"Oogie Boogie's Song" is the main villain song from the film, The Nightmare Before Christmas sung by Oogie Boogie and his prisoner, Santa Claus. Due to time constraints, the instrumental break was cut from it in the film, while the second verse was omitted because its sequence which was to feature bugs dancing on Oogie Boogie's arm was deemed impossible and too difficult to animate after being storyboarded. But both were present on the soundtrack of the film.
A version with alternate lyrics was also used in the recent commercials for Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort since 2017, replacing the commercial where Cruella de Vil leads the villains to take over Disneyland during the Halloween season. A slightly different version appears in the Walt Disney World stage show, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.
Lyrics[]
Oogie Boogie:
Well, well, well, what have we here?
Sandy Claws, huh?
Ooh, I'm really scared!
So you're the one everybody's talkin' about?
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my eyes!
You're jokin' me, you gotta be,
This can't be the right guy!
He's ancient, he's ugly;
I don't know which is worse!
I might just split a seam now
If I don't die laughing first.
When Mr. Oogie Boogie says
There's trouble close at hand,
You'd better pay attention now
'Cause I'm the Boogie Man!
And if you aren't shakin',
There's something very wrong!
'Cause this may be the last time
You hear the Boogie Song!
Woah
Skeletons:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Skeletons:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Bats:
Woah
Oogie Boogie and Chorus:
I'm (he's) the Oogie Boogie Man!
Santa:
Release me now or you must face
The dire consequences
The children are expecting me
So please, come to your senses
Oogie Boogie:
You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my ears!
Would someone shut this fella up?
I'm drownin' in my tears!
It's funny, I'm laughing;
You really are too much.
And now, with your permission,
I'm going to do my stuff...
Santa:
What are you going to do?
Oogie Boogie:
I'm going to do the best I can.
Oh, the sound of rollin' dice
To me is music in the air
'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man
Although I don't play fair.
It's much more fun, I must confess
When lives are on the line
Not mine, of course but yours, old boy,
Now that'd be just fine.
Santa:
Release me fast or you'll have to answer for this heinous act!
Oogie Boogie:
Oh brother, you're somethin'!
You put me in a spin! You aren't comprehending
The position that you're in.
It's hopeless, you're finished
You haven't got a prayer
'Cause I'm Mr. Oogie Boogie,
And you ain't goin' nowhere!
Oogie Boogie:
Well, well, well, what have we here?
Sandy Claws, huh?
Ooh, I'm really scared!
So you're the one everybody's talkin' about?
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my eyes!
You're jokin' me, you gotta be,
This can't be the right guy!
He's ancient, he's ugly;
I don't know which is worse!
I might just split a seam now
If I don't die laughing first.
When Mr. Oogie Boogie says
There's trouble close at hand,
You'd better pay attention now
'Cause I'm the Boogie Man!
And if you aren't shakin',
There's something very wrong!
'Cause this may be the last time
You hear the Boogie Song!
Woah
Skeletons:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Skeletons:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Bats:
Woah
Oogie Boogie and Chorus:
I'm (he's) the Oogie Boogie Man!
Oogie Boogie:
Well if I'm feelin' antsy
And there's nothin' much to do,
I might just cook a special batch
Of snake and spider stew.
And don't ya know the one thing
That would make it work so nice?
A roly-poly Sandy Claws
To add a little spice.
Chorus:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Chorus:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Woah
Chorus:
Woah
Oogie Boogie:
Oh, yeah
Oogie Boogie and Chorus:
I'm (he's) the Oogie Boogie Man!
Santa:
Release me now or you must face
The dire consequences
The children are expecting me
So please, come to your senses
Oogie Boogie:
You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my ears!
Would someone shut this fella up?
I'm drownin' in my tears!
It's funny, I'm laughing;
You really are too much.
And now, with your permission,
I'm going to do my stuff...
Santa:
What are you going to do?
Oogie Boogie:
I'm going to do the best I can.
(Musical Interlude)
Oh, the sound of rollin' dice
To me is music in the air
'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man
Although I don't play fair.
It's much more fun, I must confess
When lives are on the line
Not mine, of course but yours, old boy,
Now that'd be just fine.
Santa:
Release me fast or you'll have to answer for this heinous act!
Oogie Boogie:
Oh brother, you're somethin'!
You put me in a spin! You aren't comprehending
The position that you're in.
It's hopeless, you're finished
You haven't got a prayer
'Cause I'm Mr. Oogie Boogie,
And you ain't goin' nowhere!
Well, well, well, what have we here?
A magical place
That's lookin' to get scared!
With bats and ghouls and cars in disguise
I'll cast quite a spell now
You won't believe your eyes!
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
Well, well, well, what have we here?
A magical place
That's lookin' to get scared!
There's bats, headless horsemen, and cars under disguise
I'll cast quite a spell now
You won't believe your eyes!
It's scary and it's funny
Or better at or worse!
I might just split a seam now
If I don't die laughing first
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Ooogie Boogie: Well, well, well, what have we here?
(spoken)
Winifred Sanderson: Well, I might ask the same thing of you, you - well, what are you?
Oogie Boogie: Why, I'm just little ol' Oogie Boogie, that's all. You know, the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright!
Sarah Sanderson: Winnie! Nefarious nightmares!
Winifred: Yes, yes. And what makes you so scary you overstuffed potato sack?
Oogie Boogie: My dear, I'm the stuff of your worst nightmares.
Winifred: Ha ha ha! Well, we don't have nightmares. We CAUSE nightmares!
(singing)
Oogie Boogie: You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my eyes!
You're jokin' me, you gotta be,
No matter how she tries!
She's ancient, she's ugly;
I don't know which is worse!
I might just split a seam now
If I don't die laughing first!
Winifred: Why'd he say that? He doesn't even know me!
Oogie Boogie: When Mr. Oogie Boogie says
"There's trouble close at hand,"
You'd better pay attention now
'Cause I'm the Boogie Man!
And if you aren't shakin',
There's something very wrong!
'Cause this may be the last time
You hear the Boogie Song!
Oh (Chorus: Oh)
Oh (Chorus: Oh)
Oh (Chorus: Oh, he's the Oogie Boogie man!)
Well if I'm feeling antsy
And there's no much left to do
I might just cook a special snatch
Of snake and spider stew
Mary Sanderson: Yummy!
Oogie Boogie:
And don't ya know the one thing
That would make it work so nice
A roly-poly Sandy' sis to add a little spice
Oh (Chorus: Oh)
Oh (Chorus: Oh)
Oh (Chorus: Oh, he's the Oogie Boogie man!)
You're jokin', you're jokin'!
I can't believe my ears!
Would someone shut this sister up?
I'm drownin' in my tears!
It's funny, I'm laughing;
You really are too much.
And now, with your permission,
I'm going to do my stuff...
(spoken)
Sarah: Oooo! What are you gonna do?
Oogie Boogie: I'm going to do the best I can!
(musical interlude)
Oogie Boogie:
Sisters, you're somethin'!
You put me in a spin! You aren't comprehending
The position that you're in!
It's hopeless, you're finished
You haven't got a prayer
'Cause I'm Mr. Oogie Boogie,
And you ain't goin' NOWHERE!
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The exchange between Santa and Oogie Boogie ("What're you gonna do?" / "I'm gonna do the best I can.") is lifted out of the Betty Boop cartoon The Old Man of the Mountain, where Betty asks this question and gets the same response from the titular character (played by Cab Calloway).
