Haunting Halloween Party Songs

The Halloween season is upon us, and, just like the good old fashioned music enthusiast in us, we have no choice but to write up a ranking and count down. We hear calls of freaky songs, comedy classics, and Halloween related music that haunts while also, more often than not, making us dance. This year we take a look back at the 10 best Halloween party songs.
    10. Rockwell “Somebody’s Watching Me”
With a haunting lead synth and pervasive lyrics, Rockwell’s 80’s hit channels Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode for an odd little classic dance number- forever set to the tune of the Halloween complication.

1. White Zombie “I’m Your Boogie Man”

White Zombie played a nice mix of electronic and metal for awhile there, and made Rob Zombie a staple on modern pop-metal. “I’m Your Boogie Man’ isn’t even close to Zombie’s greatest hit, either with the band or outside of it. But it continues to pop up in Halloween circles, and has elevated as a sort of cult classic- just like the band themselves.

2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds “Red Right Hand”

Cover of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds seem to stick out like a sore thumb. Party music? Who would have
thought Cave’s moody bellowing and pseudo-vocalizing would make for such an alarmingly great party song. It’s an underappreciated gem on an underappreciated album, and gives a great representation of what Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are- mostly- all about. Perhaps the group’s entire catalog could fit at a Halloween event? That would make for a truly eerie evening.

3. The Walking Dead “Theme Song”

The theme song to the walking dead is the newest addition to the list, and probably isn’t great for dancing too at a party. But something about it is so dark and mysterious and tense. It reminds you of the Saw theme song, or the Halloween theme song where Michael Myers climaxes his brutal assaults. Regardless, it’s a new entry bound to be a classic.

4. Ray Parker Jr. “Ghostbusters”

Cover of Ray Parker Jr.

Sometimes, a song will never ever step out of where it is exactly meant to be. The red-headed stepchild to Michael Jackson’s own haunting Halloween-influenced hits, Ray Parker Jr.’s hit track is pure 80’s cheese- and a pure blast. Silly, stupid, and absolutely endearing, there is no ignoring this jam at an upbeat Halloween party.

5. The Rocky Horror Picture Show “Time Warp”

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the pivotal and perfect example of Halloween excess. It’s thematic, theatrical, and totally bizarre, and ‘Time Warp’ wraps all that up in a nice today four minutes of mayhem and dance bliss.

6. Marilyn Manson “This is Halloween”

Manson and Alice Cooper. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There seems to be little middle ground when it comes to Halloween-inspired music. It is either cheesy and silly and fun, or dark and truly evil sounding. No surprise that Marilyn Manson took the popular theme song to ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas” and turned into a rhythmic chaotic tour-de-force of thumping bass and guitar-infused metal. It was all capstoned by Manson’s classic yell and moaning vocalizing.

7. Alice Cooper “Welcome to My Nightmare”

Alice Cooper performing live at Wacken Open Air in August 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Alice Cooper is arguably Halloween’s original wonderkid. Wielding masks and a haunting spirit, Cooper immortalized wizardry and spookiness with his 70’s smash track ‘Welcome to My Nightmare.’ Where other artist got cheekier and more rambunctious, Alice Cooper dove to the underbelly of dark rock.

8. Blue Oyster Cult “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

Despite Blue Oyster Cult releasing a string of

Cover of Blue Öyster Cult

albums and songs throughout their run, no track took the throne from the monster epic ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper.’ Driven by exquisitely timed cowbells, an addictive lead melody, and some dark possessing lyrics, the song remains an undoubted classic staple.

9. Michael Jackson “Thriller”

No song could top this list besides ‘Michael Jackson’s invigorating and frightening song and video ‘Thriller’ from the same titled album. The video is pure storytelling, so imaginative and brilliant in its own right, it will undoubtedly stand the test of time as the very peak of 80’s dance and rock. Thriller is not just a staple, or an icon, but a Halloween jam we can never ever forget.


Guest Author: Rodolfo is a guest blogger for BigPond Music