Halloween songs? YES! Unlike my co-contributor, I freaking love Halloween. It's odd, because I'm irrationally afraid of many things including natural disasters, Freddy Krueger and skiing (life's pretty cheap for that type). But, I love the supernatural, the macabre and the KitKats.
So, here's my list of top 5 songs for Halloween.
1. Thriller - Michael Jackson
No song is as synonymous with Halloween quite like Thriller. I know I mentioned that I was terrified of the video as a kid, but Vincent Price's voice still gives me the willies to this day. It's hard to imagine the audacity that Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones had to muster to make this song into a huge hit. It's about monsters on a creepy moonlit night and includes sound effects and an old man cackle. It's totally crazy and uninhibited, and that's why it works so well.
2. Monster Mash - Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers
I'm a sucker for novelty songs. I lived across the street from my elementary school, and every year, the PTA sponsored a delightful Halloween party in the gym. This song always takes me back to those parties, complete with spider rings, peeled grape eyeballs and silly dancing to the Monster Mash. From the opening chain clang to angry Dracula whining about how his Transylvania Twist was ripped off, it's everything that's fun and childish about Halloween.
3. Enter Sandman - Metallica
Speaking of not for children, this song still scares me. I never wanted to sleep when I was a kid, because I always felt like something bad was going to happen to me and I would be helpless to stop it. I mean, even bed time prayers . . . "if I die before I wake; I pray the Lord my soul to take" that's some messed up and morbid stuff for kids to say. So, when I hear lyrics like, sleep with one eye open/gripping your pillow tight . . . I get a little nervous. But, you cannot deny the near perfect guitar riff in that song. It just feels like something bad is about to happen.
4. Hotel California - The Eagles
Are they ghosts? Is it a mental hospital? WHY CAN YOU NEVER LEAVE? It's probably just about drugs, but I love this song. The lyrics are creepy and supernatural, and the guitar banter at the end is truly out of this world.
5. Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones
Boy, the B side really blew their list missing out on this one. I have to say, that beyond tornadoes, earthquakes and black diamonds, Satan terrifies me. So, I seriously appreciate the Stones' song about evil and how we're all a little bit of the devil. The tribal feel of the opening drums mixed with random cries perfectly sets up a cool and sexy representation of evil. It's damn cool, or maybe I should say hot.
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sympathy for the devil i had never considered before, i will probably add that in to my master list. hotel california i have on a different theme playlist - california songs - but it is an interesting choice for a halloween mix. it doesn't make my cut because the title doesn't fit my requirements. i have a pretty kick ass ska version of that song that i found back in the day when i obtained music from ... quasi legal sources.
ReplyDeleteenter sandman. let me tell you. this is my least favorite not-new metallica song. i think it works on the list, but i don't have it on mine in favor of 'killing time' and 'creeping death.' i would probably but 'fade to black' on the list. i should do that right now. i'll also add their version of 'am i evil?'. the opening line of that song is 'my mother was a witch, she was burned alive.' why did i not have that included before?
and you know what i should have included as required in my listing in my response to the bside is 'dead and bloated' - stp. i know the bside is a sucker for stp.
Sucker for STP? Well, maybe...
ReplyDeletedon't try to deny it.
ReplyDeleteProbably not my FAVORITE ever, but they're up there.
ReplyDelete