Halloween, a night cherished by many, when it's totally normal to roam the neighborhood and ask strangers for candy. Sure, it's all about the atmosphere and what's better than adding a totally awesome Halloween playlist to your night filled with tricks 'n treats? The evening should feature a playlist of creepy tunes that will send shivers up your spine. Here's our picks for what you should play at your Halloween parties this weekend.
Donovan - “Season of the Witch”
Heading back over fifty years, Donovan released the mystifying “Season of the Witch,” off his 1966 album Sunshine Superman. A sense of paranoia runs through the psychedelic classic. While Donavon never explained what he meant by a “season of the witch,” it became one of his most well known songs of his career. With the word witch in the title, the ominous sounding song was quickly recognized as Halloween-themed tune for many years to come. On a side note, Jimmy Page provides the eerie guitar section of the track, before he became a member of this little band called…Led Zeppelin.
The Misfits - “Halloween”
“Candy apples and razor blades! / Little dead are soon in graves!” croons Glenn Danzig. Those lyrics are quite morbid, but hey, it’s Halloween after all. Apparently, these misfits remember Halloween so well since they repeat the line (“I remember Halloween…”) numerous times in the less-than-two-minute long song. The track, released on Halloween in 1981, eventually made it on the 1985 compilation album Legacy of Brutality after the band’s initial breakup.
Blue Öyster Cult - "(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”
“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” doesn’t have a creepy sound like many of the others, but if you’re going to talk about one of the most prolific characters in Halloween, we're calling you a Halloween song. Off their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune, Blue Öyster Cult's death song, is a tune that begs to be played at nighttime, ideally on all hallows eve. One of Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Best Songs of All Time,” it became a staple of horror culture ever since its release. With lines like, “Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity...We can be like they are,” you’re already getting goosebumps thinking about what in the hell these guys are suggesting. Then again, you’re not going to be a classic Halloween song if you don’t go dark and in this case, deeply twisted.
Ray Parker Jr. - “Ghostbusters”
“If there's something strange in your neighborhood, Who you gonna call?” Probably the cops, but back in 1984, you’d make a call to the Ghostbusters. Damn, the '80s are missed. Out of all the spooky songs you could possible listen to on Halloween, why not go for the gleefully ridiculous pop jam from the 1984 film, Ghostbusters? Well, we just did. Ray Parker Jr’s Academy Award nominated song, “Ghostbusters,” is one of the most distinguishable songs in movie history. Strangely enough, it’s really the only danceable Halloween song that’s not “Thriller.”
Marilyn Manson - "This Is Halloween”
Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the most memorable movies of all time and a lot of that can be contributed to its classic soundtrack. On the other end of the spectrum, hard rocker Marilyn Manson covered of the main theme in his personally dark sort of way. The ’90s shock-rocker will always be known to draw a gasp or two from fans and critics, but with his effective 2006 cover of “This is Halloween,” he’s not as frightening as he usually tends to be. How ironic.
Echo & the Bunnymen - “People are Strange”
“People are strange, when you’re a stranger.” You can say that again. And Echo & The Bunnymen did just that with their cover of the 1967 classic by The Doors. While the original tune isn’t a Halloween song by any stretch of the immigration, the UK band crafted a reimagined rendition for their third album, 1983’s Porcupine. It turned into a Halloween song after it was featured in the 1987 vampire film, The Lost Boys. With its theatrical pauses and ghostly piano chords, the song concludes up with a creepy growl making it one of the best Halloween covers there ever was. And don’t forget, these guys also crafted the track, “The Killing Moon.” Not a Halloween tune, but the title sure fits the holiday theme.
Michael Jackson - “Thriller”
The obligatory Halloween song, “Thriller” is one of the most famous songs in pop music history. Off the 1982 eponymous album, the Michael Jackson classic became a Halloween favorite due to one of the most memorable music videos of all time. “I’m not like other guys,” Michael tells his girl at the beginning of the video and he sure meant that as the video continues on with ghouls and zombies. In the disco-funk jam, sound effects such as a creaking door, thunder coming down, feet walking on wooden planks, chill winds, and the howling dogs all can be heard, while the lyrics contain terrifying themes and elements. If you’re looking for some thrills on your Halloween playlist, obviously look no further.
The Ramones - “Pet Sematary”
“I don't want to be buried in a Pet Sematary.” Yeah, I can agree to that as well. The toe-tapping track from the punk band’s 1989 album Brain Drain resurrected their declining career at the time. The song was originally written for the movie of the same title. Accompanied by a spooky music video, “Pet Sematary” surprisingly became one of the band’s most successful singles despite a poppier sound than past songs. Of all the “Halloween” songs out there, this one really feels the most authentic and connected to the precious holiday.
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - “I Put a Spell On You”
Let’s travel back sixty years to arguably one of the most original Halloween songs. “I Put A Spell On You,” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Before he took on the moniker “Screamin'" to his name, Hawkins once said, “Before, I was just a normal blues singer. I was just Jay Hawkins, (but) I found out I could do more destroying to a song by screaming it to death.” With the popularity of his hit song, Hawkins wore a long cape, and appeared onstage by rising out of a coffin in the midst of smoke and fog. The act later encouraged Hawkins come on-stage with snakes and fireworks, and a cigarette-smoking skull named “Henry”. Talk about going the distance. The 1956 song shaped rock ‘n roll at the time and while it was considered a love song, any time you hear the word spell, spooky vibes tend to follow.
My Chemical Romance - “Helena”
Okay, this one is out of left field. While not really deemed a Halloween song, MCR always had a “Halloween” aesthetic to them. That counts, right? After all, they are responsible for 2006’s The Black Parade. That album was super dark in an teenage angst sort of way. But it was 2004’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge that featured the single, “Helena.” The video featured Gerard Way (singer) as an emotional mourner at a funeral where the band is performing. Black eyeliner (we’re talking about the band here), a church, a funeral, and everyone dressed in black & red, yeah, freaky vibes come to mind. What’s scarier is this song is now older than the ages of their fans at the time of its release.
Happy Halloweekend, everyone!
