In 1989, a rock song was written for a movie adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Thirty-seven years later, it’s still known as one of the ultimate songs for spooky season.
The song, “Pet Sematary,” was written by Dee Dee Ramone and Daniel Rey and appeared on the Ramones album Brain Drain. It was also featured in the big-screen film of the same name.
Featuring a haunting guitar riff and a catchy chorus, it was one of the more radio-friendly songs from the New York-based punk rock band, and it also received MTV airplay.
In October 2026, Collider ranked “Pet Sematary” as the top classic rock song for spooky season. Not a bad showing on a list that also includes classics such as “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult, “Season of the Witch” by Donovan, and “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon.
Turns out, King was a fan of the Ramones.
“As the legend goes, King invited the band over and handed Dee Dee a copy of his novel,” Collider noted. “Dee Dee disappeared into the basement for no longer than an hour, and when he returned, he had a complete song. ….This track encapsulates the spirit of Halloween, and its connection to Stephen King and the horror genre makes it all the more thrilling and chilling.”
The outlet added that in addition to a plethora of spooky references in the song, the “Pet Sematary” music video was filmed in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in New York.
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In his 2015 memoir Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone, Marky Ramone wrote that when the Ramones were on the road, King invited them to his mansion in Bangor, Maine. He claimed the band members were led into King’s basement, which was filled with horror memorabilia that helped inspire the soundtrack song.
“He served us a big dinner in the basement,” Marky wrote of King in his book. “But the real treat down there was all the props and memorabilia, mostly from sci-fi and horror movies.”
“It was a museum of some of the best gore ever splashed across the silver screen,” he added, per Vice. “[Dee Dee] only left for barely an hour, and when he returned, it was with the lyrics to ‘Pet Sematary.’ He had condensed the book into a concise, hooky, three-minute song. … Stephen King wanted the song, as long as it was recorded by his favorite punk band of all time.”
There’s no disputing that King was a Ramones fan. He even booked a show for the band in Bangor. But he did question the birthplace of the “Pet Sematary” song.
“We didn’t eat at my house,” King told Rolling Stone in 2014. “They never even came to the house. We ate at Miller’s Restaurant, the only fancy restaurant in Bangor. They showed up in their black leather jackets and torn jeans. Joey ordered steak tournedos. I don’t remember if we talked about Pet Sematary. I might have said something about a song. What I remember is that Marky was the only one who was articulate. The other ones really weren’t.”
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