It's almost Halloween, and that means it's time for costumes, parties, tricks, treats and fun. Every holiday needs a soundtrack and Halloween is no different.
It’s almost Halloween, and that means it’s time for costumes, parties, tricks, treats and fun. Every holiday needs a soundtrack and Halloween is no different. Of course there are the time honored classics: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson (complete with spooky narration intro by the master of the macabre Vincent Price!), “The Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett (cause it’s a graveyard smash), and The Theme to Ghostbusters (who ya gonna call?), but here are some fresh tunes to supplement this year’s scary soundtrack for your all of your eerie festivities.
(Every Day Is) Halloween by Ministry
Thanks to Al Jourgensen and Ministry, Halloween has its own dancey, dark, and gothic anthem – perfect for All Hallow’s Eve.
“Halloween on the Barbary Coast” by The Flaming Lips
Before The Flaming Lips started hanging with Miley (I’m looking at you Wayne Coyne) they had some awesome songs including this Halloween themed one.
“Spellbound” by Siouxsie and The Banshees
Forget Elvira, Siouxsie is the Mistress of the Dark. Swirling music and magical lyrics light up this darkly beautiful track.
“I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Others have covered it, but no one comes close to the over the original top delivery of Screamin’ Jay in full Witch Doctor garb.
“Ghost Town” by The Specials
Yeah, we know that this song is really a social commentary on unemployment and a failing economy, but we’re going to take it at face value and call it our favorite scary ghost song from the two-tone band UK.
“I Walked With a Zombie” by Roky Erickson
Psychedelic Texan Roky Erickson wrote this song as a tribute to the 1940s horror movie, and while REM does a great cover, we had to go with the original.
“I Was a Teenage Zombie” by The Fleshtones
Every party collection needs a song from The Fleshtones, and this title track from the cheesy 1987 horror movie is by the same name is perfect. For Halloween, It doesn’t get much better than this!
“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus
Man, this song is great. Remember how it was featured in the opening of the vampire film, The Hunger? With Bela Lugosi being the premier vampire, of course this classic has to be part of your soundtrack.
“Scary Monsters” by David Bowie
Yup, Bowie makes the Halloween list with this awesome the title track from Sir David’s 1980 release.
“Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon
In this classic song, used in horror film “An American Werewolf in London,” Warren Zevon namedrops Lon Chaney who played the title character in the film The Wolf Man. Loved the movie, still love the song!
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“Pet Sematary” by The Ramones
The Ramones singing in a cemetery, what more could you ask for?
“Goo Goo Muck” by the Cramps
You could probably put together a great Halloween soundtrack just using songs from the Cramps, with their songs about Human Flies, Teenage Werewolves, Dead who Surf and Creatures from Black Leather Lagoons, but Goo Goo Muck is another fine creature of the night not to be missed, as well as a rockin’ song.
“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo
And we’ll end our list with Dead Man’s Party, written by Danny Elfman, before he teamed up with Tim Burton, Elfman was in the new wave band Oingo Boingo.
