While most people will be celebrating Halloween with parties, pumpkin carving, and horror movies, I’ll be celebrating with something that has always been a part of my life and always will be – music. The right music can get you in the mood for anything, and this playlist I’ve created will put you on edge and leave you feeling spooked just for the occasion.
Two Black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood and Better Dig Two by The Band Perry
These two songs give you an ominous feeling from the music alone. To add to that, the words are full of subtle threats. The speakers in the songs don’t quite spell things out for the listener, forcing you to piece together the story. This is a very effective technique that horror movies and books use all the time. In general, the more that’s left up to the listener to conclude, the better the scare factor!
Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and Ghost Busters by Ray Parker, Jr.
These ones are just fun! What’s Halloween without a dose of childlike whimsy? Pretty much everyone has a fond memory of the playful side of Halloween – trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, beloved cartoons like Charlie Brown. Get in touch with your inner five-year-old by listening to these classics.
Witchy Woman by Eagles and Black Magic Woman by Santana
Add some classic rock to your playlist with these two songs. The smooth guitar on “Black Magic Woman” adds an air of mystery, and the lyrics fill your mind with images of witches and voodoo.
The thumping drums of “Witchy Woman” carry the song in an eerie rhythm, and the singer spins a tale that will leave you enthralled and disturbed, just like a good ghost story.
Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads and Psychotic Girl by The Black Keys
What’s more legit creepy than a serial killer speaking to you? The bass line is really spectacular in “Psycho Killer,” but the lyrics (which even change to French at some points) are the real star. Although I’ve linked to the original Talking Heads version in the heading, I’d like to also recommend this excellent cover by Cage the Elephant that I like better than the original.
The “psychotic” of Psychotic Girl is not quite as literal. The female psycho doesn’t go around killing people, but as far as casualties go, she’s had a few hearts. What puts this song into horror territory is the eerie piano part. Plus, the Irish-styled banjo (which I wouldn’t have been able to identify without the help of this Genius entry) also serves as a nice accent.
Spiderhead by Cage the Elephant and Monster by Imagine Dragons
“Spiderhead” gives you a creepy/funky vibe from the strange but wonderful combination of psychedelic guitar and lyrical gems such as “As you stand over my grave/Your porcelain lips upon my face.” You’ll want to sing along with the refrain (which prominently features the promised spiders of the title).
Meanwhile, “Monster” is a little more sobering as per Imagine Dragons’ usual style. They have an uncanny knack for making you feel simultaneously melancholy and uplifted. This song is told from the perspective of a human who feels like a monster – or a monster who has human qualities and a healthy sense of self awareness, however you want to look at it. You can imagine the poor misunderstood likes of Dracula or Frankenstein as you listen, or maybe a character from an urban fantasy who has a little trouble controlling her special powers.
These are some of my favorite songs any day of the year, but they’re even better when you listen to them around this spooky time. I even have a bit of fun by playing these on my radio show (hosted on WWEC 88.3, Elizabethtown College’s student-run radio station) closer to Halloween. Whatever you do to celebrate Halloween, I hope you have a spook-tacular night (sorry, I had to use at least one corny pun)!