23 of the greatest Halloween songs
To celebrate the launch of Absolute Radio Halloween
Absolute Radio is extremely pleased to announce the launch of our brand new Premium station, Absolute Radio Halloween!
Yes, for the whole month of October, Absolute Radio Halloween will be airing non-stop scary songs 24 hours a day.
To celebrate our latest Premium station, we’ve rounded up 23 of the greatest songs on our Absolute Radio Halloween playlist. Check them out below!
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23 of the greatest Halloween songs ever:
Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out of Hell’ (1977)
The Jim Steinman penned Meat Loaf classic has been described as a 'rock 'n roll sci-fi version of Peter Pan.' Steinman said he wrote 'Bat Out of Hell' as the ultimate "motorcycle crash song" and the somewhat macabre lyrics reflect this: "And the last thing I see is my heart still beating / Breaking out of my body and flying away / Like a bat out of hell."
Ray Parker Jr. – ‘Ghostbusters’ (1984)
Of course, we couldn't have a Halloween songs countdown without Ray Parker Jr.'s legendary title song for the Ghostbusters movie. After Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham snubbed an offer to write the theme song, the film's producers drafted in Ray Parker Jr., who remarked years later: "I was the last resort. I really didn't think I could do it." With only a few days to write and record the song, Parker Jr. decided to write the song as a pseudo TV advertising jingle that the Ghostbusters in the movie could have used as a promotion.
Jamie T – ‘Zombie’ (2014)
Jamie T's huge 2014 single 'Zombie' is about being a lazy and unproductive teenager who is useless in love. For the music video, Jamie decided to full embrace the Zombie theme and parody the 2005 comedy horror Shaun of the Dead (which itself is a parody of George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead films).
Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’ (1991)
Metallica's heavy metal masterpiece 'Enter Sandman' is about nightmares and things that go bump in the night. The song's sinister sentiment is perfectly encapsulated in James Hetfield's lines: "Hush little baby don't say a word, and never mind that noise you heard. It's just the beasts under your bed, in your closet, in your head." The chorus "Take my hand, we're off to Never Never Land" references Peter Pan, while the bedtime prayer 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep' and lullaby 'Hush Little Baby' are both quoted in the lyrics.
The Specials – ‘Ghost Town’ (1981)
Coventry two-tone legends The Specials explored themes of urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities, on their chart-topping 1981 anthem 'Ghost Town.' Keyboardist and songwriter Jerry Damners told The Independent in 2011: 'The overall sense I wanted to convey was impending doom. There were weird, diminished chords: certain members of the band resented the song and wanted the simple chords they were used to playing on the first album. It's hard to explain how powerful it sounded. We had almost been written off and then "Ghost Town" came out of the blue.'
Bobby 'Boris'Pickett – ‘Monster Mash’ (1962)
Bobby "Boris" Pickett's novelty song 'Monster Mash' was a chart-topping smash in America upon its original release in 1962, however it took another 11 years to dent the UK charts when it peaked at No.3 upon its re-release in 1973. Bobby "Boris" Pickett never scored another hit before his death in 2007, however 'Monster Mash' remains an enduring and ever-popular Halloween anthem to this day.
The Automatic - ‘Monster’ (2006)
Cardiff indie-rockers notched up the biggest hit of their career with their 2006 banger 'Monster.' Centring on the brain-gnawingly catchy lines "What's that coming over the hill? Is it a monster? Is it a monster?!", you might be flabbergasted to find out that 'Monster' isn't actually about monsters. Instead, the word "monster" is a metaphor for the monster that comes out of some people when they're intoxicated.
The Cure – ‘Lullaby’ (1989)
The Cure's Robert Smith has said the dark lyrics to 'Lullaby' were inspired by bedtime stories his dad told him as a kid. "He would always make them up," Smith said. "There was always a horrible ending. They would be something like 'Sleep now, pretty baby – or you won't wake up at all'."
Alice Cooper – ‘Poison’ (1989)
Penned by Alice Cooper alongside serial hitmaker Desmond Child and guitarist John McCurry, 'Poison' is about a woman who is very bad for Alice but he can't resist her inescapable charms. A number two smash hit in the UK, 'Poison' remains one of Alice Cooper's signature songs and perfect for the Halloween season.
AC/DC - ‘Highway to Hell’ (1979)
Boasting one of the greatest opening riffs in rock history courtesy of Angus Young, 'Highway to Hell' references Canning Highway in Perth, Australia that runs to Fremantle and hosted many of late-great singer Bon Scott's favourite pubs. The seminal song is also about AC/DC's gruelling tour schedule, which Angus referred to as being on a "highway to hell."
Echo & The Bunnymen – ‘The Killing Moon’ (1984)
A monster Top 10 hit upon its release in January 1984, Echo & The Bunnymen regard 'The Killing Moon' as their finest song. In fact, vocalist Ian McCulloch said: "When I sing 'The Killing Moon', I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that." The track was famously used prominently in the 2001 science fiction psychological thriller film Donnie Darko, which gave it renewed popularity around the globe.
Ian Brown – ‘F.E.A.R.’
A flipping excellent aural recording, the words in each verse of 'F.E.A.R.' start with the same letter to form the acrostic "F.E.A.R." – "For each a road / For everyman a religion / Face everybody and rule / Forget everything and remember," and so on. Ian Brown said he used acrostics after reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X, in which the minister extolled the importance of language to influence people's thoughts. Ian Brown later embraced the concept again for his 2004 track 'Time Is My Everything.'
Kate Bush – ‘Hounds of Love’ (1985)
The title track of Kate Bush's fifth studio album, 'Hounds of Love' is about the fear of falling love, which Bush compares to being chased by a pack of bloodthirsty hounds. Two decades after its release, Sunderland's prodigal sons The Futureheads scored a No.8 hit with their phenomenal cover of 'Hounds of Love.'
Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (1969)
John Fogerty was inspired to write 'Bad Moon Rising' after watching the 1941 supernatural movie The Devil and Daniel Webster. Fogerty says the song is about "an apocalypse that is about to be visited upon us" and the lyrics utilise weather imagery to hint that something bad is lurking "out there."
Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller’ (1984)
Songwriter Rod Temperton penned 'Thriller' as Michael Jackson wanted something theatrical to match his love of horror films. The song takes on an even more frightful at the end when horror actor Vincent Price delivers his spoken word monologue in his sinister tones, culminating with "For no mere mortal can resist / The evil of the thriller." In December 1983, the John Landis directed 'Thriller' video premiered, which parodied numerous horror movies including Landis' An American Werewolf in London.
Talking Heads – ‘Psycho Killer’(1977)
Easily one of the most infectious songs on our list, new wave anthem 'Psycho Killer' is seemingly about the thoughts of a serial killer. Despite being recorded at the same time as the infamous Son of Sam serial killings in America, Talking Heads insisted they didn't take inspiration from the murders.
Blue Öyster Cult – ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ (1976)
Despite the ominous title, Blue Öyster Cult's cowbell-tastic signature song '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' is actually imbued with positivity. Lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser says the song is about eternal love and the foolishness of fearing your inevitable demise.
La Roux – ‘In for the Kill’ (2009)
Synthpop duo La Roux's breakthrough anthem 'In for the Kill' is about mustering up the courage to tell someone how you're physically attracted to them – as Elly Jackson (daughter of The Bill actor Trudie Goodwin) sings: "I'm going in for the kill. I'm doing it for a thrill. Oh, I'm hoping you'll understand."
The Rasmus – ‘In The Shadows’ (2003)
Finnish rockers The Rasmus scored the biggest hit of their career two decades ago with 'In the Shadows.' The lyrics could purportedly have a sinister edge with lines like "I've been watching / I've been waiting / In the shadows for my time", however singer Lauri Ylönen believes 'In The Shadows' is completely misunderstood. He explains: "It's an anxious song. Behind the lyrics, there's all kind of angst. It's a hymn for young people who feel different."
The Cult – ‘Lil' Devil’ (1987)
The second single from The Cult's 1987 album 'Electric', 'Lil' Devil' was penned by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy about a man who lives in a dead end town who lusts for a wild woman with an "alligator smile" and a "cyclone kiss".
Queen – ‘A Kind of Magic’ (1986)
Drummer Roger Taylor wrote 'A Kind of Magic' for the movie Highlander, and a few months later track it became of the title track of Queen's 12th studio album. The words "a king of magic" are used in Highlander by Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) as a description of his immortality, and many of the song's lyrics explore themes of deathlessness.
Royal Blood – ‘Little Monster’ (2014)
Like many songs on this list, Royal Blood's 2014 single 'Little Monster' is actually about love. The words allude to someone struggling to be understood but who desperately wants to meet a person who will accept them. Ultimately, however they're afraid they will scare their love interest off, as Mike Kerr sings: "Heartache to Heartache, I'm your wolf, I'm your man / I say run little monster, Before you know who I am."
Vampire Weekend – ‘A-Punk’ (2008)
Okay, we admit this is a slightly tenuous one BUT they have 'Vampire' in the band name! Get it?! Anyway, 'A-Punk' is one of Vampire Weekend's greatest songs and it was a no-brainer adding it our Halloween playlist.