So you are ready to get turnt up for Halloween. You’ve got your genius costume, the liquor’s been purchased, and you’ve successfully gotten in that mood with a Halloween movie night.
Unlike Christmas, there’s not many designated Halloween songs. How many times can you listen to “Monster Mash” before you have to monster smash something? Look no further. We’ve pulled the most spooktacular, phantasmic playlist to ensure that you and your party guests dance until you die (figuratively). Everyone knows when you die on Halloween you’re forced to deliver candy for The Great Pumpkin for all eternity.
1. “Mad Monster Party” by Ethel Ennis
If there was a Halloween-themed James Bond film, this would be an amazing theme song. Instead, it’s the theme from a little-known stop animation Halloween film of the same name. Ennis is clearly cut from the same cloth as Shirley Bassey, and this haunting (get it?) hit will have you dancing around the room with devious excitement.
2. “I Want to be Buried in Your Backyard” by Nightmare of You
Zombies may be fading out of fashion, but who wouldn’t love a zombie love song? This emo-rock hit is about a romance so great and unrequited it involves becoming a stalker ghost. The visual of being buried in someone’s backyard might seem completely obsessive, but through your “The Walking Dead” lens, it’s actually pretty sweet.
3. “Dress You Up” by Madonna
Madonna may have evolved into a sinewy, filthy-rich megalomaniac who pretends to be British, but there was a time when she was just a sweet girl from Michigan pretending to be Puerto Rican. This early “Like a Virgin” classic is the perfect anthem for putting on your costume. After all, Madonna has inspired millions of Halloween costumes for years.
4. “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
You may remember this song as an unofficial theme song to the “Scream” franchise. It’s dark, vaguely murderous and kind of creepy. The haunting vocals, dark subject matter and suspenseful tempo is the perfect for Halloween ambiance … that you can dance to.
5. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult
This song managed to be haunting when it appeared in the original version of “Halloween,” and it was also in a popular “Saturday Night Live” sketch featuring Will Ferrell as a member of BOC and Christopher Walken as a record producer who needed “more cowbell” on the track. Either way, this song is about death, and it’s catchy. ’nuff said.
6. “The Time Warp” by “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” cast
If you aren’t going to a midnight screening of this popular cult film, well, then you should at least honor it at your party. After all, “The Time Warp” is the “Electric Slide” or “Cha Cha Slide” for costume enthusiasts.
7. “What Should I Be?” by Garfield
Why yes, I have the audacity to choose a song popularized by a cartoon cat. But not only is it thoroughly Halloween-y, it also gives you a ton of costume ideas.
8. “Bad Things Will Roll with the Devil” by DJ Titus Jones
This mashup blends some of your favorite pop songs to tell a haunting story. The fact that it includes segments of the now deceased “True Blood” theme, “Heads Will Roll” by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and Marilyn Manson is truly fitting. Plus watch out for this spooky-ass video:
9. “Psycho Killer on the Dance Floor” by A Plus D
The original song is great for Halloween. The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” has a dark and nerve-wracking presence, but this remix adds dark beats and a sample of the Michael Myers theme from “Halloween.” That’s right, it’s not enough to dance to a song about a psycho killer if your skin isn’t crawling imagining that white mask and knife!
10. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
You knew this song was going to be on the list. There’s a rap on it by horror icon Vincent Price for Dracula’s sake. It had a music video with werewolves and the walking dead. Plus, to add an extra creep factor, Michael Jackson is now deceased. Plus, it’s pretty impressive when you show off that you know the dance from the music video and hid the fact you actually learned it from Jennifer Garner in “13 Going on 30.”
Christian Cintron is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.
