Oct. 26, 2007
There's about a week left before the world's biggest costume party, and All Music Guide is counting down the days with its Ultimate Halloween Mixtape guide. The first installment generated a tremendous amount of feedback, with people from all over offering opinions and suggestions for tunes to make the holiday a bit more festive.
Today's list of ten songs ranges from the merely mysterious to the truly terrifying -- in short, a little bit to suit everyone's taste. As always, feel free to share your ideas for spooky tunes by leaving a comment, and be sure to check back on October 31 for our third and final chapter in the series. Happy haunting!
David Bowie, "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)". Plenty of rock & rollers have written songs about enigmatic women, but there's something decidedly off-kilter about the subject of this tune -- perhaps she's a member of the otherworldly coterie that haunts Bowie throughout the song's chorus.
They Might Be Giants, "Older". Skeletons, ghosts, and gravestones are some of the more prevalent front yard decorations this time of year, and it's enough to make anyone ponder their own mortality. Setting philosophical and theological debates aside, this song cuts right to the chase in a way that's charmingly innocent... until the weight of the lyrics truly settles in.
Garbage, "#1 Crush". It may be a love song, but it's not the sort you'd want to put on a romantic mixtape. If the backing vocals in this song about self-destructive obsession aren't enough to give you goosebumps, then Shirley Manson's creeping, deadened vocals probably will -- while she says that she "would" die for her lover, it sounds like she's already halfway there.
X Japan, "Love Replica". Legends in their native country, X Japan specialized in epic songs showcasing the powerful, rasping vocals of lead singer Toshi. However, the group was also capable of writing atmospheric instrumentals like this one (penned by guitarist Hide), which sounds like an answer to Camille Saint-Saens' "Danse Macabre" (sample).
Tom Waits, "Clap Hands". The clanking percussion and fractured guitar is eerie enough, but the icing on this surreal cake is the way that Waits delivers his bizarre lyrics. But then again, that's his trademark...
Aphex Twin, "Come to Daddy". Richard D. James is probably a very nice man, but that didn't stop him from making a song that sounds like a radio transmission broadcast from one of the deeper circles of hell and intercepted on short wave radio.
Kidneythieves, "Before I'm Dead". Grinding guitars stand in sharp contrast to the smooth vocals of Free Dominquez, who sings of a night a bit darker than most. With an appearance on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, this ditty is suitable for vampire vixens and succubi alike.
Avenged Sevenfold, "Beast and the Harlot". What happens when you overlay imagery from the Book of Revelation and set it against a metal backdrop? The answer is a creepy piece that not only serves as a rousing album opener, but rocks your Halloween party too.
The White Stripes, "Little Ghost". Not all ghost stories are scary, as Jack White proves with this foray into neo-folk territory. Perhaps that woman gliding down your staircase is just looking for a dance partner, or a warm hand to hold on a chilly autumn night.
Santana, "Black Magic Woman". What would Halloween be without a little magic and mystery? The witches that abound this time of year are meant to embody both qualities, and that's what makes them -- and this song -- so appealing.
Today's list of ten songs ranges from the merely mysterious to the truly terrifying -- in short, a little bit to suit everyone's taste. As always, feel free to share your ideas for spooky tunes by leaving a comment, and be sure to check back on October 31 for our third and final chapter in the series. Happy haunting!
David Bowie, "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)". Plenty of rock & rollers have written songs about enigmatic women, but there's something decidedly off-kilter about the subject of this tune -- perhaps she's a member of the otherworldly coterie that haunts Bowie throughout the song's chorus.
They Might Be Giants, "Older". Skeletons, ghosts, and gravestones are some of the more prevalent front yard decorations this time of year, and it's enough to make anyone ponder their own mortality. Setting philosophical and theological debates aside, this song cuts right to the chase in a way that's charmingly innocent... until the weight of the lyrics truly settles in.
Garbage, "#1 Crush". It may be a love song, but it's not the sort you'd want to put on a romantic mixtape. If the backing vocals in this song about self-destructive obsession aren't enough to give you goosebumps, then Shirley Manson's creeping, deadened vocals probably will -- while she says that she "would" die for her lover, it sounds like she's already halfway there.
X Japan, "Love Replica". Legends in their native country, X Japan specialized in epic songs showcasing the powerful, rasping vocals of lead singer Toshi. However, the group was also capable of writing atmospheric instrumentals like this one (penned by guitarist Hide), which sounds like an answer to Camille Saint-Saens' "Danse Macabre" (sample).
Tom Waits, "Clap Hands". The clanking percussion and fractured guitar is eerie enough, but the icing on this surreal cake is the way that Waits delivers his bizarre lyrics. But then again, that's his trademark...
Aphex Twin, "Come to Daddy". Richard D. James is probably a very nice man, but that didn't stop him from making a song that sounds like a radio transmission broadcast from one of the deeper circles of hell and intercepted on short wave radio.
Kidneythieves, "Before I'm Dead". Grinding guitars stand in sharp contrast to the smooth vocals of Free Dominquez, who sings of a night a bit darker than most. With an appearance on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, this ditty is suitable for vampire vixens and succubi alike.
Avenged Sevenfold, "Beast and the Harlot". What happens when you overlay imagery from the Book of Revelation and set it against a metal backdrop? The answer is a creepy piece that not only serves as a rousing album opener, but rocks your Halloween party too.
The White Stripes, "Little Ghost". Not all ghost stories are scary, as Jack White proves with this foray into neo-folk territory. Perhaps that woman gliding down your staircase is just looking for a dance partner, or a warm hand to hold on a chilly autumn night.
Santana, "Black Magic Woman". What would Halloween be without a little magic and mystery? The witches that abound this time of year are meant to embody both qualities, and that's what makes them -- and this song -- so appealing.