
When I think I've got, and then at last
Through my bony fingers it does slip
Like a snowflake in a fiery grip

Something's here I'm not quite getting
Though I try, I keep forgetting
Like a memory long since past
Here in an instantm gone in a flash
What does it mean?
What does it mean?

In these little bric-a-brac
A secret's waiting to be cracked
These dolls and toys confuse me so
Confound it all, I love it though

Simple objects, nothing more
Bout something's hidden through a door
Though I do not have the key
Something's there I cannot see
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
Hmm...

I've read there Christmas books so many times
I k now the stories and I know the rhymes
I know the Christmas carols all by heart
My skull's so full, it's tearing me apart
As often as I've read them, something's wrong
So hard to put my bony finger on

Or perhaps it's not as deep
As I've been led to think
Am I trying much too hard?
Of course! I've been too close to see
The answer's right in front of me
Right in front of me

It's simple really, very clear
Like music drifting in the air
Invisible, but everywhere
Just because I cannot see it
Doesn't mean I can't believe it

You know, I think this Christmas thing
Is not as tricky as it seems
And why should they have all the fun?
It should belong to anyone

Not anyone, in fact, but me
Whu, I could make a Christmas tree
And there's no reason I can find
I couldn't handle Christmas time

I bet I could improve it too
And that's exactly what I'll do
Hee, hee, hee
Eureka! I've got it

[Thanks to cleopatrascats for correcting these lyrics]

---

Kidnap the Sandy Claws

(Danny Elfman)

LOCK, SHOCK, AND BARREL
Kidnap Mr. Sandy Claws

LOCK
I wanna do it

BARREL
Let's draw straws

SHOCK
Jack said we should work together
Three of a kind

LOCK, SHOCK, AND BARREL
Birds of a feather
Now and forever
Wheeee
La, la, la, la, la

Kidnap the Sandy Claws, lock him up real tight
Throw away the key and then
Turn off all the lights

SHOCK
First, we're going to set some bait
Inside a nasty trap and wait
When he comes a-sniffing we will
Snap the trap and close the gate

LOCK
Wait! I've got a better plan
To catch this big red lobster man
Let's pop him in a boiling pot
And when he's done we'll butter him up

LOCK, SHOCK, AND BARREL
Kidnap the Sandy Claws
Throw him in a box
Bury him for ninety years
Then see if he talks

SHOCK
Then Mr. Oogie Boogie Man
Can take the whole thing over then
He'll be so pleased, I do declare
That he will cook him rare

LOCK,SHOCK, AND BARREL
Wheeee

LOCK
I say that we take a cannon
Aim it at his door
And then knock three times
And when he answers
Sandy Claws will be no more

SHOCK
You're so stupid, think now
lf we blow him up to smithereens
We may lose some pieces
And then Jack will beat us black and green

LOCK,SHOCK, AND BARREL
Kidnap the Sandy Claws
Tie him in a bag
Throw him in the ocean
Then, see if he is sad

LOCK AND SHOCK
Because Mr. Oogie Boogie is the meanest guy around
If I were on his Boogie list, I'd get out of town

BARREL
He'll be so pleased by our success
That he'll reward us too, I bet

LOCK, SHOCK, AND BARREL
Perhaps he'll make his special brew
Of snake and spider stew
Ummm!

We're his little henchmen and
We take our job with pride
We do our best to please him
And stay on his good side

SHOCK
I wish my cohorts weren't so dumb

BARREL
I'm not the dumb one

LOCK
You're no fun

SHOCK
Shut up

LOCK
Make me

SHOCK
I've got something, listen now
This one is real good, you'll see
We'll send a present to his door
Upon there'll be a note to read
Now, in the box we'll wait and hide
Until his curiosity entices him to look inside

BARREL
And then we'll have him
One, two, three

LOCK, SHOCK, AND BARREL
Kidnap the Sandy Claws, beat him with a stick
Lock him up for ninety years, see what makes him tick

Kidnap the Sandy Claws, chop him into bits
Mr. Oogie Boogie is sure to get his kicks
Kidnap the Sandy Claws, see what we will see
Lock him in a cage and then, throw away the key

---

Making Christmas

(Danny Elfman)

CLOWN
This time, this time

GROUP
Making Christmas

CLOWN
Making Christmas

MAYOR
Making Christmas, making Christmas
Is so fine

GROUP
It's ours this time
And won't the children be surprised
It's ours this time

CHILD CORPSE
Making Christmas

MUMMY
Making Christmas

MUMMY AND CORPSE CHILD
Making Christmas

WITCHES
Time to give them something fun

WITCHES AND CREATURE LADY
They'll talk about for years to come

GROUP
Let's have a cheer from everyone
It's time to party

DUCK TOY
Making Christmas, making Christmas

VAMPIRES
Snakes and mice get wrapped up so nice
With spider legs and pretty bows

VAMPIRES AND WINGED DEMON
It's ours this time

CORPSE FATHER
All together, that and this

CORPSE FATHER, WOLF MAN
With all our tricks we're

CORPSE FATHER, WOLF MAN, DEVIL
Making Christmastime

WOLF MAN
Here comes Jack

JACK
I don't believe what's happening to me
My hopes, my dreams, my fantasies
Hee, hee, hee, hee

HARLEQUIN
Won't they be impressed, I am a genius
See how I transformed this old rat
Into a most delightful hat

JACK
Hmm, my compliments from me to you
On this your most intriguing hat
Consider though this substitute
A bat in place of this old rat
Huh! No, no, no, now that's all wrong
This thing will never make a present
It's been dead now for much too long
Try something fresher, something pleasant
Try again, don't give up

THREE MR. HYDES
All together, that and this
With all our tricks we're making Christmastime

(Instrumental)

GROUP
This time, this time
Making Christmas, making Christmas
La, la, la
It's almost here

GROUP AND WOLF MAN
And we can't wait

GROUP AND HARLEOUIN
So ring the bells and celebrate

GROUP
'Cause when the full moon starts to climb
We'll all sing out

JACK
It's Christmastime
Hee, hee, hee

---

Nabbed

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

Oogie Boogie's Song

(Danny Elfman)

OOGIE BOOGIE
Well, well, well, what have we here?
Sandy Claws, huh?
Oh, I'm really scared
So you're the one everybody's talkin' about, ha, ha

You're jokin', you're jokin'
I can't believe my eyes
You're jokin' me, you gotta be
This can't be the right guy
He's ancient, he's ugly
I don't know which is worse
I might just split a seam now
If I don't die laughing first

When Mr. Oogie Boogie says
There's trouble close at hand
You'd better pay attention now
'Cause I'm the Boogie Man
And if you aren't shakin'
Then there's something very wrong
'Cause this may be the last time now
That you hear the boogie song, ohhh

THREE BATS
Ohhh

OOGIE BOOGIE
Ohhh

SEVEN LIZARDS
Ohhh

OOGIE BOOGIE
Ohhh

SEVEN LIZARDS
Ohhh, he's the Oogie Boogie Man

OOGIE BOOGIE
Well if I'm feelin' antsy
And there's nothin' much to do
I might just cook a special batch
Of snake and spider stew
And don't ya know the one thing
That would make it work so nice?
A roly-poly Sandy Claws to add a little spice

THREE SKELETONS
Ohhh

OOGIE BOOGIE
Oh, yeah

THREE BATS
Ohhh

OOGIE BOOGIE
Ohhh

THREE BATS
Ohhh

OOGIE BOOGIE AND THREE SKELETONS
Oh, yeah, I'm (he's) the Oogie Boogie Man

SANTA
Release me now
Or you must face the dire consequences
The children are expecting me
So please, come to your senses

OOGIE BOOGIE
You're jokin', you're jokin'
I can't believe my ears
Would someone shut this fella up
I'm drownin' in my tears
It's funny, I'm laughing
You really are too much
And now, with your permission
I'm going to do my stuff

SANTA
What are you going to do?

OOGIE BOOGIE
I'm gonna do the best I can

(Musical interlude)

Oh, the sound of rollin' dice
To me is music in the air
'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man
Although I don't play fair

It's much more fun, I must confess
When lives are on the line
Not mine, of course, but yours, old boy
Now that'd be just fine

SANTA
Release me fast or you will have to
Answer for this heinous act

OOGIE BOOGIE
Oh, brother, you're something
You put me in a spin
You aren't comprehending
The position that you're in
It's hopeless, you're finished
You haven't got a prayer
'Cause I'm Mr. Oogie Boogie
And you ain't going nowhere

---

Sally's Song

(Catherine O'Hara)

I sense there's something in the wind
That feels like tragedy's at hand
And though I'd like to stand by him
Can't shake this feeling that I have
The worst is just around the bend

And does he notice my feelings for him?
And will he see how much he means to me?
I think it's not to be

What will become of my dear friend?
Where will his actions lead us then?
Although I'd like to join the crowd
In their enthusiastic cloud
Try as I may, it doesn't last

And will we ever end up together?
No, I think not, it's never to become
For I am not the one

---

Christmas Eve Montage

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

Poor Jack

(Danny Elfman)

What have I done?
What have I done?
How could I be so blind?
All is lost, where was I?
Spoiled all, spoiled all
Everything's gone all wrong

What have I done?
What have I done?
Find a deep cave to hide in
In a million years they'll find me
Only dust and a plaque
That reads, "Here Lies Poor Old Jack"

But I never intended all this madness, never
And nobody really understood, how could they?
That all I ever wanted was to bring them something great
Why does nothing ever turn out like it should?

Well, what the heck, I went and did my best
And, by God, I really tasted something swell
And for a moment, why, I even touched the sky
And at least I left some stories they can tell, I did

And for the first time since I don't remember when
I felt just like my aold bony self again
And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King
That's right, I am the Pumpkin King, ha, ha, ha

And I just can't wait until next Halloween
'Cause I've got some new ideas
That will really make them scream
And, by God I'm really gonna give it all my might
Uh oh, I hope there's still time to set things right
Sandy Claws, hmm

---

To The Rescue

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]

---

Finale/Reprise

(Cast & Danny Elfman)

[Group, Corspe Kid & Mayor]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Jack's OK, and he's back, OK
He's all right
Let's shout, make a fuss
Scream it out, wheee

Jack is back now, everyone sing
In our town of Halloween

[Corpse Kid] What's this?
[Mummy] What's this?
[Harlequin Demon] I haven't got a clue
[Mr. Hyde] What's this?
[Clown] Why it's completely new
[Off-Screen Voice] What's this?
[Werewolf] Must be a Christmas thing
[Off-Screen Voice] What's this?
[Mayor] It's really very strange

[Group]
This is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

What's this?
What's this?
What's this?
What's this?
What's this?
What's this?
What's this?
What's this?

[Jack]
My dearest friend, if you don't mind
I'd like to join you by your side
Where we can gaze into the stars
[Jack & Sally]
And sit together, now and forever
For it is plain as anyone can see
We're simply meant to be

---

Closing

(Danny Elfman)

And finally, everything worked out just fine.
Christmas was saved, though there wasn't much time.
But after that night, things were never the same--
Each holiday now knew the other one's name.

And though that one Christmas things got out of hand,
I'm still rather fond of that skeleton man.

So, many years later I thought I'd drop in,
And there was old Jack still looking quite thin,
With four or five skeleton children at hand
Playing strange little tunes in their xylophone band.

And I asked old Jack, "Do you remember the night
When the sky was so dark and the moon shone so bright?
When a million small children pretending to sleep
Nearly didn't have Christmas at all, so to speak?
And would, if you could, turn that mighty clock back,
To that long, fateful night. Now, think carefully, Jack.
Would you do the whole thing all over again,
Knowing what you know now, knowing what you knew then?"

And he smiled, like the old pumpkin king that I knew,
Then turned and asked softly of me, "Wouldn't you?"

---

End Title

(Danny Elfman)

[Instrumental]