What is "tarantism"

Tarantism \Tar"ant*ism\, n. [It. tarantismo: cf. F. tarentisme. See Tarantula.] (Med.) A nervous affection producing melancholy, stupor, and an uncontrollable desire to dance. It was supposed to be produced by the bite of the tarantula, and considered to be incapable of cure except by protracted dancing to appropriate music. [Written also tarentism.]

n. (context obsolete medicine English) An extreme urge to dance, popularly thought to have been caused by the bite of a tarantula and prevalent in southern Italy in the 15th through 17th centuries.

n. a nervous disorder characterized by an uncontrollable impulse to dance; popularly attributed to bite of the southern European tarantula or wolf spider

Tarantism is a form of hysteric behaviour, popularly believed to result from the bite of the wolf spider Lycosa tarantula (distinct from the broad class of spiders also called tarantulas). A better candidate cause (as the bite of Lycosa tarantula is not in fact capable of producing significant ill-effects) is Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, commonly known as the Mediterranean black widow or steppe spider, although no link between such bites and the behaviour of tarantism has ever been demonstrated.
However, the term historically is used to refer to a dancing mania - characteristic of Southern Italy - which likely had little to do with spider bites.

Tarantism is the debut album by Los Angeles rock band Tito & Tarantula, released in 1997.

The album was the first full-length CD that the band ever released, after developing a fan base from performing the songs "After Dark", "Angry Cockroaches (Cucarachas Enojadas)", and "Opening Boxes" on the From Dusk Till Dawn soundtrack as well as the songs "Back to the House (That Love Built)", "Strange Face (of Love)", and "White Train" to the Desperado soundtrack, both of those films by Robert Rodriguez, who co-produced the album. Several members of the band were also featured in From Dusk Till Dawn, playing as the band in the "Titty Twister" bar, performing "After Dark" and "Angry Cockroaches (Cucarachas Enojadas)", and are well-remembered for the scene. Music videos were made for "After Dark" and "Back to the House (That Love Built)", using clips from the films mixed with footage of the band performing them.

"After Dark" and "Back to the House (That Love Built)" were co-written by rhythm guitarist/ lead vocalist Tito Larriva's former bandmates in the Cruzados. "Back to the House (That Love Built)" was written by Larriva with former bassist Tony Marsico, along with Charlie Midnight and Marsico's wife, Valerie Marsico. "After Dark" was written by Larriva and former lead guitarist Steven Hufsteter while they were still in the Cruzados. Hufsteter later joined Tito & Tarantula as a second lead guitarist in 2002, and is currently still in the band. The album also features guest appearances by Marsico and former Cruzados drummer Chalo Quintana.