(not available)

Reggae Mortis

I find, it very, very scary
to be digging in a cemetery
in a cool Jamaican breeze
there’s a zombie, oh no it’s free!!!

Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis!

I let it loose from its grave
Kingston Town is no more safe
An experiment malign
With a reggae Frankenstein

Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis!

Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis! Reggae Mortis!
Reggae Mortis, he ain’t dead

Words and music by Peter Forrest

Year Written: August 1988 (Montréal, Québec CANADA)
Date Recorded: (not available)

Song Notes: This song title was created by my dad over a few beers in his kitchen in Sarnia, Ontario in August 1988.  It happened like this:

My dad and I were drinking in his kitchen listening to that UK Reggae band "Steel Pulse" while this guy was hooking up the plumbing to his dishwasher when the guy said to us, "Hey, I'm from England and you're listening to that reggae band from my home town!" We didn't know what to say. He then said, "I can't believe anyone in this town (Sarnia) would be listening to such cool music!" So, my dad laughed and offered him a beer, but he declined saying he had to finish the job, but we were now in his good books! So, afterwards, my dad and I indulged a bit more in the the spirits, and then my dad started laughing suddenly, repeating, "Rigor Mortis..."  then "Reggae Mortis" came out of his mouth.  I liked it so much I told him I would have to write a song with that title.

So, I went back to Montreal and wrote the song in a few hours back in August 1988.  I basically wanted to create world's first Reggae Frankenstein.

• This song was refurbished for the Frankenstein Files Halloween CD (2003)
   
• NYC's renaissance gothic artist Voltaire has done a fab. version of Reggae Mortis (June 2007) based on the Frankenstein Files version

Basic Guitar Chords: 

Opening: F#m, A, E, D (2x)
Verses: F#m, E, F#m, E, 
Bridge: Db (octaves), E (octaves), B (octaves) (2x)
Bridge 2: F#m, A, E, (2x)
Chorus: F#m, A, E