The theme from “Ghostbusters” is one of the most recognizable and enduring songs in pop culture, let alone from a movie soundtrack. Written by Ray Parker Jr., the track topped the charts on August 11th, 1984, and helped define the blockbuster film’s identity for decades. Behind the spooky groove and infectious hook lies a story of pressure, ingenuity, and sonic alchemy.
After Columbia Pictures began work on the film, they were looking for someone to write a song that would match the supernatural comedy’s mix of fun and fright. They approached several artists—including Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham—but were coming up short. Eventually, Parker Jr. received the call. The guitarist and singer had previously written hits with Chaka Khan, Barry White, and others, but writing for film was outside his wheelhouse.
“I don’t know nothing about this stuff! And by the way, I’m afraid of ghosts!” Parker explained in an interview with Vertex Effects. “I’m not the guy who’s gonna do anything to a ghost.”
Regardless, he was in a tight spot and needed to make some money. Columbia Vice President Gary LaMel gave Parker two days to submit a demo. He went straight to work.
“The Linn drum had just come out, and I pulled up the first sound I could get on the Linn drum. I plugged in my JP6 and put up the first bass sound, and a synthesizer sound,” he said in an interview with Dale Kawashima. “Gary had wanted a bar band groove, so I started playing that groove. I put the stuff together, and I cut one minute and maybe 15 seconds of it. One verse and one chorus—that’s it. It was just enough so the director (Ivan Reitman) could get what I was doing.”
After Parker figured out the musical parts, he had another nut to crack. How do you sing the word “Ghostbusters” convincingly? It was crunch time, and nothing he had tried was working. “I sounded terrible singing it,” he admitted. But a stroke of last-minute inspiration gave him a “eureka” moment.
“I’ll never forget…late at night, before I had to turn in the song. I was going to have to put something down,” he said. “Then I saw this commercial that came on TV—I think it was a commercial with insects in it. It looked like they were holding the Ghostbusters backpacks. The ad said, ‘When you’re having trouble, who do you call?’ And I thought, that looks just like the movie. So I’m going to say (in the song), ‘Who you gonna call?’ It was just like that Detroit slang, ‘Who ya gonna call?’ And I thought, that’s what the trick is. I’m not gonna sing (the words) Ghostbusters, I’m gonna [record some kids to] yell…GHOSTBUSTERS!”
And the rest is history. Parker has continued to write and perform, but “Ghostbusters” remains his biggest hit.
Get in the Halloween spirit with the feel-good groove and play along with the sheet music for “Ghostbusters”:
