"The Nightmare Before Christmas" Soundtrack Lyrics

"The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Review

Is it a Halloween musical that crash-lands into Christmas, or a Christmas fable dressed in cobwebs? Danny Elfman’s soundtrack answers: both — and joyfully so. The album moves like a storybook you can hum, leaping from ghoulish parade chants to luminous carols, then back to jazzy villainy without losing its pulse.

Elfman writes with Broadway snap and film-score scope: chorus-and-orchestra pageantry for the town anthems, intimate woodwinds for Sally’s ache, Kurt Weill–tinged swagger for Oogie Boogie, and a rhapsodic “What’s This?” that spins wonder into motion. It’s theatrical, clever, and surprisingly tender — a holiday record for people who like their bells with a little bite.

Genres & themes, in phases: macabre music-hall — civic ritual; lyrical ballad — private longing; jazz/blues showpiece — villainy as spectacle; carol pastiche — discovery and renewal; orchestral reprise — community restored.

How It Was Made

Director Henry Selick’s stop-motion world needed songs that could carry plot. Elfman delivered the score and the entire song stack — and sang Jack Skellington’s vocals (with Chris Sarandon as Jack’s speaking voice). Walt Disney Records issued the soundtrack October 12, 1993; it later returned in a 2006 special edition (with contemporary covers) and inspired the 2008 tribute album Nightmare Revisited. The original album earned a Golden Globe nomination and became a perennial holiday re-entry for new generations.

Tracks & Scenes

“This Is Halloween” (Company of Halloween Town)

Where it plays:

Cold open: the entire town parades through pumpkins, sewer grates, and shadows, introducing every spook in residence. Non-diegetic musical number that functions diegetically as their civic celebration; opening minutes.

Why it matters:

World-building in one chant. It crowns Jack as “Pumpkin King” and sets the gleefully ghoulish tone the rest of the film will complicate.

“Jack’s Lament” (Jack Skellington)

Where it plays:

After the festivities, Jack slips to the graveyard and confesses his burnout on Spiral Hill. Non-diegetic aria; early act.

Why it matters:

Hero’s yearning, gothic edition — the reason he’ll go looking for a new holiday.

“What’s This?” (Jack)

Where it plays:

Jack tumbles into Christmas Town; snow and lights ignite a breathless discovery tour. Non-diegetic showstopper; first-act midpoint.

Why it matters:

Wonder in fast motion — carol pastiche over skittering orchestra that sells the film’s premise in under three minutes.

“Town Meeting Song” (Jack & Company)

Where it plays:

Back home, Jack “pitches” Christmas to baffled monsters using Halloween metaphors. Non-diegetic ensemble scene-song.

Why it matters:

Comic mistranslation — the town can’t hear Christmas without turning it creepy.

“Jack’s Obsession” (Jack)

Where it plays:

Montage of experiments and manic note-taking: beakers, candy canes, and chalkboards. Non-diegetic; early-mid act.

Why it matters:

Motivic sprint that locks him into a plan — and a glorious mistake.

“Kidnap the Sandy Claws” (Lock, Shock & Barrel)

Where it plays:

Boogie’s trick-or-treaters lay out their schemes in gleeful counterpoint as they set off in the walking bathtub. Non-diegetic; mid-film.

Why it matters:

Dark nursery rhyme that tilts the plot: the “help” Jack hires will make trouble.

“Sally’s Song” (Sally)

Where it plays:

Alone and worried, Sally sings from her tower window about a future she fears Jack can’t see. Non-diegetic ballad; late-mid act.

Why it matters:

The film’s heartbeat — a fragile melody that tells the truth before anyone else will.

“Making Christmas” (Company)

Where it plays:

Assembly-line montage as Halloween Town manufactures “gifts” — snake-stuffed boxes, shrunken head dolls. Non-diegetic ensemble; late act.

Why it matters:

Perfectly wrong holiday cheer — thrilling music, terrible toys.

“Oogie Boogie’s Song” (Oogie Boogie)

Where it plays:

In the neon-lit lair, Oogie gambles with Santa’s fate over big-band brass and blues licks. Non-diegetic villain showcase; late act.

Why it matters:

Jazz-club menace gives the story its showbiz baddie — and raises the stakes.

“Poor Jack” (Jack)

Where it plays:

After Christmas Eve collapses into chaos, Jack crash-lands in a cemetery and recalibrates. Non-diegetic soliloquy; climax turn.

Why it matters:

Self-reckoning that pivots the finale — he’ll save Santa, then be himself.

“Finale/Reprise” (Company)

Where it plays:

Christmas restored, snow falls on Halloween Town; Jack and Sally meet on Spiral Hill. Hybrid reprise of opening/“What’s This?” themes; closing minutes.

Why it matters:

Two holidays, one community — the melodies finally agree.

Notes & Trivia

• Danny Elfman wrote the songs/score and is Jack’s singing voice; Chris Sarandon performs Jack’s dialogue; Ken Page is Oogie Boogie; Catherine O’Hara is Sally.
• The 1993 soundtrack peaked at No. 98 on the Billboard 200 and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score.
• A 2006 special edition added five contemporary covers (e.g., Marilyn Manson’s “This Is Halloween,” Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy), a precursor to the 2008 covers set Nightmare Revisited.
• “This Is Halloween” has become a seasonal chart regular — it even cracked the Hot 100 decades later.

Reception & Quotes

Critics consistently single out the music’s durability — spooky fun that doubles as real musical theater. Fans made it a ritual listen every October and December.

“‘What’s This?’ is the crown jewel — pure, breathless wonder.” Entertainment Weekly

“Elfman’s songs feel timeless — Weill one minute, carol the next.” Time (interview feature)

Availability: Walt Disney Records (1993); Special Edition (2006) with bonus covers; companion tribute Nightmare Revisited (2008). Widely available on streaming and in frequent vinyl reissues.

Interesting Facts

• Live in concert: Elfman has led annual live-to-film concerts, singing Jack opposite guest Sallys (from Billie Eilish to Phoebe Bridgers).
• Cover culture: The film’s songs have been reinterpreted by artists from Marilyn Manson and Korn to Amy Lee and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
• Two-format debate: Is it a Halloween or Christmas movie? The soundtrack neatly argues for both.
• Theme alchemy: “Finale/Reprise” braids the opening chant with “What’s This?” — musically unifying the towns.
• Vinyl evergreens: Disney keeps issuing collectible pressings (including picture discs and specialty “Zoetrope” editions).

Technical Info

• Title: The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Year: 1993 (Special Edition 2006; covers album Nightmare Revisited 2008)
• Type: Animated musical — songs & score
• Composer/Lyricist: Danny Elfman
• Label: Walt Disney Records
• Notable placements (selected): “This Is Halloween” — opening parade; “Jack’s Lament” — graveyard soliloquy; “What’s This?” — Christmas Town discovery; “Town Meeting Song” — comic briefing; “Kidnap the Sandy Claws” — trick-or-treat scheming; “Making Christmas” — gift-factory montage; “Oogie Boogie’s Song” — dungeon showstopper; “Sally’s Song” — lone confession; “Poor Jack” — self-reckoning; “Finale/Reprise” — snowy coda
• Charts & honors: Billboard 200 peak No. 98; Golden Globe nomination (Original Score)

Key Contributors

Questions & Answers

Who wrote and performed the songs?

Danny Elfman wrote the score and songs, and he’s Jack’s singing voice (Chris Sarandon speaks).

Which song plays when Jack discovers Christmas Town?

“What’s This?” — a whirl of carol pastiche and orchestral sparkle.

What’s the jazzy villain number?

“Oogie Boogie’s Song,” a neon-noir big-band showcase sung by Ken Page.

Did the soundtrack chart or win awards?

It peaked at No. 98 on the Billboard 200 and received a Golden Globe nomination for Elfman’s score.

Are there official cover versions?

Yes — a 2006 special edition added covers, and 2008’s Nightmare Revisited reimagined the score with alternative/rock artists.

Sources: Disney/Wikipedia discography pages; Billboard chart coverage; Entertainment Weekly song ranking; Time interview with Danny Elfman; Discogs release notes; MusicBrainz reissue history; Spotify album listing; official trailers.

November, 28th 2025