Halloween Update

I figured it's been two years since I posted my Halloween playlist, and it's grown a little since then, so I'm posting an updated version. Here's what I'm listening to this Halloween. Some of it will be the same, but I'm adding the new stuff here and there. You should also know that I feel strongly that playlists should be, you know, listenable, which is why I typically leave off songs like "The Monster Mash." I listen to this playlist many times during October and I don't want to skip it every time.

Enjoy!

• "Goodnight Socialite" by The Brobecks. This is still my favorite creepy song and still starts off the playlist. It's just awesome.
• "Shankill Butchers" by The Decemberists. I'm pretty sure this song would have absolutely terrified me when I was a child, because I still think it's pretty scary now, and I'm much less of a wimp now than I was then.
• "Thriller" - Michael Jackson (you can't give it all away at the beginning, guys. You have to work up to Thriller.)
• "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" by Sufjan Stevens. I think the title explains everything you need to know about this one.
• "Zombie" by The Cranberries. I just found out that was what they were singing in this song. Yeah. But the music video is totally creepy and weird, so that's good enough for me, even if they clearly have a deeper meaning going on.
• "The Boogie Monster" by Gnarls Barkley. It has an evil laugh at the beginning. What else do you want?
• "Zombie Jamboree" by The Kingston Trio. Oh, my childhood. It was awesome.
• "My Body's a Zombie For You" from a CD they featured on NPR called Dead Man's Bones. I don't actually have this one, but it's awesome, so on it goes.
• "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo.
• "Wolf Like Me" by TV On the Radio. Very werewolf-y and also awesome.
• "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevron. It's ridiculous, but there's howling. You need howling.
• "Moon Over Bourbon Street" by Sting. My favorite of the vampire set I'm about to post.
• "Vampire" by Antsy Pants. Not scary, but still vampire-y.
• "Perhaps Vampire is a Bit Strong But . . ." by the Arctic Monkeys
• "The Sharpest Lives" by My Chemical Romance. More vampire references.
• "Darkshines" by Muse. I don't know why this song seems creepy and Halloweenish to me, but it really works for me. Take it or leave it.
• "Bodysnatchers" by Radiohead
• "Mr. Raven" by MC Lars. This song is ridiculous . . .ly awesome. "Who's that? Who's that rappin' on my chamber door? Mister! Mister Raven! All up in my grill sayin' "Nevermore!" Yeah. Still good.
• "Dear Songs And Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" by Wolf Parade
• "Haunted" by Evanescence. You have to have at least one of their songs, right? I mean, their whole schtick is the essence of Halloween, isn't it?
• "The Fear" by Travis
• "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave. Really, all of the Murder Ballads are appropriate here. Still.
• "Lullaby" by The Cure. Officially the creepiest song to have the title in the entire world.
• "Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps)" by David Bowie
• "Pathetique" by Andrew Bird. From the weird Music of Hair CD, this song has some major creep-town sounds going on.
• "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." Weird, creepy and beautiful song about a creepy creepy person.
• "The Long Black Veil" by Johnny Cash. This song has always creeped me out. You know what I'm talking about.
• "Ghost-Town Of My Brain" by Jim White. Very bizarre, but it totally fits the mood.
• "The Ghost of You Lingers" by Spoon. This song has some creepy sounds going on even if it isn't about Halloween. And it has "ghost" in the title.
• "I'm Afraid of Japan" by Final Fantasy. What's scarier than Japan!?! Seriously though, this song is SPOOKY.
• "Sleep" by My Chemical Romance
• "No One Lives Forever" by Oingo Boingo
• "Halloween" by Matt Pond
• "Shanty for the Arethusa" by The Decemberists. It starts off with creepy accordion and a scream. Trust me.
• "Chasing a Ghost" by The Morning Benders (because who doesn't need The Morning Benders?)
• From the new Nightmare Revisted CD: "Jack's Lament" covered by The All-American Rejects, "Sally's Song" covered by Amy Lee, and "Poor Jack" covered by The Plain White T's.
• "Dead Man" by Jars of Clay. Not that creepy, but still works.
• "The Other Father Song" by They Might Be Giants. It's from Coraline. Need I say more?
• "Lovely Creature" by Nick Cave
• "Ghostship" by Menomena
• "Halloween" by Stephen Lynch (Horrible. And very funny. Just don't play this one for your small children. And I'm totally blaming Lin for this one.)
• "This Is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Also, some misc. instrumental songs for your mood music selection:

• "Danse macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens
• Suite from "Hush" - it's on the Buffy the Musical soundtrack. So scary!
• "Welcome, Ghosts" by Explosions in the Sky
• "Toccata in D minor" by Bach (yeah, you know)

Okay. That's where we are this year. It's not that much different, but you know you were trying to think of something to listen to and you forgot all about the last one. Am I right? Of course I am.