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Sheb Wooley- Purple People Eater
This classic novelty song reached all the way to number one on the pop charts in 1958. The origins of this song came from a joke told by the child of a friend of Wooley's. After hearing it Wooley composed this song within an hour. This 50's jewel has endured the test of time with it's silly lyrics, toy saxophone melody, and it's chipmunk vocals. People from kids to adults still recognize this hit to this day.
The Decemberists- Culling Of The Fold
Most of you probably haven't heard this twisted little pop song, but for those who have you can easily see how it can be turned into a Halloween song. This catchy little ditty was originally written for the show The Crane Wife, but not it was later not included "because it offended Jenny." The narrartor of the song tells a girl to cut up a man she doesn't even know who lives by himself and also tells a boy to murder his lover. "Bash her on the paving stones, it may break your heart to break her bones, but somebody's gotta do the culling...the culling of the fold."
Blue Oyster Cult- Don't Fear The Reaper
This 1976 rock hit made it all the way to the number 12 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 list. It has endured the test of time with it's amazing guitar riff and infamous cowbell background beat. The use of the cowbell actually became a popular Saturday Night Live parody starring Christopher Walken as a music producer who craves "more cowbell" from his band. The phrase went on to become a popular joke in SNL history. Lead singer Dharma wrote this song of eternal love and the inevitability of death while picturing an early demise for himself. This song was even featured in 1978's classic horror film Halloween.
Jace Everett- Bad Things
True Blood fans around the world probably need no introduction to this sexy swamp rock country song. Most famous for being the hit HBO series True Blood theme this, song has been nominated by The Scream Awards for "The Best Scream Song of the Year". Though it did not win this song still strikes a naughty rockabilly chord for fans of the fangtastic show. "I wanna do bad things with you. I wanna do real bad things with you."
The X-Files Theme Song
The science fiction drama television series took the world by storm in the 90's and up until 2007 had held the title for the longest running science fiction series in U.S. history. The show earned three Golden Globe Awards for Best Drama Television Series. However the eerie theme song gained much notoriety the world over. Even people who have never seen the X-Files television show can recognize it's tune. The theme even made it all the way to the number two spot on the UK Singles Charts in 1996 and managed to hold its position for three whole weeks.
Oingo Boingo- Dead Man's Party
Danny Elfman's new age band makes yet another appearance on our list for this horror themed pop number. The lyrics "I hear the chauffeur coming to my door; Says there's room for maybe just one more" is a reference to the "The Bus-Conductor," a short story involving a hearse driver by E. F. Benson. The story spawned an urban legend, with each version using the catchphrase, "Room for one more." Despite it's rather dark undertones the song itself has an upbeat party feel to it making it infectiously catchy.
Blind Guardian- Dream A Little Dream Of Me
This heavy metal cover of one of the most covered love songs in history makes our list because despite the newfound hard edge given to the melody the lead singer sings the lyrics to make it sound much more menacing then most. In fact when he sings "Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you" it sounds more like "sweet dreams till ZOMBIES find you." The darker quality of this cover makes it sounds less like a dreamy love song and more like a horror stalker song.
Alvin & The Chipmunks- Everything's Gonna Be Alright
A "spooky" duet between The Chipmunks and The Chipettes featured at the end in the animated 2000 movie Alvin & The Chipmunks Meet The Wolfman. This fun children's song captures childhood frights while at the same time soothing them with the words, "Everything's gonna be alright. Don't you be afraid when things go bump in the night." This is sure to be a favorite for the little ones this Halloween.
The Doors- People Are Strange
Released in 1967 this hypnotic classic by The Doors peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Hot 100 chart. The song is about alienation and being an outsider and the slow even lyrics give the listener an impression of being surrounded by strangers with the vulnerability of feeling depressed and alone. "People are strange when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly when you're alone. Women seem wicked when you're unwanted."
Voltaire- The Vampire Club
This fun dark cabaret tune pokes fun at the underground cosplay clubs where young people who dress up and pretend to be famous vampires in history get into a "fight" when "Pirates" enter The Vampire Club. The "fight" is started when the leader of the pirates recognizes a vampire from his school and reveals his real name to everyone in the club. Voltaire even took it a step further and made a "Twilight" version of the song where the werewolves take the place of the pirates and get into a fight with the Cullen family while legendary vampires such as Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee wonder who let them in The Vampire Club. "Christopher Lee orders a blood and says "You better not sparkle in my vampire club!"
Rob Zombie- Living Dead Girl
Another hit single from Rob Zombie this song features several horror referances. The opening line, "Who is this irresistible creature who has an insatiable love for the dead?" is from the trailer of the film, Lady Frankenstein. The music in the beginning of the song is taken from the trailer of the original Last House On The Left. The spoken words "What are you thinking about?/The same thing you are" at the beginning of the verses is taken from the 1971 film Daughters Of Darkness. There are a few other hidden references in the lyrics as well. Chucky fans probably recognize this as the title song that plays when Tiffany appears in Bride Of Chucky.
Kid Cudi- No One Believes Me
Much different from his usual song style this track was made and released for the 2011 remake of the 1985 vampire movie Fright Night. The song embodies the feeling of knowing when something wrong is going on and yet having no one believe you. The video for the song has Cudi himself walking the streets only to see various horror scenes casually unfolding before his eyes. It is finally revealed that he himself is a vampire and tired of the wrongness around him he walks out into the sunlight and burns up into a nasty crisp. The song's overall eerieness and horror relatability earn it's way on my Halloween list.
AllSTARS- Things That Go Bump In The Night
This 2001 British pop hit was released for the Scooby Doo 3D animated film starring Freddie Prince Jr, Sarah Michelle Geller, and Matthew Lillard. The song reached number 12 on the British Charts and was one of four of the band's hits to make it to the Top 20 Singles in only a year. Despite it's pop beats the lyrics of the song turn to the more spookier side of things. "You cannot run and you cannot hide. Yeah you gotta face it baby things go bump, bump, bump in the night."
Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs
Originally sung by Johnny Fuller, then became popular when covered by Jumpin Gene Simmons. While equally great this version happens to be my person favorite. This mock horror novelty song is about a man who moves into a new house only to find out it's haunted by a ghost. The narrarator refuses to be scared away from the ghost who only tries harder to drive him away.
The Twilight Zone Theme
Everybody has probably heard this opening theme once in their life even if you haven't seen the show I'm sure you've heard of it. This infamous science fiction anthology has managed to last throughout the ages and decades after it's original ending has been turned into movies, comics, spin-off series, and even revival series. It holds a special place in my heart as well.
David Seville- Witch Doctor
Okay so technically not a Halloween song at all, but for those of you with children this can be considered as good as one considering it's title. Kids probably wont know the difference. This song was originally released in 1958 where it peaked at number one on The Billboard Hot 100. The single was considered a major surprise hit on the chart, where it stayed at number one for two weeks and became Seville's first number-one single. The single also peaked at number one on the R&B Singles Chart. The single sold over one million copies in the United States alone.
Stevie Wonder- Superstition
The ever talented Stevie Wonder wrote, produced, and arranged this song in 1972 when he was only 22 years old. It reached number on in the U.S. and even went on to be number 74 on Rolling Stones's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time list. The song deals with superstitions and even mentions several popular superstitious fables in its lyrics. Most people can pick out this funky tune immediately because of its opening drum beat and iconic bass synthesizer.
Oingo Boingo- No One Lives Forever
Yet again Oingo Boingo makes my list. Ths one makes it for its upbeat catchy rythmn and of course its lyrics about living life up while you can and of course temporarily cheating death. This song was also used in Texas Chainsaw Masacre 2 (the newer version). The lyrics alone should show you why this makes a fantastic Halloween party song. "Let's have a party there's a full moon in the sky. It's the hour of the wolf and I don't want to die. I'm so happy dancing while the grim reaper cuts, cuts, cuts, but he can't get me. I'm as clever as can be, and I'm very quick, but don't forget no one lives forever!"
White Zombie- I'm Your Boogie Man
Originally performed by K.C. & The Sunshine Band bak in 1976. This song is about the boogieman that hides in your closet, but the original was just a bit too disco for me. Instead I prefer White Zombie's heavy metal infused disco cover. this song was recorded for the film The Crow: City Of Angels soundtrack. The audio samples in the song where children are heard saying, "He's gonna get you! The Boogieman is coming!" are taken from the 1978 calassic horror film Halloween. Although the song failed to chart, it earned White Zombie their third and final Grammy nomination for Best Heavy Metal Performance in 1997.
Bernard Herrmann- The Psycho Theme
Who could forget Alfred Hitchcock's iconic 1960 horror film Psycho. It is often ranked among the greatest films of all time and is famous for bringing in a new level of acceptable violence and sexuality in films. To get to the best part of the song skip ahead to 4:23 for the famous screeching violins that invoked terror in audiences all around the world for so long. The music for the shower scene is probably the most famous (and most imitated) cue in film music history.
Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs-Li'l Red Riding Hood
This song was the group's second top-10 hit, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1966. Built around the classic fairytale Little Red Riding Hood, this song is a play on words between the animal "wolf" and the euphemism of a man with concealed sexual intentions "wolf". The singer remarks on "what big eyes" and "what full lips" Red has and even states that he "will keep his sheep suit on" basically admitting that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. What makes this song worthy of my list is the overall dark nature of the original Little Red Riding Hood and the almost hinted at dark nature of the song itself.
The Classic IV-Spooky
While many confuse this song as being sung by the hit band The Zombies, it is in all actuality sung by The Classic IV. (Wikipedia is your friend). In 1968, it reached number three in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 46 in the UK. This groovy tune makes the list because of it's slow hip feel and the lyrics of course. "Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams so I´ll propose... on Halloween. Baby, love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you."
Roison Murphy- Ramalama Bang Bang
Although this is not a Halloween song in general and even though it does not have any horror related lyrics this song makes my list because of the So You Think You Can Dance group performance where it's freaky beat matched with dancing victorian aged zombies. Ramalama Bang Bang contains a chorus of onomatopoetic lyrics delivered over a tribal rhythm match that with the eerie seynthesizer beat and you've got one great performance.
Fever Ray- The Wolf
Though the actual movie Red Riding Hood wasn't anything too scary or memorable there was a song featured during the dance celebration that did stick out to me. Fever Ray's tribal chanting mixed with rather dark lyrics make for a great old world werewolf feel. The lyrics and primitive sounding beat make me think of old Indiginous legends. And with lyrics like these who couldn't? "Eyes black, big big paws,And it's poison, and it's blood." and "We took you right from your mother's womb. Our temple, your tomb."
The Halloween Theme
And last, but certainly not least we have the chilling theme from John Carpenter's legendary film Halloween. I mean what kind of list of Halloween songs would this be if I didn't have THE Halloween theme on it somewhere? This 1978 horror film made babysitters everywhere quit there jobs in fear of Michael Meyers and his terrifying William Shatner mask.So that concludes all of my 50 Halloween songs. I hope there were at least a few of them on here that put you in the holiday spirit. If you have a certain song that you like to listen to on Halloween that I haven't mentioned on here then please tell me in the comments. I'm always on the look out for music.Thank you all for taking the time to read this and I hope you all have a happy (and safe) Halloween this year! Until next time guys!
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