Sounds of Darkness

Like many folks my age, I was introduced to Vincent Price by way of the Brady Bunch … remember that one, where they visit Hawaii? Mr. Price played a lunatic living in a cave who talked to his imaginary friend, Oliver. I was terrified of him (Price, not Oliver). My other early memories of Price are through his voice work for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, and “The Great Mouse Detective”. While he certainly is more famous as a horror film actor, his voice is legendary and unmistakably unique. I have since grown to appreciate his horror films and variety show appearances (The Muppet Show and Hollywood Squares among them).

Price recorded four spoken-word spooky story albums for Caedmon records in the 70’s.

A Coven of Witches’ Tales (1973)
The first was “A Coven of Witches’ Tales”. It features a few recipes where Price describes occult rituals such as how “To Make A Witch Pockmarked” and how “To Cause A Witch To Die”. He delivers the ingredients and methods which such a sinister and practical voice that you can’t help but believe every word.

The first story, “Old Sal’s Curse”, is a magnificent ghost / witch story. The second, “Baba Yaga”, has its roots in a Russian folk tale. Both “The Bewitched Court” and “The Stone King” sound like old fairy tales. Since the latter three stories are more fantasy than horror, Mr. Price is not sounding at his most horrifying.

A Coven of Witches’ Tales


A Graveyard of Ghost Tales (1973)
This is my favorite of the four. It features three of his recipes (some are quite spooky, as they require human parts). But it is the stories that make this album so special. “The Lavender Evening Dress” is my favorite … it spends 7 minutes introducing us to classic “vanishing hitchhiker” story and 4 minutes brilliantly telling it. It is brilliant. “Bond of Reunion”, “Harp Notes in the Mist”, and “The Tale of the White Dove” are all very good. “The Ghostly Hand of Spital House” is a 20 minute story of a robbery and a magical candle – it has elements of comedy and some terror. “The Leg of Gold” is a classic. I’ve reviewed it before, but I’m happy to report that I still love this album. Love it love it love it.

A Graveyard of Ghost Tales


Tales of Witches, Ghosts, and Goblins (1974)
Mr. Price’s 3rd album of spooky stories has more variety than the others. It still has two of his recipes (“To Raise the Dead” is a very chilling 36 seconds), a couple of poems, and several old folk tales. He picks up an accent for a couple of tracks, and it doesn’t suit him very well (am I being blasphemous?). The stories are less chilling, though “The Smoker” is fun and “The Lone Grave” is a little heartbreaking.

Tales of Witches, Ghosts, and Goblins


A Hornbook for Witches (1976)
This one has even more short poems than the previous album. Several come from Leah Bodine Drake’s “A Hornbook for Witches”, a collection of poems from 1950. Only two stories are included. “Thus I Refute Beelzy” is a short story by John Collier that is easier to read than hear. “The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall” by John Kendrick Bangs is lots of ghostly fun, and Mr. Price throws himself into the story. His water ghost, in particular, is unforgettable. Two tracks have some musical background … I cannot explain why, or if these mp3’s even belong with this record.

Many thanks to Jason at Scar Stuff, from whom I strongly suspect I originally downloaded these files. All four albums are a good listen, but Graveyard remains my favorite. Perhaps a “Vincent Price’s Greatest Hits” would be in order?

A Hornbook for Witches