Nosferatu

Album: Spectres (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a vampire and the women who he thinks he loves. "Nosferatu" is another name for a vampire. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerry - Boston, MA
  • This song is a homage to the classic 1921 German expressionist film Nosferatu, widely hailed by film scholars as one of the great masterpieces of the film genre. While the technology of the time confined it to grainy black and white images and no sound, director F. W. Murnau wrung fantastic imagery out of the process. Not only was Nosferatu a technical first for many now-standard practices in film, it was also a first for many elements of vampire fiction, such as the idea that daylight kills vampires. For this reason, it is also adored by the goth subculture, some of whole are still running around with T-shirts bearing the spine-tingling visage of Count Orlok. Even modern readers of the Twilight series owe some cultural debt to Nosferatu.
  • The lyric was written by the punk singer Helen Wheels (Helen Robbins), along with the band's bass player, Joe Bouchard, who composed the music. Helen was an early associate of the band, and one of several people who would contribute lyrics. She also worked on the band's wardrobe.
  • In the book MTV Ruled the World - The Early Years of Music Video, BOC frontman Eric Bloom tells us of their adaptation to the video age: "Some people's perspective was, 'These guys really suck... but they have a great video.' Like somebody would put too much money in a video, which could be an amazing video, and the band takes off from it, people go see them live, and they're not very good. But all of the above happened. You could have a s--tty video, but be a great band."

Comments: 4

  • Joe from Grants Pass, OrOne o' my fav bands of all times-seen 'em lots of times; from '75 on...
  • Joe from Grants Pass, OrAlan Lanier is one of the most UNDERRATED musicians of my (or any other ) time !!
  • Joe from Sacramento, Caalso one of my favorite b.o.c. songs based on a movie, joan crawford
  • Benn from Arcola, IlActually, the song is based on the 1922 German silent film, "Nosferatu". The lyrics tell the same story the movies does. Incidentally, the movie "Nosferatu" was a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, "Dracula".

    "Nosferatu" is not the only B.O.C. to be based on a movie, btw. "Vengeance (The Pact)" (from the "Fire of Unknown Origin" album) is based on the final segment of the movie "Heavy Metal". It was submitted for the film, in fact.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Country Song Titles

Country Song TitlesFact or Fiction

Country songs with titles so bizarre they can't possibly be real... or can they?

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."