We, here, at WPGU thought we’d throw a tape of spooky songs together for you all. Hope you enjoy!
-Boz
1-“The Dead Flag Blues (Intro)” – Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor begin their 1998 album F♯A♯∞ with this piece that centers around a poem one of them wrote for a film about prison. The song begins with a real empty and dark feel, but eventually the string sections kick in for the major theme of the track. Despite the extremely dark, horrific, perhaps even post-apocalyptic feel of the track, there are moments of beauty and hope, such as when the speaker says “kiss me, you are beautiful, these are truly the last days.” Ultimately, this track is dark and beautiful, a good Halloween mixture.
Written by David Christians
2-“Neutered Fruit” – St Vincent
You know the feeling that comes when try going to bed after watching a scary movie? You try to tell yourself that you are grown up now, and it is ridiculous to believe that somebody, alive or dead, is just waiting to pop out at you. St. Vincent revives this childish fear by reminding us that someone is watching. Someone is always watching. And that someone is a little too obsessed to be disregarded.
Written by Claire Schroeder
3-“Bowels of the Beast” – The Ravonettes
The ominous guitar riff, the fuzzy vocals, and the demonic imagery all come together to make this song eerie and unsettling. And if lyrics like “we’ll find you in the bowels of the beast” aren’t enough to make your stomach turn, the duo rounds the song off with Christmas bells. The effect allows people to associate a demon’s bowels with memories of sitting around a fire, sipping egg nog and roasting chestnuts.
Written by Claire Schroeder
4-“Moon” – Frank Leone feat. Vic Mensa
If you guys know my posts at all, you know my fascination with hip-hop. This song is ultra-creepy. Vic Mensa’s verse is scary in that it describes the fate that many inner-city youth face every single day. The creepy hook makes one think of other Halloween-esque things…like werewolves?!?
Moon ft. Vic Mensa & the GTW (Produced by Frank Leone) by Rubyhornet
Written by Boswell Hutson
5-“Misery is the River of the World” – Tom Waits
With some hair-raising xylophone action and… that voice… this is one of Tom Waits’ many ghoulish treats. If the haunted carnival-esque arrangement doesn’t do it the very title should put you into the dark depths of a true Halloween spirit. No one has the ability to sound like the Cookie Monster merged with the Devil quite like he does!
Written by Kelly Mincey
6-“This is Halloween” – Danny Elfman
First of all, if you’ve never seen Nightmare Before Christmas, stop reading this right now and go watch it. A conglomerate of Tim Burton’s brilliant animation and Danny Elfman’s musical genius, this Claymation flick from the 90s is a must for Halloween-time. This song says it all: Eflman’s combination of a spooky orchestra, dark vocals and endearingly creepy lyrics…after all, “Life’s no fun without a good scare!” If you like what you hear, check out Danny Elfman’s band Oingo Boingo for a taste of some of the weirdest, most experimental music from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI
Written by Lise Graham
7-“Hybrid Moments” – The Misfits
I could listen to the Misfits any day, but Halloween is my favorite time to bust out their tunes. Their lyrical influence came from a lot of horror b-movies, making them the ideal band to listen to while getting pumped for the holiday, putting on your costume, on your iPod while trick or treating, etc. So, I give you “Hybrid Moments,” my favorite track by Danzig and co.
Written by Maddie Rehayem
8-“Spooky” by Classics IV
A much lighter tune by Classics IV from 1967 gives us a fun, monster-mashy vibe with its memorable guitar riff and rolling bass. Lead singer Dennis Yost keeps us in the holiday spirit by almost melodically whispering about a “spooky little girl” playing hard-to-get. “Just like a ghost, you’ve been haunting my dreams, so I propose on Halloween.” The song remains fun with a great saxophone solo that deserves a second play.
Written by Charles Weller
9-“Friday Night” – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti
With its wave of synths, “Fright Night” by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti would feel right at home on the soundtrack of some low-budget 80’s horror movie. Its cheesiness is its charm, as Ariel Pink sings of ouija boards, demons and black cats. It’s a song that easily gets one into the mood of the goofier side of Halloween.
Written by Eric Holmes
10-“Nosferatu Man” – Slint
“Nosferatu Man”, a track from Slint’s excellent Spiderland, is based on the 1922 vampire movie, Nosferatu. With its hushed vocals, whispering of castles, bats and large teeth, paired with screeching guitars provides an excellent spooky atmosphere that’s guaranteed to freak you out. A perfect listen for a Halloween night.
Written by Eric Holmes
