My Halloween Playlist

So, as most of my friends and followers know, a lot of my writing tends towards the spooky. I can remember growing up that this was one of my favorite times of the year, even over my birthday, because the stores started carrying the jack o’lanterns, the ghosts, the skeletons, the black cats and bats, and all that fun creepy stuff, and because for just one day of the year I could be whoever or whatever I wanted. I waited on pins and needles for The Wonderful World of Disney to show The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and for CBS to show It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

I guess I just never grew out of that. I still look forward to all those things (well, except that we don’t have The Wonderful World of Disney anymore), although now the decorations and the costumes are so much more elaborate, and most of the scary movies and TV specials are a lot scarier.

Anyway, I digress. Every year I tell myself I’m going to come up with a playlist of songs for Halloween, or for myself, a playlist of songs for writing ghost stories.  :) Well, this is the year I’m finally going to do just that. Yes, some of the songs on the list are probably on every other Halloween playlist in existence, but I think my list has some that a lot of people don’t think of. In any case, enjoy the list, and leave a comment if you have a favorite spooky song, whether or not it’s on my list.

1. Thriller by Michael Jackson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6oy46qKE4

Right, let’s get the obvious ones out of the way first. I can still remember all the hype over this song and full-length video when it first came out. The whole spooky movie inside a spooky video makes it an instant favorite.

2. Monster Mash by Bobby Boris Pickett and the Crypt Kickers  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tHyRQOdqf0

Yep, another obvious pick. This one is more fun than frightening, but it continues to be a staple at most Halloween parties.

3. Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe93CLbHjxQ

This was a favorite movie from my teenage days, and the song is pretty cool too. One of my favorite memories of this song is the little girl I babysat so many years ago running around her house singing, “I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghosts!”

4. Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jxaune1z3k

It doesn’t matter if it’s a ghost or the government; the idea of being watched is enough to give anyone the willies. It’s also a good plot bunny.

5. Something in My House by Dead or Alive.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3OlyiKf4xk

Bummer, I couldn’t find the original video to this song. I love the image of being haunted by the memory of a significant other (Heaven knows there were times I could relate to that), and it makes it both a great Halloween song and a great song to write to.

6.  Crazy in the Night by Kim Carnes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWlvKrIDa-w

Now who can’t relate to the fear of monsters under the bed, in the closet, or in the hall? I love how she takes a classic childhood fear and turns it into an awesome song.

7. Nightboat by Duran Duran.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeemR5cA0WQ

The creep factor for this song really kicked up a notch for me after seeing the video, which is full of zombies, foreboding images, and an odd-placed quote from Shakespeare.

8. Missing by Arcadia.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKIqv3kaIB4

This is a beautiful song with haunting lyrics that hint at a bit of a ghost story, and it still gives me chills when I hear it.

9. Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvdSvFOaY8Y

Will Smith in his early days, lol. Yes, this is based on the Nightmare on Elm Street movies that scared the daylights out of so many of us in the 1980s. This song is a classic combination of typical Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff humor, horror, and a rap beat.

10. Calling All the Monsters by China Anne McClain.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSpn3EnsE0

This one was a favorite of my younger son when it first hit Radio Disney a few years ago, and even at my age, I think it’s a fun Halloween groove.

So there you have it. My own personal Top 10 Halloween/Spooky Songs. Drop me a line in the comments to tell me your favorite song to get your spooky on.