Spooky season is officially upon us. Do you have your Halloween playlist ready to go? Are you tired of the “Monster Mash” and “Thriller?” If so — and even if you still love them but want more Halloween songs — here are a few special selections from me. It's my list of 10 underrated tracks to freshen up (or rotten up) your next Halloween party.
The Cramps — “Surfin’ Dead”
With names like Poison Ivy and Kid Congo Powers you can easily get the vibe The Cramps wanted to create with their band. They fully embraced the psychobilly freakshow, and are one of the great cult bands of the last 50 years. “Surfin’ Dead” is a great example of The Cramps' overall sound, and is extra spooky with its lyrics about “brain soup” and “phantom drivers.” The punk rock attitude and a reimagined ‘50s rock sound give it some classic Halloween vibes to help you jump from "Monster Mash" to deeper spook. This track was also famously used in the 1985 horror classic Return of the Living Dead.
Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew — “Spirit”
Just about everyone knows the Ghostbusters theme song, but do you know “Spirit” from Ghostbusters 2? The year was 1989 and a rap track about ghosts was on the menu! Doug E. Fresh produced what sounds like a backing track from a Castlevania video game with lyrics about conquering demons both literally and figuratively, all while namedropping Ghostbusters and his own band for good measure. We don't get songs like this that often anymore.
The Cure — “Lullaby”
At times Robert Smith of The Cure looks like he could very easily be at home in a horror movie. It’s all part of The Cure’s vibe.
“Lullaby” is a beautifully spooky song off the band’s 1989 masterpiece Disintegration. It paints an unpleasant picture, with lyrics about a “spiderman having me for dinner tonight” and “his tongue in my eyes.” I don’t think Smith’s talking about the Marvel comics character in this one. The now-classic Cure guitar tone really adds to the song's vibe, and plucked strings and an orchestra hook truly get the track moving into unsettling territory. For an added bonus, watch the music video on this one — talk about spooky!
Gerard Way — “Baby You’re a Haunted House”
The My Chemical Romance frontman is another musician who doesn’t shy away from horror. In 2018, while on hiatus from MCR he dropped this ghostly pop gem. It's more in line with bubblegum pop than MCR’s emo punk decadence. While you may not heard of it, “Baby You’re a Haunted House” is a fun song and sure to get the ghouls on the dance floor at the Halloween party.
Ministry — “Everyday Is Halloween”
This is a Halloween song that works double duty as a goth anthem.
But at its core, “Everyday Is Halloween” is Ministry’s take on being who you are no matter what. If you want to dress like it’s Halloween every day, well, you do you! Who cares what everyone else thinks? The heavy ‘80s synths and drums bring to mind classic Halloween tracks like “Thriller” or “Ghostbusters” but it has its own unique beat that will be guaranteed to get stuck in your head. It's a song that should be right at home on any Halloween playlist.
The Crystals — “Frankenstein Twist”
The Crystals is one of the defining acts of the girl group era. The band had a huge hit with “Then He Kissed Me,” written by Phil Spector (his backstory is easy horror movie fodder on its own).
"Frankenstein Twist" is The Crystals' Halloween song, and it should absolutely be a staple at every Halloween party. It's a classic tune, but it never really got the love it deserved. It would be right at home in a Rocky Horror Picture Show extravaganza or accompanying the kiddos while they trick and treat.
Green Lung — “Maxine (Witch Queen)”
Heavy metal music is often associated with horror, evilness and the macabre. Green Lung plays that up with the track “Maxine (Witch Queen),” without getting too dark.
It’s a very tame track as far as metal goes and could easily find itself on a family-friendly Halloween playlist. There's just something about the 8-bit organ hook that screams “PLAY ME ON HALLOWEEN!” It would also work great as a soundtrack to Scooby Doo during one of the gang's chase scenes.
Twin Temple — “Satan’s A Woman”
"Satan's A Woman" is a strong contender for the best Halloween song of the last 10 years. The band Twin Temple brings retro vibes in everything they do, and this song is no exception. It has callbacks in sound to some of the songs I've already shared with you, and does a great job establishing spook in both music and lyrics. What more would you expect from a band with song titles like “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy” and “Lucifer, My Love!”
As an added bonus, depending on how you interpret the lyrics, "Satan's A Woman" can be viewed as a feminist anthem.
Bat For Lashes — “What’s A Girl To Do?”
This is most likely not meant as a Halloween song per se, but the spooky vibes are strong with "What's A Girl To Do?."
This Bat For Lashes track is led by a harpsichord hook that makes you feel like you’re roaming through an abandoned house and has vocals supplied by Natasha Khan that bring the haunted feeling full circle. “What’s A Girl To Do?” is absolutely deserving of being on your Halloween soundtrack.
John Carpenter — “Night”
John Carpenter is a renowned film director and has crafted countless hit movies like The Fog and Escape from New York. He’s also an amazing electronic musician. In fact, Carpenter crafted the score to Halloween (which he also directed). It's easily one of the most famous movie themes, and it’s become eponymous with the holiday!
“Night” comes from Carpenter's 2015 release Lost Themes, and if you’re looking to scare the trick or treaters, start playing this as they approach your door. You may find yourself with a lot of leftover candy if you play it on repeat.
