How the HELL Did this Musical Genius NOT Have EVEN 1 MEASLY HIT? | Professor of Rock

Coming up next, one a scary story for ya. Our story revolves around singer-composer Danny Elfman who stayed in a haunted room where 7 people were murdered. He was told he might see their ghosts, and by the morning he had the idea for a song that would become one of the most recognizable songs of the 80s. But the thing is even though this composer has written dozens of the most recognizable songs in both radio and film, he never had a top 40 hit. In fact you could make the argument that his group Oingo Boingo the greatest band in history never to have an actual hit. Up next, the true story of the haunted room that spawned his biggest claim to fame and its aftermath.

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Moon Comix, Scratchers J Scratcherton esq, fakeaorta, Mark Thompson, skymech9

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Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you know This is Spinal Tap by heart you will love this channel. music nostalgia overload. Make sure to subscribe below to get the stories straight from the legends. Also check us out on patreon for even more content.

Today we present our Halloween special. When I think of Halloween I always think of this song. I don’t quite know why because I thought of them before this composer did Nightmare before Christmas… It’s one of my favorite bands due to it’s creator whom I consider a true experimental genius Danny Elfman, who has composed countless film & TV scores, and the mastermind behind the band Oingo Boingo, is what they call an ‘Autodidact’.

A self taught musician, with no real formal training in composition, or the recipient of a music degree, Elfman blossomed in his late teens, awakening an innate gift for classical theory and orchestration. Not only did Elfman succeed without the benefit of a scholastic education of the arts, he is one of those rare people that simply didn’t need school to excel.

Elfman was a high school dropout, who didn’t even pick-up a musical instrument until he began noodling around with a violin when he was 16. Until that point, Elfman appeared to be headed for a completely different career path. He demonstrated an aptitude for science...but not for music. In fact, young Danny was rejected from joining the elementary school orchestra, being told by the school advisors that he “had no propensity for music.”

The so called system had a different plan for Danny Elfman…

It reminded me of that scene from the movie Caddyshack, where Ty Webb, the wealthy, aloof, entrepreneur character played by Chevy Chase, shares with caddy Danny Noonan what the Career Aptitude Test he took in high school revealed to him:
Elfman’s future was set for good when he switched high schools, and started hanging out with new crowd of musicians that introduced Danny to the work of Stravinsky and his 20th century contemporaries.

It was in his late teens that he began to practice music notation, by transcribing the works of jazz legend, Duke Ellington. Danny Elfman traveled extensively in the early 70s, playing the violin in parts of Europe, before spending time in Africa to study Bambara (bahm-br-uh) percussion. He returned to America to join his older brother Richard, who assembled a musical theater troupe called Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

Richard gradually lost interest in the troupe, and wanted to focus on making films, so he turned the reigns over to Danny, and the Mystic Knights began to generate a cult following in LA.

[ProfessorofRock]

Poll; What is your pick for the most HAUNTING song of the 70s and 80s?

[jolab]

In 1986, I was a senior in high school in Orange County. KISS FM had a contest in which the winning high school would receive a private concert performance by Oingo Boingo. To win we had to send in postcards. The school with the most postcards would win. Our teachers allowed us to spend class time filling out postcards. We filled out postcards until our hands cramped. LOL In the end, we won and they played for us at the Anaheim Convention Center. They were awesome!

[atlasshrugged]

Oingo Boingo came on the radio in the car yesterday and my 12 year old daughter thought it was the coolest band name she’d ever heard. I told her a few stories about the band, and Danny Elfman, but this tops everything I said. Perfect timing Professor! Thanks as always 🤘🎸

[DC]

Elfman needs a biopic!!! That being said, Oingo Boingo in Back To School is one of the best placed band performances ever!!

[jakeoncall]

Oh boy! So many memories! I lived in Venice, California in the early seventies as a starving musician and would often see Danny Elfman around, at places like the the Post Office or the grocery store. He was a real denizen of Venice. At the time, I was working as a singing waiter at The Great American Food and Beverage Company in Santa Monica, when one night The Mystic Nights of the Oingo Boingo invaded us dressed in full street theatre gear banging on percussion instruments singing "Hipsters on Parade". They paraded through the restaurant to the delight and amazement of the patrons. What a riot! Later on, I was in a classic rock band and we got booked to play at the Lawyers and Artists Ball at the Biltmore Hotel in L.A. What a surprise it was when we discovered that we were the opening act for Oingo Boingo! Thanks for taking me back down memory lane, Professor!

[JudyGurl]

Stay. Weird Science. Only a Lad. Just Another Day. Dead Mans Party. These are all hits in my book. And Danny Elfman has a unique, incredible voice.

[Tripoutski]

You finally did Boingo! They were a staple in my high school days and even played at our school TWICE (once opened by "The Bangs, " I am sure that you know their story - God love Miles Copeland)! Elfman is a freak of nature. As bands capitalize on "remasters" to gain from re-releases, Elfman says Boingo will never do it. "There is nothing wrong with the originals."

[wpgme]

I did a deep dive on Oingo Boingo about 8 years ago and feel deeply, madly in passion with their music. They’re amazing and totally slept on. Gratitude is one of my all time top 5 songs.

[TheSlowoldman]

To those of us who grew up in the 80's Boingo and Elfman had plenty of hits.... Billboard be damned. Ironically my favorite Boingo song is the least "Boingo" song they released.... We Close Our Eyes... I LOVE THAT SONG.

[Susie_Floozie]

I was a major Oingo Boingo fan from the moment I saw a poster for their debut album ONLY A LAD in Atlanta's Wax 'n' Facts in 1981. The art caught my eye--every detail fascinated me. I bought the LP then and there, and the music wove the same spell on me and wouldn't let go. It's SO gratifying to see them get some true appreciation!

[OceanbornAngel]

Danny Elfman even composed the most recognizable Superhero theme for Batman, it still endures to this day. Not bad for a guy with no formal music training huh?

[Code.Name.V]

Speaking of the Ferryman, Happy Birthday to Chris DeBurgh!

[TheRicoRick]

I love Oingo Boingo. I discovered them in the 80's in High School. They are still a daily listen. One song or another always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Maybe it's a nostalgia thing maybe the music is just that good. Thanks for profiling them. Alot of people still don't know that Danny Elfman the great composer was the lead man to a great 80's band.

[recklessfable]

Perfect subject for the month of October!

[LazerWolf]

OK, this is crazy. This morning I’m in my work truck and I’m thinking to myself ‘When is the professor going to do a video on Oingo Boingo/Danny Elfman?’ I get home, look at YouTube and hear it is. Htf did I not see the alert?? Thank you, Professor! Just in time for Halloween 🎃

[sandijohnson]

Omg so glad Danny Elfman is being highlighted today! I tell people about him all the time -especially during Tim Burton movies. I had no idea he was on The Gong Show! I watched that show when I was little all the time. 😁♥️♥️

[flavellinator]

Agree 1000%! Boingo was massive in SoCal, selling out Irvine Meadows for multiple shows at Halloween... it was THE event to attend, more than Knott's Scary Farm...

[taivo]

I first encountered Elfman when I was blown away as "Batman" began to roll in the theater where I was on opening night. WOW

[carymoshman]

I got into them from Back to School as well. My favorite band to this day.

[cmm]

Thank you Professor! This was both educational and entertaining.