Description
The song is over nine minutes in length and was recorded "live in the studio" in a single take. David J, the band's bassist, claims on his website to have written the lyrics. The singing does not start (in the studio version) until several minutes into the track. The dub-influenced guitar sound was achieved by using partial barre chords and leaving the top E and B strings open.
The title references horror film star Béla Lugosi (1882-1956), who did much to establish the modern vampire image as the title character in the 1931 film Dracula.
Recording session
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" was recorded during a six-hour session at Beck Studios in Wellingborough on 26 January 1979. Four more songs were recorded ("Boys", "Harry", "Dark Entries" and the unreleased "Some Faces") but not used; only "Harry" surfaced in 1982 as a single B-side to "Kick In The Eye".
The song "Boys" was re-recorded at Beck Studios in spring 1979.
Use in film and television
The song was featured in the 1983 Tony Scott cult vampire film The Hunger, with Bauhaus portraying a band in a nightclub, playing it during the opening credits and introduction. A 7" promotional record featuring an edited version of the song was released to theaters playing the movie.
The song was used as the intro music for the late 1990s Saturday Night Live skit "Goth Talk", which had Chris Kattan and Molly Shannon as two goth students. This song was also in an episode in the fifth season of Smallville, the vampire/Halloween-themed "Thirst." It was also played throughout the movie The Curve, and featured in the French movie, Sombre. The song is played in the movie "Good Luck Chuck" as an introduction for when the Goth girl is on screen and it is on the soundtrack.
The song was featured in an episode ("Midnight") of the science fiction/horror series Fringe which revolved around a vampire-esque creature.
Comedian and musician Bill Bailey parodied the song on his DVD Part Troll as part of a medley in which he and his band, the Stan Ellis Experiment performed Cockney Rock style versions of popular songs - this particular segment of the medley included lyrical changes such as "E ad a girl's name" and "This means nuffing to me"
Released August 1979
Recorded 26 January 1979 at Beck Studios in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Genre Gothic rock
Length 9:36
Label Small Wonder
Bela Lugosi's Dead
Bauhaus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi's dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box
Bela Lugosi's dead
Undead, undead, undead
Undead, undead, undead
The virginal brides file past his tomb
Strewn with time's dead flowers
Bereft in deathly bloom
Alone in a darkened room
The count
Bela Lugosi's dead
Bela Lugosi's dead
Bela Lugosi's dead
Undead, undead, undead
Undead, undead, undead
Undead
Oh Bela
Bela's undead
Oh Bela
Bela's undead
Bela's undead
Oh Bela
Bela's undead
Oh Bela
Undead
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" is a song by the British post-punk band Bauhaus. Released in 1979, the song is considered one of the band's signature songs and a classic of the gothic rock genre. The song features atmospheric and evocative lyrics that paint a vivid picture of a gothic horror landscape.
The song begins with the line "white on white translucent black capes, back on the rack", which describes a eerie, ghostly image of white cloaks and blackness. The lyrics then announce that Bela Lugosi is dead, the famous actor who played the iconic role of Dracula, which sets the tone for the dark and ominous atmosphere of the song. The image of bats leaving the bell tower and victims being bled sets the scene for a gory horror story. The line "red velvet lines the black box" describes the luxurious yet sinister setting of Lugosi's funeral.
The second part of the song depicts the aftermath of Lugosi's death, with the virginal brides filing past his tomb strewn with time's dead flowers. The count is alone in a darkened room and the repetition of the line "Bela Lugosi's dead" emphasizes the finality of his passing. However, the refrain of "undead, undead, undead" suggests that Lugosi lives on in the form of his iconic character, Dracula, and is immortalized in horror pop culture.
Overall, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" is an eerie and powerful song that effectively conjures up a gothic horror world, paying tribute to one of cinema's most iconic figures.
Line by Line Meaning
White on white translucent black capes
The colorless figure hovers, draped in transparent darkness.
Back on the rack
Returned to its place of storage, out of sight.
Bela Lugosi's dead
The Hollywood vampire legend has passed away.
The bats have left the bell tower
The creatures of the night have moved on from their customary abode.
The victims have been bled
The prey has been drained of their blood by the supernatural predator.
Red velvet lines the black box
The interior of the casket is adorned with plush and cushioned comfort.
The virginal brides file past his tomb
Innocent women walk solemnly by the final resting place of the deceased.
Strewn with time's dead flowers
The site is littered with long-forgotten floral remnants of the past.
Bereft in deathly bloom
The area is emptily overcome with uneasy stillness and the shadow of death.
Alone in a darkened room
The only company present is one's solitude and the obscurity of the space.
The count
The vampire aristocrat.
Bela Lugosi's dead
The Hollywood vampire legend has passed away.
Bela Lugosi's dead
The Hollywood vampire legend has passed away.
Bela Lugosi's dead
The Hollywood vampire legend has passed away.
Undead, undead, undead
Unsurprisingly, he remains undead.
Undead, undead, undead
He will continue existing as a member of the living dead.
The virginal brides line up
The chaste women queue in succession.
Down the hallway
Through a corridor of some sort.
Eternal lives forever
The undead continue enduring eternally.
And deathless
Immortality is their destiny, deathless is their state.
They never grow old
Aging is not for the undead, they are forever young.
And they never die
Death is not their end, they simply persist.
But they're strange
Despite their perseverance, they remain bizarre creatures.
And they're never kind
The vampire's nature isn't one of sympathy or benevolence, they are cold at heart.
Oh Bela
Oh, how we remember Bela Lugosi.
Bela's undead
The legendary icon remains immortalized as a member of the undead.
Oh Bela
Oh, how we remember Bela Lugosi.
Bela's undead
The legendary icon remains immortalized as a member of the undead.
Bela's undead
The legendary icon remains immortalized as a member of the undead.
Oh Bela
Oh, how we remember Bela Lugosi.
Undead
Reminiscent of the Hollywood vampire legend, who lives on in legend due to his incredible performance as Dracula.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Gaston Ash, Kevin Michael Dompe, David John Haskins, Peter John Murphy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind