Mummy Recordings & Transcription

All 40 Messages Have Been Recorded Using a PC Microphone and an ION USB Turntable.
Plus All 40 Messages  Have Now Been Transcribed!
** New Transcription Edits 05-17-2017 **

There are 20, 10 second, random messages on each side of the record. Listen to the difference. There are 6 samples recorded with a microphone and the ION USB Turntable. The results are cleaned up using the Audacity Software packaged with the ION Turntable.

A Little Trivia About the Record and Player
I’m sure everyone has noticed how the messages will sometimes repeat a message on the mummy record players.  The records have (20) 10 second messages on each side.  In order for the messages to randomly start, each track is evenly spaced 1/20th the distance around the record starting from the outer edge then finishing at the center.  A standard vinyl record is one single spiral track starting on the outer edge finishing at the center.  On the mummy record, each message spirals to the center along with the Tone Arm Assembly and turns off the player with the end message tab.  The tan end message tab turns off the turntable motor by breaking the power with the end message contact tab.  You can’t get random done any better on an electromechanical vinyl record device and have each message end at the same spot to turn the player off each time.

Download All 40 Microphone Recordings  VOTM Sounds.zip
Download Side 1 ION USB Turntable Recordings  VOTM Side 1
Download Side 2 ION USB Turntable Recordings  VOTM Side 2
So, here is the Final Cut for the Mummy Voice Transcriptions! Print out the Transcription Sheet in PDF form or download it.  Use 2 sided printing with actual size and flip on short side.  Then trimmed the same size as the instruction booklet.
Side 1 “Black Water of Necron” Mic
Side 1 “Black Water of Necron” ION
Side 1 “Bottomless Pit” Mic
Side 1 “Bottomless Pit” ION
Side 1 “Canyon of Grass” Mic
Side 1 “Canyon of Grass” ION
Side  2 “Black Vampire Bat” Mic
Side 2 “Black Vampire Bat” ION
Side  2 “Bone Crushing Elephant” Mic
Side 2 “Bone Crushing Elephant” ION
Side  2 “Dismembered Head” Mic
Side 2 “Dismembered Head” ION

New Edits 05-19-2017 As I was editing the messages and adding links to hear each track, I changed Side Two Track 16.  I heard Octopedes and not Octopodes as I first thought.  This seems to be a Sci-Fi term with these definitions?  In the background you hear suction cups thinking octopus but still it could be any thing similar.

https://findwords.info/term/octoped  http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Octoped

New Edits 05-17-2017 Tuareg is finally spelled correctly, side one track 8 – the message text is adjusted for a better fit on the page, all text panels are shifted to center on each page a little better.

New Edits 11-24-2014 I was just checking the messages again and counting how many times each message came up on average.  I happened to notice that there were several typos in these messages here.  I verified them against the record one more time and they are correct.  The text messages have been corrected below and the changes are highlighted in yellow.

Side One
(1) You Have Escaped the Crushing Clutches of the One-Eyed Giant Mandrill. Take Three Jewels.
(2) “I Am the Unseen Wailer. I Will Make You Deaf!” Take a Jewel and Ignore Him.
(3) The Canyon of Grass Has Trapped Your Opponents. Take One Jewel From Each Opponent.
(4) Listen! The Great God Ra Stirs the Wind For a Sandstorm. Save Yourself! Take One Jewel.
(5) This is Kantek, Where the Spirits of the Slain Thirst For Revenge. Run! Go Up One Level.
(6) Listen to the Lost Souls Whispering in Eternal Darkness. Take One Jewel.
(7) The Knives of the Desert Bandits are Sharp, and Your Blood is Warm. Return to Your Temple.
(8) You Are at the Haunted Tower of the Thirteen Garroted Slaves. Move Up One Level.
(9) Look Out! The Unholy Snakes of Amon Reach from Below. Move Up One Level.
(10) Here Runs the River of Glass. Its Waves Are Sharp. Beware! Move Up One Level.
(11) Avoid the Paralyzing Touch of the Slimy Snails of Arro. Return At Once to Your Temple.
(12) The Screeching Green Pestilence Brings Death. Take Three Jewels if Your Age is an Odd Number.
(13) Beware of the Fierce Felines of Pharaoh. Take Three Jewels if Your Age is an Even Number.
(14) You are Being Attacked by the Fierce Tuareg. Run! Take a Jewel, or Change a Level.
(15) You are in Luck. You Have Found the Secret Passage. Take Two Jewels.
(16) Beware! The Black Waters of Necron Hunger for a Victim. Take One Jewel.
(17) Your Blood will be Drained by the Leeches of Limbo. Take One Jewel, or Change a Level.
(18) To Climb, Safely, the Crumbling Cliffs of Ka, You Must, Give One Jewel to an Opponent.
(19) Ignore the Hungry Howling of the Slimy Dog-Headed Serpent. Take Two Jewels.
(20) Stay Away from the Bottomless Pit. Watch Out! Move Up One Level.

Side Two
(1) Word from the Gods is Clear. Your Time on Earth is Limited. Move Down One Level.
(2) Beware! You are Surrounded by the Quicksands of El-Arrah. Move Down One Level.
(3) You Must Pass the Three Headed Invisible Dog, Hale, Who Guards Prince Haligo’s Palace. Go Down One level.
(4) The Siren’s Deadly Song will Make You Deaf. Get Rid of the Spell, or Change Your Level.
(5) You have Entered the Forest of Iron. Take One Jewel From Each Opponent on Your Level.
(6) You Thoughtlessly Drank from Pharaoh’s Poisoned Well. You Receive the Spell.
(7) The Hand of Destiny Reaches for Your Throat. You Receive the Spell.
(8) The Mutilated Mummy Speaks. If You are Left-Handed Only, Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change a Level.
(9) You Have Conquered the Man-Eating Monster of Manidon.  Receive One Jewel from Every Opponent on Your Level.
(10) You Fed the Starving Winged Griffins. Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change a Level.
(11) The Dismembered Head Of Oh Chants Curses.  Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change a Level.(12) Have You Tasted Blood? If Not, Give One Jewel to Any One Opponent.
(13) The Black Vampire Bat Thirsts for Your Blood.  You Receive the Spell.
(14) You Have Succeeded in Vaulting the Abyss of Thundering Fire. Take One Jewel from Any Opponent.
(15) You are Completely Surrounded by Evil. Take Another Turn, or Change a Level.
(16) Don’t Let the Giant Octopedes Grab You.  They’ll Never Let Go.  Move Quickly!  You Receive the Spell.
(17) The Mills of Doom Grind On. If You Are Right-Handed Only, Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change a Level.
(18) You are Menaced by the Sacred Bone-Crushing Elephants.  Get Rid of the Spell, or Change Your Level.
(19) You’ve Miraculously Crossed the Bridge of Sighs. Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change a Level.
(20) The Sultan of Kamir has Captured You.  As Ransom, Give One Jewel to Every Opponent on Your Level.
Thoughts and Research of the Mummy Voice Transcriptions

2-23-12  After I had recorded these tracks off the records I was going to get back and transcribe these messages and post the results.  It’s been a number of years and I never got around to it… until… Kathryn Cooper sent me an email.  She wanted to drop a book of these messages in her games box for fun.  I said – I’m in.  We emailed back and forth of what we thought we heard in these messages.  We tried to make connections and spellings researching on the web.  Then, she took it a step further and contacted Hasbro for any information about the game in their archives.  She was met with the same results I had a few years back.  Nuttin Honey.  You get the same same response – we don’t have any information… contact the board game organizations for help.  So Kathryn wrote an email to the Association of Games and Puzzle Collectorsand received a very warm response from Tony Nardo.  He passed on his transcription results from playing the game, years ago.

If anyone out there has any info about the designers of the game or any stories than might be entertaining, let me know so I can post it to share.  I can only guess at how the team came up with these messages.  They may have had restrictions to not reference anything that might be a copyright issues.  Maybe from any books or movies etc.  Most likely, these names and places are just made up from their imagination.  Who really knows…

There are a number of words that we can’t make out or don’t make any sense or we just can’t make a connection with a word or spelling of a word.  If you have the time to listen to the messages maybe you can fill in the blanks.  I’ve added edits around some of the wording to try and get the spelling correctly.  Download VOTM Side 1 and VOTM Side 2 and contact me with any notes you may have.  Using headphones to pick out the fine details to these messages. Thanks for any help and many thanks to Kathryn with getting this started again.
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6-18-2012 Great News. We have a few more ideas from another big fan of the game. Jon Muhoberac.
“I remember it was 1981 and I stumbled across VOTM in a dusty corner of a Salvation Army store. I was 7 years old. I brought it home and could not stop playing it. I played this with various friends well into high school. When I left for college I gave it to my best friend as a gift. By then it was starting to have issues with play speed and sound clarity. I think he still kept it another 10 years before finally giving it away to someone who could repair it. To this day I believe that simple game did more to drive my interest in egyptology and anthropology than anything else. It’s amazing how such a simple find at a thrift store could have such a profound impact on a boys life, and give so many years of enjoyment.”

“The dismembered head of Oh…… This line makes sense when you realize that is it the Dismembered Head of OH, not OH CHANTS. The dismembered head of OH chants curses…….. I know there was an ancient village of Oh in egypt (lower kingdom I think), but that’s the only reference I can think of. Snails of Arrow. Might be…… Avoid the paralyzing touch of the snails of HARRO, not arrow. Guessing here, but Harro is an ancient egyptian surname. It was actually used in a lot of cultures so the etiology isn’t precise, but it commonly translated into “brewer”. Common mythology had Osiris giving the gift of beer to the ancient egyptians. It shows up a fair bit in tomb hieroglyphics. Hope this helps.”
Sure it helps. Thanks Jon. I’ve edited the tracks. 2-11, I removed the comma after chants for the sentence to read the action word chants. So the Head of Oh is chanting curses at you. –what is the head really saying??– 1-14, The track was changed to Tuareg 1-14. That fits better. 1-11. Still thinking on that one.

Side 1 Track 16 Necron? A place maybe. Any ideas?
Side 1 track 16 Necron…might be NACRON or NATRON. In the mummification process there were 2 possible minerals that were used. Nacron or Natron salt. The Myrmiddon track is an ancient greek reference, not sure how that got in there.
Snails of Arro. 1-11. Still thinking on that track. I was listening to the word over again and I agree it doesn’t sound like arrow or make sense. More like alo the sounds pull together as “…snails of allo aloe or halo. I’m not picking up the “r” sound at all. hmmmm I say…
Side 2 Track 9. The Manidon I listened to many times trying to understand the spelling. Is it a place or completely misspelled?
Side 2 Track 3. This track might be just made up. Do you see any connection?Side 1 Track 5 I could not make a connection to Kantek? That was just a big guess.

05-17-2017  Finally, I spelled Tuareg correctly now.  Thanks Keith!  We have been discussing the side one, track 3 a bit.   He noticed the sounds of bells in the track and thinks brass as in Canyon of Brass.
(3) The Canyon of Grass Has Trapped Your Opponents. Take One Jewel From Each Opponent.

“canyon of brass” sounds more h rider haggard/edgar rice burroughs?   That’s a style of writing as in very adventurous?

The rest of the sentence might not make sense of getting trapped in grass.  Maybe the idea was tall grasses and you could not see through them and getting lost.  I’m not sure how brass would fit in the idea of being trapped.   But, I still don’t understand the bells in the background either.

(3) The Canyon of Grass Has Trapped Your Opponents. Take One Jewel From Each Opponent.

Here’s maybe a concept of how the message was started.   The idea about being lost in the tall grass.

In the Tall Grass
by Stephen King (Goodreads Author), Joe Hill (Goodreads Author), Stephen Lang (Narrator)
3.66  ·   Rating Details ·  9,719 Ratings  ·  966 Reviews
Mile 81 meets “N.” in this collaboration between Stephen King and his son Joe Hill.

As USA TODAY said of Stephen King’s Mile 81: Park and scream. Could there be any better place to set a horror story than an abandoned rest stop?” In the Tall Grass begins with a sister and brother who pull off to the side of the road after hearing a young boy crying for help from beyond the tall grass. Within minutes they are disoriented, in deeper than seems possible, and they lost one another. The boy’s cries are more and more desperate. What follows is a terrifying, entertaining, and masterfully told tale, as only Stephen King can deliver.
This grass type is grown in Sudan Africa.  Grows to 9ft.
https://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/cotw/Sudan_Grass.pdf

– So now I’m thinking more about it.  The bells are ringing.  Maybe a bell next to the field and you can’t tell what direction is coming from?  The bells sound distorted also.  Is it the bell sound wavering at the end?  I listened to the track on a few different records and players.  The track sounds the same way on each record.   Maybe to signify disorientation also.
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This section is what we were initially working on.  Give a look and send me some ideas.

Side One

(1) You have escaped the crushing clutches of the one-eyed giant mandrel.Take three jewels.

– This might be a monkey Mandrill. It fits better. That would be a big ugly monkey.

(2) “I am the unseen wailer. I will make you deaf!…” Take a jewel and ignore him.

(3) The canyon of grass has trapped your opponents. Take one jewel from each opponent.

(4) Listen! The great god Ra stirs the wind for a sandstorm. Save yourself! Take one jewel.

(5) This is Kantat, where the spirits of the slain thirst for revenge. Run! Go up one level.

– that seems like a musical instrument by the wiki definition. Kamchat? Kanchan? KA-chow 😉

– I played this with repeat over and over, listening to the syllables… I hear a ‘Kam’ (a short a sound as is about) and the next syllable ‘ch’ sound as in ‘chot’ or ‘chat’ and I’m getting Kham-Chat which pops up. I can’t find a meaning though… I’ve tried other possible spelling sound alike. This is a tough one.

– I clearly don’t hear the next syllable start with a ‘t’ sound

(6) Listen to the lost souls whispering in eternal darkness. Take one jewel.
(7) The knives of the desert bandits are sharp, and your blood is warm. Return to your temple.

(8) You are at the haunted tower of the thirteen garroted slaves. Move up one level.

– garroted makes sense.

(9) Look out! The unholy snakes of Aman reach from below. Move up one level.

– Amon? Amen? But Aman is a place and part of the tolkien story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aman

(10) Here runs the river of glass. Its waves are sharp. Beware! Move up one level.
(11) Avoid the paralyzing touch of the slimy snails of Arro. Return at once to your temple.

– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arro This is a place.

(12) The screeching green pestilence brings death. Take three jewels, if your age is an odd number.
(13) Beware of the fierce felines of Pharaoh. Take three jewels, if your age is an even number.
(14) You are being attacked by the fierce Toreg. Run! Take a jewel, or change a level.

– Again, I can’t find anything with Toreg. Toureg?

– We are going with Taureg
(15) You are in luck. You have found the secret passage. Take two jewels.
(16) Beware! The black waters of Necron hunger for a victim. Take one jewel.

– Necron is a place?

(17) Your blood will be drained by the leeches of Limbo. Take a jewel, or change a level.
– I don’t know if Limbo is a place or just a general reference ie. “Lost in Limbo”

(18) To climb safely the crumbling cliffs of Ka, you must give one jewel to an opponent.

– This works or maybe Kah? Kha?

(19) Ignore the hungry howling of the slimy dog-headed serpent. Take two jewels.
(20) Stay away from the bottomless pit. Watch out! Move up one level.

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Side 2

(1) Word from the Gods is Clear. Your Time on Earth is Limited. Move down one level.
(2) Beware! You are Surrounded by the Quicksands of El-Arrah. Move down one level.

– I like this it seems arabic spelling.

(3) You Have Passed the Three Headed Invisible Dog, Hale, who guards Prince Haligo’s palace. Go down one level.

– ok, a dog named Hale? Hail? Haligo’s? Hailego’s?

(4) The Siren’s Deadly Song will Make you Deaf. Get rid of the spell, or change your level.
(5) You have entered the forest of iron. Take one jewel from each opponent on your level.
(6) You thoughtlessly drank from Pharaoh’s poisoned well. You receive the spell.
(7) The hand of destiny reaches for your throat. You receive the spell.
(8) The mutilated mummy speaks. If you are left-handed only, get rid of the spell, or change your level.
(9) You have conquered the man-eating monster of Myrmidon. Receive one jewel from every opponent on your level.

– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmidons That’s a tough one… – I put this on repeat and I’m hearing Manidon

(10) You Fed the Starving Winged Griffins. Give the Spell to Any Opponent, or Change Your Level.
(11) The Dismembered Head of Oh Chants Curses. Give the Spell to any opponent, or change your level.

– We came up with this also, right? A lot of web hits about Oh Chants? Not sure of the connection though.

(12) Have you tasted blood? If not, give one jewel to any one opponent.
(13) The black vampire bat thirsts for your blood. You receive the spell.
(14) You have succeeded in crossing the abyss of thundering fire. Take one jewel from any one opponent.

– Vaulting is being heard on this one.

(15) You are completely surrounded by evil. Take another turn, or change your level.
(16) Don’t let the giant octopeds grab you. They’ll never let go. Move quickly! You receive the spell.

– I thought I heard octopus all of the years! But I clearly hear octopedes. Thanks Tony!

(17) The mills of doom grind on. If you are right-handed only, give the spell to any opponent, or change your level.
(18) You are menaced by the sacred bone-crushing elephants. Get rid of the spell, or change your level.
(19)You have miraculously crossed the bridge of sighs. Give the spell to any opponent, or change your level.

– You’ve is heard here also.

(20) The sultan of Kamir has captured you. As ransom, give one jewel to each opponent on your level- I think we used Kamir also.

(Note: way back in the day when this game was new, the folks with whom I played VotM decided that the answer to “Have you tasted blood?” in message 2-12 should always be “No” whenever we played and heard this message.)

Hope these help!

— Tony Nardo

Both Kathryn and I agree about the blood question. If it it came down to losing a precious jewel – of course you would say “yes” and keep it. That’s the point of the game – loose your jewels, steal jewels, get rid of the spell jewel to win the game!

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