Pet Sematary (Covered by The Hawkbirds)

The Hawkbirds covering the Ramones track, “Pet Sematary”

Background…

The song “Pet Sematary” was released on the Ramones’ 1989 album Brain Drain and was written for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel "Pet Sematary". It has been said that King, a longtime Ramones fan, invited the band to his home in Maine and gave them a copy of the book. Inspired by the story, Dee Dee Ramone reportedly wrote the lyrics in a basement shortly afterward. Producers Daniel Rey and Jean Beauvoir aimed to give the song a more commercial sound with arpeggios and unusual chord progressions, adding to its sinister-sounding guitar riff. Ultimately, the track became one of the band’s more successful songs, charting on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving heavy rotation on MTV. Despite its catchy, pop-leaning sound, “Pet Sematary” retained the Ramones’ punk spirit and became a fan favorite.

Lyrics…

🎶 Under the arc of a weather stain boards
Ancient goblins and warlords
Come out of the ground, not making a sound
The smell of death is all around

And the night when the cold wind blows
No one cares, nobody knows…
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again

Follow Victor to the sacred place
This ain't a dream, I can't escape
Molars and fangs, the clicking of bones
Spirits moaning among the tombstones

And the night, when the moon is bright
Someone cries, something ain't right
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again

The moon is full, the air is still
All of a sudden I feel a chill
Victor is grinning, flesh is rotting away
Skeletons dance, I curse this day

And the night when the wolves cry out
Listen close and you can hear me shout
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again
I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary
I don't want to live my life again

Oh, no, Oh, no… I don't want to live my life again. Not again
Oh, no, Oh, no… I don't want to live my life again. Not again
Oh, no-no-no… Don’t want to live my life again, Not again
Oh-oh-oh 🎶

From the shelf…

🧸 Little Brown Bear feels a bit scared when The Hawkbirds play the Ramones song Pet Sematary… The eerie tune and ghostly lyrics make his tiny heart thump faster than usual. But he knows it’s all part of the Halloween spirit. Dressed like a cat, he sits beside his girlfriend, Rose the Rabbit, who's wearing a matching costume. From their prospect on the studio shelf, the shadows seem longer, and the sound rumbles through their soft stuffing. But when they see Sunflower… their best friend, who can always be counted on for a comforting hug… they feel safe. Even though the song is spooky, her voice is strong and steady. And with Rose by his side and Sunflower leading the way, Brown Bear knows there’s nothing to fear. 🧸❤️🌻


Audio…

With all of us dressed up as pets (dogs, cats, and a rabbit) to represent the song and the story behind it, this song was recorded on October 19, 2025, in our basement studio. Played in a significantly higher key (2 full steps higher) in order to accommodate Sunflowers's voice, it was recorded on 6 separate tracks, using a Zoom H6 audio interface, which was then mastered in GarageBand:
1. Vocals (Audix OM5 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphones)
2. Lead guitar (Gibson Les Paul Studio) & amp (Marshall Valvestate 2000) w/pedal (Boss ME-80)
3. Bass guitar (Ibanez miKro) & amp (Fender Rumble 40)
4. Bass drum (Ludwig Neusonic 22” Bass Drum)
5. Toms/snare (Ludwig 13" Tom, 16" Floor Tom, and 14” Snare)
6. Cymbals (Zildjian A Custom Cymbals)
*The drums were recorded using an overhead stereo pair of sE Electronics sE8 condenser microphones, complemented by an Audix D6 cardioid dynamic microphone for the kick drum.
To ensure a precise balance and bring out the nuances of each instrument, we relied on Sennheiser HD-660S2 headphones paired with an AudioEngine DAC3 amplifier during the mastering process. Given the small size of our studio and the inherent challenge of the drums' volume, we are continually working to achieve the best possible sound. We truly appreciate all of your feedback, which plays a crucial role in refining our work. Please keep the comments coming… every suggestion helps!

The band…

The Hawkbirds Family-
👩🏼 Sunflower Hawkbird - Lead vocals and bass guitar
👩🏻‍🦰 Mom Hawkbird - Guitar and back up vocals
🧑🏻 Dad Hawkbird - Drums
🧸 Brown Bear - Audio Engineer

Thank you so much for watching our videos—we are deeply grateful for all the positivity and encouragement you've shared with us. Your support tells us there is so much good in the world. Let’s continue this journey together, spreading kindness and empathy wherever we can! We feel truly honored to know each and every one of you, and we absolutely love you all!❤️👩🏻‍🦰👩🏼🧸🧑🏻❤️