The Making of Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'

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'Twas a long time ago,|longer now than it seems...

in a place that perhaps|you've seen in your dreams.

For the story that you|are about to be told...

took place|in the holiday worlds of old.

Now, you've probably wondered|where holidays come from.

If you haven't,|I'd say it's time you begun!

Boys and girls|of every age

Wouldn't you like to see|something strange

Come with us|and you will see

This our town|of Halloween

This is Halloween|This is Halloween

Pumpkins scream|in the dead of night

This is Halloween|Everybody make a scene

Trick-or-treat till the|neighbor's gonna die of fright

It's our town|Everybody scream

In this town of Halloween

I am the one hiding|under your bed

Teeth ground sharp|and eyes glowing red

I am the one hiding|under your stairs

Fingers like snakes|and spiders in my hair

This is Halloween|This is Halloween

Halloween, Halloween|Halloween, Halloween

In this town we call home

Everyone hail|to the pumpkin song

In this town|Don't we love it now

Everybody's waiting|for the next surprise

'Round that corner, man|Hiding in the trash can

- Something's waiting now|to pounce and how you'll|- Scream

- This is Halloween|- Red and black|- And slimy green

- Aren't you scared|- Well, that's just fine

Say it once, say it twice|Take a chance and roll the dice

Ride with the moon|in the dead of night

Everybody scream|Everybody scream

In our town of Halloween

I am the clown|with a tear-away face

Here in a flash|and gone without a trace

I am the who|when you call who's there

I am the wind blowing|through your hair

I am the shadow|on the moon at night

Filling your dreams|to the brim with fright

This is Halloween|This is Halloween

Halloween, Halloween|Halloween, Halloween

Tender lumplings everywhere

Life's no fun|without a good scare

- That's our job|- But we're not mean

In our town of Halloween

In this town|Don't we love it now

Everyone's waiting|for the next surprise

Skeleton Jack|might catch you in the back

And scream like a banshee|Make you jump out of your skin

This is Halloween|Everybody scream

Won't you please make way|for a very special guy

Our man Jack is king|of the pumpkin patch

Everyone hail|to the Pumpkin King now

This is Halloween|This is Halloween

Halloween, Halloween|Halloween, Halloween

In this town we call home

Everyone hail|to the pumpkin song

- La, la, la, la, la, la|- Halloween, Halloween

- La, la, la, la, la, la|- Halloween, Halloween

- La, la, la, la, la, la|- Halloween, Halloween

La, la, la, la, la, la|Whee

- It's over!|- We did it!

- Wasn't it terrifying?|- What a night!

Great Halloween, everybody.

I believe it was our most horrible yet.|Thank you, everyone.

No! Thanks to you, Jack.

Without your|brilliant leadership--

- Not at all, Mayor.|- You're such a scream, Jack.

- You're a witch's fondest dream.|- You made walls fall, Jack.

Walls fall? You made|the very mountains crack, Jack.

- The deadly nightshade|you slipped me wore off, Sally.|- Let go!

- You're not ready|for so much excitement.|- Yes, I am!

- You're coming with me!|- No, I'm not!

Come back here, you foolish--

Oh! Oh! Oh-oh-oh.

Ooh, Jack, you made|wounds ooze and flesh crawl.

Thank you. Thank you!|Thank you very much!

Hold it. We haven't given out|the prizes yet.

Our first award|goes to the vampires...

for most blood drained|in a single evening.

Our second and|honorable mention...

goes to the fabulous|Dark Lagoon leeches.

Nice work, Bone Daddy.

Yeah, I guess so.|Just like last year...

and the year before that,|and the year before that.

There are few who deny|at what I do I am the best

For my talents|are renowned far and wide

When it comes to surprises|in the moonlit night

I excel without ever even trying

With the slightest little effort

Of my ghost-like charms

I have seen grown men|give out a shriek

With a wave of my hand|and a well-placed moan

I have swept the very bravest|off their feet

Yet year after year

It's the same routine

And I grow so weary|of the sound of screams

And l, Jack|the Pumpkin King

Have grown so tired|of the same old thing

Oh, somewhere deep

Inside of these bones

An emptiness

Began to grow

There's something out there

Far from my home

A longing that

I've never known

I'm the master of fright

And a demon of light

And I'll scare you|right out of your pants

To a guy in Kentucky|I'm Mr. Unlucky

And I'm known throughout|England and France

And since I am dead|I can take off my head

To recite Shakespearean quotations

No animal nor man|can scream like I can

With the fury|of my recitations

But who here

Would ever understand

That the Pumpkin King|with the skeleton grin

Would tire of his crown|lf they only understood

He'd give it all up

If he only could

Oh, there's an empty

Place in my bones

That calls out for

Something unknown

The fame and praise

Come year after year

Does nothing for

These empty tears

Jack.

I know how you feel.

Sally!

You've come back.

- I had to.|- For this!

- Yes.|- Shall we, then?

That's twice this month|you've slipped deadly nightshade|into my tea and run off.

- Three times.|- You're mine, you know!

I made you with my own hands.

You can make other creations.

I'm restless. I can't help it.

It's a phase, my dear. It'll pass.

We need to be patient, that's all.

But I don't want to be patient.

No, Zero, not now.

I'm not in the mood.

All right.

Here you go, boy.

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