Halloween songs

This is an ongoing list. An equally outdated version is available at everything2.org

Some years ago, I deejay'd for an online radio station [wasn't really a station we just called it that] which doesn't exist any longer. On my show, I took to doing themes. Around September eleventh of one year, I played all the songs located on Clear Channel's list of questionable songs, including a half dozen or so songs by Rage Against The Machine. When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit, I played as many songs as I could find which had something to do with weather. That was fun. One October, I decided to go for the Halloween theme for a couple weeks, so I amassed the list below.

A list of this sort is an intermittent (pseudo-annual) work in progress, but this list is arguably one of the more extensive you will find on the Internet. I welcome any and all suggestions for inclusions or commentary about present inclusions. I posted this list elsewhere on the Web when I started it, but I've noticed that E2 is one of the few places that didn't either disappear off the web or remove my list after some cobwebs developed. I've decided I'm going to break this list up into two groups. The first is Artists, and the second is Songs.

The first list contains talented bands or people whose work largely falls into the macabre or the suspenseful. With obvious exceptions, almost everything these artists churn out will fit in with your own Halloween festivities. Even if a song doesn't actually have in its lyrics Halloweeny words, it will probably still help set the mood or tone for any October gathering. I created the Artists list because there's some talents who have so many great examples for Halloween it's just hard to choose which is best. The second list consists of talents who have in their repertoire one or two songs which contribute to this theme well, but the rest of their stuff may or may not be as welcome at a spooky party. The chosen song titles are those which in my not so humble opinion, no Halloween party should be without. They're the halloween songs that are unquestionably of the season. If you're with a group of people, chances are some of them have heard it before, and they'll be appreciative, and the ones who haven't heard it before will be quickly educated by those who have.

Admittedly, this list is very commercial and not at all pagan inspired, like the other node entry. This is simply a different approach to the idea of Halloween songs, and it's not intended to diminish the other list which is equally valid, or yet still other lists which others may offer in the future.

THE ARTISTS

Most anything by these artists and bands will work for Halloween. I will note a few examples, but you'd be best served by reviewing their discography|discographies..


• Alice Cooper - Two obvious examples are Welcome to My Nightmare and Teenage Frankenstein but frankly, anything that has ever passed this man's lips rings Hallow. This man personifies the holiday in a way that no one else can. If James Brown is the godfather of soul, Alice Cooper is the godfather of reap.
• Bernard Herrmann - theme from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, music for Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio broadcast and the film Citizen Kane, his work for Cape Fear, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Day The Earth Stood Still, and anything he did for Ray Harryhausen. Let's face it, this composer knew how to chill us to our bones. Repeatedly.
• Danny Elfman - motion picture soundtracks for Army of Darkness, Batman, Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Darkman, Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks!, Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, Tales From The Crypt, and others (see also Oingo Boingo). I honestly don't know if this guy can compose music that isn't deliciously dark and creepy. Even when he's being light and happy, like in the theme song to the Simpsons or his work for Pee Wee Herman movies, Elfman's got one foot in the clouds and one foot in the grave.
• David Seville - Witch Doctor is an absolute must, and to a lesser extent I recommend any random pop covers by Alvin and the Chipmunks (just not the xmas album). I recommend this with mild hesitation. You should incorporate Seville into your Halloween music in small doses only, mixed in with all this other stuff; otherwise you may start a riot.
• Elvira, Mistress of the Dark - aka Cassandra Peterson, has been since 1981 the penultimate queen of bad horror movies, bad jokes about blood, gore, cleavage, and all things that bump around at night. Though more widely known for her *ahem* visual presentations, she recorded five albums worth of comedy and music for the Rino records label. She's also done radio spots, and other random things. If you can find anything with Elvira's voice on it, you should make it a part of your personal Halloween collection.
• Mark Mothersbaugh was the lead singer for DEVO in its heyday and has since done his share of composing for film and television. Like Elfman, Mothersbaugh's work has always embraced the shadows. I would suggest Whip It for a mainstream audience. A more thorough Halloween collection might include music from the film Mystery Men, or the cartoons Rugrats, or Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue.
• Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath - definitive examples include Bark At The Moon, and Children Of The Grave, but anything by Black Sabbath when Ozzy was with them is a certainty. Anything by either Ozzy or Black Sabbath after the breakup is probably worthy of Halloween, with few exceptions.
• Tim Curry - early in his career, Mr. Curry portrayed Frankfurter for the motion picture version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Of course Sweet Transvestite belongs on this list. In the years since RHPS, Curry has built a career in film and music that is unparallelled, including three albums in the late 70s and early 80s. Although not always Halloween-oriented, Curry's unmistakable voice is welcome on any list focusing on the harvesting season. I recommend "I Do The Rock," and his cover of Bob Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate." He also did a song for the movie Ferngully called Toxic Love which is deliciously creepy. Oh, and long ago he did a strangely fun low-budget video (high quality effects for the time tho) where he actually sings about Halloween. If you can find that, you're set.

THE SONGS

• A Fire Inside - Halloween (Cover of Misfits song)
• Abney Park - The Wrong Side
• Alan Parsons Project - The Raven, Don't Let It Show, Can't Take It with You, Don't Answer Me, and possibly any of their instrumental pieces like Lucifer or Sirius.
• Alan the band - All Hallows Eve
• Alice In Chains - Them Bones
• Amber Benson - Under Your Spell
• Amy Fox - Keeping Time With The Moon
• Andrew Gold - Spooky Scary Skeletons
• Aquabats - Fashion Zombies
• Aqualung - Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)
• Armand Van Helden - Witch Doctor
• Asylum Street Spankers - The Minor Waltz
• Atlanta Rhythm Section - Spooky
• Barenaked Ladies - Grim Grinning Ghosts
• Barry Manilow - When October Goes (words by Johnny Mercer)
• Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
• Bernard Herrman - theme from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo
• Beth Hart - Blame The Moon
• Bette Midler - I Put A Spell On You (Hocus Pocus) see also Screamin' Jay Hawkins
• Bif Naked - October Song
• Big Bee Kornegay - At The House Of Frankenstein
• Bill Cosby - Chicken Heart, Ralph Jameson
• Billy Lee Riley - Flying Saucers Rock 'N' Roll
• The Blanks - Happy Halloween
• Blowtops - Teenage Zombie Blues
• Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper|Don't Fear The Reaper
• Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers - Monster Mash
• Bow Wow Wow - I Want Candy
• Bush - Mouth (An American Werewolf in Paris)
• Candy Snatchers - Halloween
• Cat Power - Werewolf
• Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down to Georgia
• Children of Bodom - Black Widow
• Christopher Walken - Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven
• Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
• Course of Empire - Freaks
• Cradle Of Filth - Vampire
• Cramps - I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon, Zombie Dance
• Cranberries - Zombie
• Cream - Strange Brew
• Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising, I Put A Spell On You (Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover)
• Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most
• Dave Matthews - Gravedigger, Halloween
• David Bowie - Mister Gravedigger, and Scary Monsters (with Nine Inch Nails)
• David Mook and Ben Raliegh - Scooby-Doo, Where are You!
• Dead Kennedys - Halloween
• Demented Are Go - Don't Go Into The Woods
• Diane Schuur - When October Goes (cover; words by Johnny Mercer, music by Barry Manilow)
• Disturbed - Fear
• Donovan - Season of the Witch
• Doors - People Are Strange, Fire
• Down - Stone The Crow
• Drowning Pool - Bodies
• Dusty Springfield - Spooky
• Dweezil Zappa - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (cover)
• Eagles - Witchy Woman
• Eden Automatic - Vampire Discotheque
• Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark - Bride of Frankenstein, Haunted House, and Monster Rap
• Eminem - Scary Movies
• Erin McKeown - Blackbirds
• Ex-Voto - Transylvania Twist
• Faith No More - Zombie Eaters
• Fastway - After Midnight, Trick Or Treat
• The Five Blobs - The Blob
• Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft
• Frank Zappa - Goblin Girl
• George Harrison - Here Comes The Moon
• Gerard McMann - Cry Little Sister (Lost Boys Soundtrack)
• Ghoultown - Fistful Of Demons
• Ginger MacKenzie - Sliver Of A Moon
• Grateful Dead - Friend of the Devil
• Gravy Train - Nightmares On Wax Mix
• Grim Reaper - See You In Hell
• Guess Who - Clap For The Wolfman
• Hap Palmer - Witches Brew
• Harry and the Potters - My Teacher is a Werewolf
• Harry Belafonte - Calipso/Day oh, and Jump In The Line (Shake Senora) (see Beetlejuice)
• Helen Reddy - Angie Baby
• Helloween - Halloween
• HIM - Dont Fear the Reaper
• Hooters - All You Zombies
• Horror Pops - Ghouls, What's Under My Bed
• House Of Krazees - Sounds of Halloween
• Inkubus Sukkubus - Dark Mother, and Samhain Pagan Halloween
• Insane Clown Posse - Every Halloween, Great Milenko, and House of Horrors
• Invasion - Bypass
• Iron Butterfly - Real Fright
• Jack Marshall and Greg Wray - Theme from The Munsters
• Jack Off Jill - Fear of Dying
• James Marsters - Rest In Peace (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
• Jane's Addiction - Sympathy For The Devil (Rolling Stones cover)
• Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child
• Joan Osborne - Spooky
• John Cale - Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley cover)
• Joy Division - Dead Souls
• Jumpin' Gene Simmons - Haunted House
• Kate Bush - Waking The Witch, Wuthering Heights
• KC and the Sunshine Band - I'm Your Boogie Man
• Ken Nordine - A Cage Went In Search Of A Bird, and Edgar Allan Poe
• Kill Lizzie - I Hear Chains (The Ballad Of Beach Ballones)
• KISS - I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night
• Kirsty MacColl - Halloween
• Kristy Kruger - Pride
• Lambert, Hendricks and Ross - Halloween Spooks
• Laura Brannigan - Creatures Of The Night
• Lazytown - Spooky Song
• Levi Stubbs - Mean Green Mother From Outer Space (Little Shop of Horrors)
• Levi Stubbs and Rick Moranis - Feed Me Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors)
• Lewis Lee - Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
• Loreena McKennitt - All Souls Night, Samhain Night The Old Ways
• Mack David and Jerry Livingston - Casper the Friendly Ghost (theme)
• Mad Sin - Body Snatchers, Mad Filthy Undead, Naughty Little Devil
• Marduk - Samhain
• Marilyn Manson - Dope Hat, I Put A Spell On You, Willy Wonka theme
• Mark Snow - X-Files Theme
• Massive Attack - Angel
• MC Hammer - Addams Groove (Addams Family Values)
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - Ghostbusters (Ray Parker Jr cover)
• Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell, Hot Summer Night
• Mel Brooks - Puttin On The Ritz (Young Frankenstein)
• Men At Work - Who Can It Be Now
• Michael Jackson - Thriller
• Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (Exorcist)
• Ministry - Everyday Is Halloween
• Misfits - Halloween, Halloween II, Night of the Living Dead, and Scream
• Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - Devil With A Blue Dress On
• My Chemical Romance - Vampires Will Never Hurt You
• Nancy Lamott - Autumn Leaves/When October Goes
• Napoleon XIV - They're Coming To Take Me Away
• Necromantix - Curse of the Coffin, Demons Are A Girls Best Friend, Haunted Cathouse, Love At First Bite, Nekrofilia
• Neil Norman - Twilight Zone theme
• Nick Cave - I Put a Spell on You (see Screamin' Jay Hawkins), Red Right Hand
• Nine Inch Nails - Sanctified, Something I Can Never Have
• New York Dolls - Frankenstein
• Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party, Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself), Weird Science (see also Danny Elfman)
• Old Man's Child - Return of the Night Creatures
• Outkast - Dracula's Wedding
• Peter Gabriel - Digging In The Dirt
• Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
• Rain Station - Trick or Treatin
• Rammstein - Mein Teil
• Ramones - Pet Semetary
• Randy Newman - If I Didn't Have You (with Billy Crystal and John Goodman)
• Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters theme
• Ray Stevens - Haunted House, Teenage Mutant Kung-Fu Chickens
• Redbone - The Witch Queen of New Orleans
• Reverend Horton Heat - Halloween Dance, The Devil Is Chasing Me
• Rick Yost - Monster Inside
• Rob Zombie - House Of 1000 Corpses, Living Dead Girl
• Rob Zombie and Ozzy Osbourne - Zombie Stomp
• Rockapella - Zombie Jamboree, You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch (cover)
• Rocky Horror Picture Show - Science Fiction Double Feature, Time Warp
• Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil
• Rose and the Arrangement - Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati
• Run DMC - Ghostbusters II Theme
• Santana - Black Magic Woman
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You, Whistlin' Past the Graveyard
• Sheb Wooley - Purple People Eater
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - Jeepers Creepers, Trick or Treat
• Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings (aka The World Is A Vampire)
• Sonic Youth - Halloween
• Specials - Ghost Town
• Spinanes - Halloween Candy
• Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell
• Steve Martin - King Tut
• Stevie Ray Vaughan - Voodoo Child
• Sting - Moon Over Bourbon Street
• Sweet - Ballroom Blitz
• Taco - Puttin On The Ritz
• Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
• Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself, She Blinded Me With Science
• Thurl Ravenscroft - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
• Tim Curry - Anything Can Happen
• Tom Lehrer - I Hold Your Hand In Mine
• Tom Waits - Murder In The Red Barn
• The Touch - The Vampire Song
• Type O Negative - Black No. 1, Creepy Green Light
• Vic Mizzy – The Addams Family Theme
• Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London
• Weird Al Yankovic - Nature Trail to Hell
• White Zombie - I'm Your Boogieman
• Whose Line Is It Anyway - Halloween Hoedown
• Zacherly - Dinner With Drac

Share and enjoy. =)