Halloween is the season for spooky things; the ambiance is dark and enjoyable for the millions out there who enjoy a good scare. Just like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Halloween has many songs associated with it. Typical things like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters,” and of course, The Nightmare Before Christmas’s “This is Halloween.” But these aren’t the only songs for the Halloween season. In fact, there are so many bands that are the epitome of spooky, dark, and are perfect for October listening (or ANY month) that don’t get the airtime and recognition they deserve. This Halloween season, don’t celebrate with standard music, listen to something new and different. Something out of your comfort zone… After all, Halloween is a mysterious holiday, ready to give you either the trick or treat of a lifetime.

Song: “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” – Bauhaus

The first time I heard this song, it was very intriguing. It had to be at least past two in the morning when I accidentally clicked on the song, but opted to continue listening. It was one of the best mistakes I’d ever made. It drew me in like I was anticipating something more from the song other than what I was listening to. Every time I listen to this song I have this sense that I want something more, but I know I’m never going to get it, and that keeps it interesting. The anticipation, the jarring, spine-tingling sensation that went through my body as I heard the singer, Peter Murphy, sing in a low voice:  “White on white translucent black capes/Back on the rack/Bela Lugosi’s dead/The bats have left the bell tower/The victims have been bled/Red velvet lines the black box/Bela Lugosi’s dead/Bela Lugosi’s dead/Undead undead undead/Undead undead undead” in reference to the man who portrayed Count Dracula in the original film from 1931. What was this eerie music I was listening to at a time when everyone was asleep and the whole world seemed silent? It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The song is a captivating 9 minutes and 36 seconds, enough to let the mind wander as it takes you into a realm of darkness.

 

 

Band: Oingo Boingo

If you like The Nightmare Before Christmas, you will likely enjoy this band. Danny Elfman, the lead singer of Oingo Boingo, also composed the music for The Nightmare Before Christmas. I have loved this band since 8th grade; they aren’t afraid to be different. Their songs are strange, the lyrics can be even stranger at times, but they are also strangely catchy and that is why they get occasional radio air time, even today. Back when they were still together, they were known for having amazing Halloween concerts; their farewell concert was held on Halloween as well, so they definitely have a huge connection to the holiday. Personally, I don’t believe there is one album that I would recommend for Halloween, but rather various songs.

Above all, one of my favorite–if not my favorite–song of theirs is “Insanity” off of the Boingo album. It is a great song to listen to during this season. It can be interpreted in many different ways, but what I get from this is a societal disconnection where Elfman expresses hatred for conformity and points out the fact that this conformity is a result of brainwashing. When listening to the song, which is nearly 8 minutes long, you start to question whether you have lived your life as just another one of these brainwashed conformists, however, the way Elfman sings the song is as if he were nearly hysterical, almost like there is a mental disconnect. Altogether, it creates a paranoid frame of mind for the listener, yet at the same time has relatability to it: “My mind has wandered, from the straight and narrow/My mind has wandered from the flock you see/My mind has wandered, the man just said so/My mind has wandered I heard it on TV/And the flock has wandered away from me.”

Another good song by Oingo Boingo that definitely fits the season is “No One Lives Forever” from the Dead Man’s Party album. The song is about someone criticizing those who worry too much about dying, while enthusiastically proclaiming, “I’m so happy/Dancing while the Grim Reaper/Cuts cuts cuts but he can’t get me/I’m clever as can be/And I’m very quick/But don’t forget/We’ve only got so many tricks/No one lives forever.” The song uses imagery like the full moon, “the hour of the wolf,” and bones which make it perfect to listen to any day of this month.

The last song by Oingo Boingo I would recommend for this Halloween season (although ALL of them are great) is “Islands” on the Nothing To Fear album. If you’ve ever watched the movie Halloween, the intro to this song is similar and is what made it creepy the first time I heard it. Whenever I hear this song, the lyrics exude a feeling of emotional detachment and hidden fear. Those feelings, together with the music and Elfman’s voice on this track, all make the song overwhelming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Gv52wcMeI

 

Album: The Evil One – Roky Erickson & The Aliens

This is a great album I listened to this summer. Roky Erickson formed a psychedelic band I love called The 13th Floor Elevators, so I decided to check out some of his other music after the band and listened to this one. It was a really interesting album and all the songs revolved around dark themes, such as “Creature with the Atom Brain,” “If You Have Ghosts,” and “Night of the Vampire.” However, my favorite song has to be the first one on the album: “Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer).” It’s not like the songs I mentioned beforehand that had a creepy or unsettling tone, this song is just pure rock. It’s catchy, energetic, and sets the mood for the rest of the album; definitely great stuff to listen to while doing some homework or just relaxing under the glow of moonlight this spooky season.

Band: Type O Negative

This is a band I recently got into (about a month ago) after a friend of mine shared one of their songs with me. I was not completely sure what to expect, and then I heard one of the deepest voices I’d ever heard. After that I had to search up the band members and found the lead singer, Peter Steele. His voice begs to listen for more. See, fangirling isn’t too bad, it led me to listen to such a great band with dark and deep lyrics about love, loss, and many other personal topics. If I had to recommend an album specifically for the Halloween season, the obvious one would be October Rust, but I would say any album you decide to listen to is good for this season. In my opinion, Steele’s voice is vampiric enough to make every song Halloween worthy, but a good song to listen to during this month would be “Black No. 1” on the Bloody Kisses album. The song is about Halloween, referencing both Nosferatu (from the vampire movie of the same name) and Lily Munster (from the TV Show The Munsters). If you listen closely, you’ll also hear him breathily whisper “Happy Halloween,” which makes it ideal for the holiday.

Song: “Love Potion No. 9” – The Searchers

This is a really cute and quirky song from the 60’s about a guy who has a lot of trouble with the ladies and decides to go to a gypsy who makes him a potion to fix him up. It’s a lighthearted song, but great for the Halloween season because of the story contained within the lyrics.

 

Album: Danzig II: Lucifuge – Danzig

I just recently heard this album for the first time (LAST WEEK), but it was great. I’d only ever heard the very popular song “Mother” by this band (also a good one to listen to if you’re curious). Danzig is a heavy metal band and, in my opinion, if you are slightly into heavy metal, but are a recent fan or don’t explore it often, October is a great month to do it. Just call it spooky or dark and it’s automatically a go-to genre for Halloween, even if that’s just an excuse. If that was not enough, Glenn Danzig, the lead singer of the band, has a really nice deep voice, similar to Jim Morrison from the Doors…except the heavy metal version of Jim. The album has an amazing flow from start to finish with exceptional songs, including my two favorites: “Devil’s Plaything” and “Blood and Tears.” The first one is more energetic (if you like headbanging you can totally head bang to this song) and the latter is a more romantic song filled with heavy emotion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk5xC-fjulk