Oingo Boingo’s 1985 album Dead Man’s Party is a unique experience from start to finish, capturing the eccentric nature of the band and all of their quirky provocativeness. I’ve been running a ton during 2024 (my New Year resolution is to hit a Vo2 Max over 50) and this album is a slam dunk pick for those Thursday mornings where the energy is a bit low and I need an extra kick in the pants to get going. The whole album is just a wild blend of ska, pop, new wave, punk, and big band jazz that hits just right when you’re making the turn past mile 2 and pushing to finish out that 5K strong.
What’s especially interesting about Oingo Boingo is the success their lead singer Danny Elfman had following his career with the band. He went on to be a prolific film composer, writing the soundtracks for films like Good Will Hunting, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and Men In Black.
Standout Songs: “Dead Man’s Party”, “Fool’s Paradise”, “Just Another Day”, “Weird Science”
