Top Ten Halloween Songs
The Horrors, Tricky, White Lies...
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Showing we do pay attention to the outside world beyond our cd avalanche besieged office, we present ClashMusic's Halloween Top Ten.
Staying away from the obvious, ('Monster Mash' and any heavy metal song of the last thirty years), we've dug up some of our favourite bands and artists' gloomier, doomier, and sometimes sillier, moments to create a better quality of Halloween party soundtrack.
The Horrors – I Can’t Control Myself
Transcending their early, skinny goth, tag with the excellent ‘Primary Colours’ album (though they remain skinny goths), The Horrors are included based on their chosen bandname, the song title (which brings to mind Frankenstein thrashing about) and the majestically haunted, yet rocking, vibe of the track.
Drums of Death – Got Yr Thing
It’s not all about the greasepaint skull face paint. Imagine he did have ‘Yr’ thing? I reckon he’d be a nightmare to get it back from. A sizeable Glaswegian in skullface make up with Yr thing? Now that’s scary. Anyway, be sure to watch the promo clip above that creepily sees his trademark visage infect a club full of kids like a zombie outbreak at a Kiss concert.
White Lies – Death
A song called ‘Death’. They’re in! Channeling the spirits of Joy Division, Interpol, Editors and numerous other serious young men, White Lies must love Halloween. That said, for a song called ‘Death’ it does get oddly uplifting towards the end. Make sure to watch the video until the one minute thirty marks for a low budget WTF! moment.
Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy
A band better known for their euphoric choruses, Friendly Fires win through with ‘Skeleton Boy’. The title is the first win but check out the video for much Sesame Street vibe skeleton fun. Not very scary but pretty amusing, if just for frontman Ed Macfarlane’s dancing.
Tricky – Pumpkin
With a feel that’s more ‘can’t be arsed’ than out and out threatening, there is something un-nerving about this classic from Tricky's debut album, ‘Maxinquaye’. With Martina Topley-Bird playing the siren in contrast to Tricky cracked whisper it simmers away, leaving a toxic afterglow in your cranium.
Bottin - Horror Disco
The full Halloween package from Italy's Bottin. Spooky synth disco, aptly named, and a promo video that seems consist of a 4:11 edit of a low budget sci-fi horror film. The best bit is the battle between a green skinned alien and a pissed-off, acne troubled crew member.
Arctic Monkeys – Brainstorm
Although it’s the album title that brings Halloween to mind, (Favourite Worst Nightmare), it’s lead single, ‘Brianstorm’ almost shares it’s title with a form of insanity used in 1906 as an defence for committing murder (Wikipedia dot what?). That said, it’s a cracking tune worth airing under any pretence.
Lethal Bizzle – Crazy Nightmare
Although the title, ‘Crazy Nightmare’, brings the Halloween vibe, the track, from Walthamstow’s foremost grime MC, is a standard issue, my dad’s harder than you, rap battle track. The video does attempt to bring some chills but is more naff than nightmare.
Yoko Ono –Yes, I’m A Witch
Poor Yoko’s had a hard time of it for pretty much the last forty years but she doesn't need your sympathy, oh no. Writing a song called ‘Yes, I’m A Witch’ is a classic Ono. From 1974, the music is actually pretty pleasant jazz funk with her half spoken whisperings darting nimbly over the peaks.
Joe Goddard – Apple Bobbing (Four Tet Remix)
To banish all those impending nightmares from your mind, let’s end on a more innocent Halloween pastime, apple bobbing. Thankfully you won’t be getting your hair wet here. From Joe Goddard’s fruit themed new album (he’s the hairy one from hot Chip if you don’t recognise the name). Here presented in it’s remixed form by Four Tet (cause the original isn’t on YouTube) you still get some of the early Aphex melancholia to bring you back from behind that cushion.
Words by Nick Annan
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