Halloween is coming and there are scary songs aplenty out there, to get me in the spooky spirit. I came up with a list of my favorites, each song a true Classic in it’s own frightful right. Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Punk Rock are all represented here well with cool and frightening songs… go ahead… peruse and enjoy this list – if you dare!
Monster Mash – Misfits – I really get a kick out of the Misfits cover version of this 1962 Bobby “Boris” Pickett original. The Misfits cover version can be found on their albums Project 1950 and Cut’s From The Crypt. The Bobby “Boris” Pickett original version of Monster Mash reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart on October 20, 1962. I covet the original version just as much as the Misfits cover.
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon – this song is originally found on Warren Zevon’s 1978 album Excitable Boy. I just bought the live version of Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London on itunes a week ago… the live version is unreal good. Since I first heard this song in 1978, it never ceases to put me in the Halloween mood, no matter what time of year I listen to this great song.
Godzilla – Blue Oyster Cult – this song is found on the Blue Oyster Cult album Spectres, released in 1977. The live version of Godzilla is found on their 1978 album Some Enchanted Evening… I lean towards liking the live version more, always have. The live version just seems to have more total heaviness – a Classic Rock gem.
Halloween – Helloween – alright, now we are talking about some serious Metal here. The 1987 album Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1 is where you can find this song, truly an amazing Power Metal epic… at 13 minutes & 18 seconds long, yet every second is Metal brilliance. This song exploits the vocal excellence of Michael Kiske, he was an incredible singer for Helloween, period.
Boris The Spider – The Who – Released in 1966 (the year that I was, gulp, born) – A Quick One is The Who album where this legendary song is found. A short song, at 2 minutes & 29 seconds, the late John Entwistle gives this creepy little song it’s Rock character through his bass and vocals too.
The Number of the Beast – Iron Maiden – Whoa, this song gets better each time I hear it… I am sure I am not alone in stating that. Released on the Number of the Beast album from 1982, it seems like yesterday to me.
Old Carver’s Bones – CKY – From the 2009 CKY album Carver City, this song is scary with multiple exclamation points. The music and lyrics of this song makes the creep out meter catch on fire.
Dead Skin Mask – Slayer – In 1990, Slayer released Seasons in the Abyss – just the title of this song says enough… F’n Slayer rules.
This Is Halloween – Marilyn Manson – I practically inhale this song every late September up until Halloween night. This Is Halloween sung by the legendary Marilyn Manson, can be heard on the re-release of The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, (re-released in 2006). Metal truth be told, this is probably my most favorite Marilyn Manson song ever… and I like a ton of Marilyn Manson songs a great deal. Marilyn Manson sounds so damn mean, nasty and scary on this song that it creates a thunderstorm in the sky above, wherever it is played.
Frankenstein – Over Kill – this Thrash Metal cover of the Edgar Winter original is frighteningly unreal good. An instrumental, there is no need for lyrics… the music is alarmingly spooky to the maximum. I embrace the Edgar Winter original as much as the Over Kill cover version… bear in mind the Over Kill cover version is damn heavier!! The Over Kill cover version is found on their 1991 album Horrorscope. The Edgar Winter Group original version of Frankenstein is on their 1972 album They Only Come Out at Night.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath – from the debut self titled album Black Sabbath, (released in 1970), the song Black Sabbath carries me through a nightmare that I never mind revisiting. Everything about this song spells chillingly scary… from Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals to Tony Iommi’s doom laden riffs, the godfather of creepy Metal songs without a doubt in my Metal mind.
I could go on until Doomsday with a master list of scary and horror laden songs that get me pumped for Halloween. These songs are the ones that I seem to listen to the most, (or so it seems). Maybe you agree with this list of shock and scream songs, maybe you have a song to add to this list too… don’t hesitate to give your suggestion or two for songs that are just as frightening or more so. Happy Halloween.
Blue Oyster Cult released “Fire Of Unknown Origin” in 1981, which was perfect timing for me. I already had Kiss, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Queen, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Bad Company in my system back then, being wowed by Blue Oyster Cult was my ears next step in branching out into the Heavy Music world. Back in 1981, there was the choice of buying music on 8 track, I bought “Fire Of Unknown Origin” on this medium – thank you very much. (I no longer have this 8 track from yesteryear, the 8 track player is a memory as well). This album is just another example of what melded my Metal and Hard Rock Music tastes at a young age, (I was fifteen years old in 1981). Another stepping stone album, if you will, towards the lifetime of Metal and Hard Rock Music adoration that I behold. In my Metal opinion, this BOC album is an early 1980’s Heavy Metal meets Hard Rock album, that has consistently lured me back for many a listen over the years.
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