History Main / SkeletalMusician

* OlderThanSteam: The skeletal bagpiper from [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Bernt_Notke_Danse_Macabre.jpg this]] 15th century ''[[TheDeadCanDance Totentanz]]''.

Not to be confused with underfed {{Starving Artist}}s, or with [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlClwUtAm_A "Bones Trombone."]]

* The ColumbiaCartoons short ''Skeleton Frolic'' (a remake of ''TheSkeletonDance'') features rib-cage xylophones, among other skeletal shenanigans.

* Musicians in skeleton units in ''{{Warhammer}}''.
* The ''{{Eberron}}'' NPC [[http://d20npcs.wikia.com/wiki/%22Fiddlebone%22,_skeleton_musician Fiddlebone]] plays with this trope. The skeleton was intended by its creator to be a musician, but since most skeletons in ''DungeonsAndDragons'' are mindless, the creature was an unimpressive performer.

* ''GrimFandango'' has this as BookEnds: The opening titles play over a still shot of figurines of a skeletal mariachi band, then the final scene has an actual skeleton mariachi band playing in the background.

* The horde of undead animated by the Necronomicon in ''[[Franchise/EvilDead Army Of Darkness]]'' includes some skeletal bagpipers.

* In the Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''[[{{Discworld/SoulMusic}} Soul Music]]'', [[{{TheGrimReaper}} Death]], who takes the form of a tall skeleton dressed in a cowl, plays a rockin' guitar solo with a pick made from ''[[{{Awesome/SoulMusic}} the blade of his scythe]]''. Subverted because while Death plays the guitar, he does not play music as such ([[CreativeSterility he can't]]).

* One random event in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfDragonPass'' involves a man with a troupe of skeletal musicians offering to play a concert on your tula. If there's a Humakti[[note]]holy warrior of Humakt, sworn to hunt down and destroy all undead[[/note]] on your clan ring, they will not be pleased; if you allow the concert, your Humakti will tell you "Don't talk to me unless you're here to tell me I can kill them all."

* Manolo still plays guitar after he dies and becomes a skeleton ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife''

* The demo ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd0WhebWTnk Bones]]'' on the BBCMicro.

DemBones are a varied bunch - some are mindless necromantic {{Mooks}}, some are powerful [[OurLichesAreDifferent liches]], some are snarky talking skulls, some [[TheDeadCanDance can dance]], and some are {{Skeletal Musician}}s. The skeletal musician may sing (despite the FridgeLogic involved in singing without lungs or vocal cords) or play an instrument - xylophones improvised from their own or another skeleton's [[EverythingIsAnInstrument rib cages]] are a popular choice. A group of them may serve as the backing band for TheDeadCanDance. See also EtherealChoir and GhostSong, which can both accompany this.

* This occurs three times in the {{Cartoon Network Groovies}} short "El Kabong Rides Again".

* In the {{Discworld}} novel ''[[{{Discworld/SoulMusic}} Soul Music]]'', [[{{TheGrimReaper}} Death]], who takes the form of a tall skeleton dressed in a cowl, plays a rockin' guitar solo with a pick made from ''[[{{Awesome/SoulMusic}} the blade of his scythe]]''. Subverted because while Death plays the guitar, he does not play music as such ([[CreativeSterility he can't]]).

* ''Telefrancais'' features a musical duet of skeletons called Les Squelettes as recurring characters.

* Little Tibia and the Fibias, the skeleton band from ''WesternAnimation/MadMonsterParty''.

* Little Tibia and the Fibias, the skeleton band from ''Film/MadMonsterParty''.

* In ''AdventureTime'' Marceline animates skeletons to serve as accompaniment for a performance.

* The skeletal bagpiper from [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Bernt_Notke_Danse_Macabre.jpg this]] 15th century ''[[TheDeadCanDance Totentanz]]'', which makes this trope OlderThanSteam.

* The horde of undead animated by the Necronomicon in ''{{Army Of Darkness}}'' includes some skeletal bagpipers.

* Discussed in Webcomic/{{Unwinders Tall Comics}}. Unwinder discovers that his favorite character from the ''After Dark'' book series is not a saxophone-playing skeleton as he previously thought, but instead a shapeshifter who takes the form of a skeleton. He's so disappointed with this twist that he quits reading the series.

! Examples:

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