The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Danny Elfman Was Destined To Sing

by

As a huge fan of cinema, especially around the holidays, I always think of The Nightmare Before Christmas as one of the very best. It’s funny how things work out though – apparently, Danny Elfman, who completely makes the character, wasn’t the first choice to sing Jack Skellington’s songs! It’s hard to imagine anyone else doing such a brilliant job.

At FanX, Elfman shared how much the character meant to him, even calling Jack Skellington one of his favorite roles. He said, “Singing Jack Skellington’s songs was definitely a highlight for me.” Elfman also wrote a lot of the music for The Nightmare Before Christmas with Burton before the movie’s script was finished.

Elfman explained that in the beginning, Burton only had a basic plan and some drawings for the film. The songs were first recorded as temporary tracks for the animators. Elfman actually sang almost all the vocal parts himself as a guide, performing all of Jack’s songs and only bringing in a different singer for “Sally’s Song.”

After that recording session, Danny Elfman and Tim Burton knew they’d found the voice for Jack Skellington. While Chris Sarandon spoke Jack’s lines and Catherine O’Hara voiced Sally, Elfman realized no one else could capture the feeling of the songs the way he did. He remembers thinking, “I’m the only one who can sing this part.”

Despite landing the role and feeling confident about his performance, Elfman worried a well-known singer might replace him at the last second. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. What started as a short-term fix during the early stages of the project ultimately became one of his most cherished roles.

The Nightmare Before Christmas can be streamed on Disney+.

Read More

2025-12-26 00:20