As leaves start to change and a chill haunts the air, fall creeps its way back into our lives, causing grim despair. Slowly the nights become longer and ghostly goblins haunt the streets. Creepy crawlers take over window panes and jack-o-lanterns taunt each person they meet. All Hallows Eve is on its way, and what better way to celebrate than a few eerily perfect songs for your party day?
“Psycho Killer” – Talking Heads
New-wave rockers Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” is a bass-thumping tale of a serial killer told through David Byrne’s psychedelic vocals. The twitching guitar licks, heart-pounding basslines and intermittent lyrics in French make this a hauntingly surreal story of, well, a psycho. Beware not to be mean, kiddies: “I hate people when they’re not polite.”
“Paddling Ghost” – Dan Deacon
From Deacon’s 2009 album Bromst, “Paddling Ghost” is a subtly creepy synth dream. Filled with eerie cartoon vocals and a pirate chant toward the end, this song may not be the quintessential Halloween tune, but it should definitely make the cut. Coated in high-processed melodies and beats, this tune will result in a surefire celebration.
“The Children” – Yeasayer
The intro song to Yeasayer’s Odd Blood is unlike anything else on the album, or their previous release All Hour Cymbals. While it may have sprung from an acid trip, the zombielike beats loop, creating an entrancing state. Distorted vocals chant, “It’s not sound to pretend, my friend, this might just be the end, shadow life that sits outside your door, we live inside your walls and leak through floors.”
“Zombie” – The Cranberries
“Zombie” may be a political stance about Northern Ireland’s violence rather than animated corpses rising from the dead, but Dolores O’Riordan’s chants are chilling. The powerful grunge-influenced guitar backdrop to O’Riordan’s howling story is the perfect rock ballad for a ghostly gathering.
“Satan Said Dance” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Don’t piss off Satan—so dance! Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s high-pitched piano and poppy beats are tinged and distorted in a never-ending circle of hellish vocals. Satan’s got a message for everyone and this Halloween: “He says to me to shake around and don’t stop ’til you hit the ground.”
http://youtu.be/M7rbzA-2nqk
“Heartbeats” – The Knife
No Halloween party is complete without Karin Andersson’s perfectly haunting vocals and The Knife’s mysterious and ingenious concoction of simple beats and repeated synth. “Heartbeats” is a hypnotic blend of electronic throbs and bass-drum pounding. A mellow, ambient relay of beats may seem like a downer, but throw on a fog machine and some dancing lights and the mood will set itself.
“Vampire Lake” – The Builders and the Butchers
Gothic-folk rockers The Builders and the Butchers’ “Vampire Lake” is chock-full of whistling strings and squealing horns. This is no following-the-trend type of vampire tale. Lead singer Ryan Sollee’s voice howls the cleverly daunting lyrics, “Your neck looks good to me, I wanna reinvent your body.” The dueling percussionists and avant-garde orchestration adds to the creepy storyline.
“Monster Hospital” – Metric
Metric’s “Monster Hospital” is an anti-war plea, and the video resembles an Evil Dead movie with blood overflowing everywhere and arms coming out of the walls to capture lead singer Emily Haines. A dark monster-mash-styled guitar riff aids in the B-horror-movie theme with a punk-rock flair. Also, the MSTRKFT remix is an 1980s electronic version of its former self and definitely worth checking out.
“Girl Anachronism” – The Dresden Dolls
Think creepy, porcelain dolls in a haunted funhouse. Add Dresden Dolls’ “Girl Anachornism” and a strobe light to make the image complete. Amanda Palmer’s throbbing piano and yearning vocals are dark cry for help backed by Brian Viglione on the drums. Don’t be fooled: this song may be creepy but a dance party will ensue.
“Puttin’ on the Ritz” – Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle
A little comic relief is much needed through all the blood and guts, and there’s no better way than a dance with Frankenstein. Boyle’s hilarious interpretation of the oversized ogre tap dancing with Wilder is a short snippet from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. The video is awesome, but the sound clip captures just as much hilarity.
http://youtu.be/sZ-aRwEbp5I
This is just the tip of the iceberg for Halloween songs. Tell us what we missed in the comments below.
