One of my favorite descriptions of a playlist comes from the 2020 reboot of “High Fidelity”: “Making a playlist is a delicate art. It’s like writing a love letter but better in a way.” In this case, we are going to write a love letter to Halloween.
What makes a Halloween playlist ‘Halloween worthy?’ Does it have to scare you? Does it have to spook you? Or, does it have to give you Goosebumps? Truthfully, the answer could be any of these. Now, with every playlist, the song choice will vary according to your taste. But the following is my ideal Halloween playlist, fitting for a Halloween Party or your soundtrack for going trick-or-treating.
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson:
Now this is a classic song, and it is no coincidence that it is associated with Halloween. From the lyrics recalling the creatures that come out at night to “terrorize your neighborhood” to references of something evil lurking in the dark—demons, darkness, blood and midnight— these are all the perfect ingredients for the classic Halloween recipe. Oh, and we haven’t mentioned the music video where Jackson starts the night by watching a movie with his date, then he transforms into a werewolf, followed by a zombie, only to realize it was all his date’s nightmare. Simply put, this will set the mood for Halloween night.
“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.:
Who else will you call, in the most haunted night of them all? Ghostbusters, that’s who! Cue the music: ghosts and Halloween go hand in hand. You can’t mention one without the other. So put on your proton pack, wear your official Ghostbusters costume, and blast this song while you go out ghost-hunting… I mean trick-or-treating.
“Season Of The Witch” by Donovan:
This is the time to cool off and take a break from trick-or-treating. Play this song and relax to the sound of a classic late 1960s tune. But beware- don’t let your guard down, or else the dark atmosphere teased by the lyrics will become scarier than Halloween.
“Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell & Michael Jackson:
From the super catchy synthesizer setting the spooky vibe to the haunting lyrics, this song evokes an eerie nature, especially when you’re surrounded by heroes, famous people, or clowns all night.
“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo:
“Goin’ to a party, when no one’s still alive.” Only on Halloween is this possible, as our costumes slowly come alive, to welcome and enjoy the one-night festivities that await us.
“The Killing Moon” by Echo & The Bunnymen:
This song speaks about something bad that is inevitably going to happen. With phrases like “fate,” “the killing moon will come too soon” and “the killing time”, the lyrics are hard to interpret, making them very mysterious. It kind of sounds like key ingredients to your favorite Halloween slasher, right?
Of course, everyone’s playlist and song choice will vary amongst people’s musical tastes. There were a lot of songs that I left out, but truth be told, if I added more songs the playlist would never end. Having said that, this is what I would play to put the haunting mood in motion.
