By Amylee
Goblin - Susperia
I have never seen and will never see a Dario Argento film. But this theme is just so satisfyingly frightening. More spinal chills than Tubular Bells. Probably with a better filmic payoff too.
Steeleye Span - Long Lankin
Blood everywhere. Lord of the manor away, and the ladies of the house lock it up after being warned about a labourer named Long Larkin. He breaks in anyway, and kills the lady of the house and her baby. But how? Ah, he had a co-conspiritor - the baby’s nurse. But why? A bit of research says that the manor lord stiffed him on pay for a job. Moral of the story for contemporary times - don’t mess with the working classes these days. Their patience seems to have run rather thin. (Another nom by TotankaYotanka of the same song by Alasdair Roberts has a bit of a different story. Some backstory here.)
Billie Eilish - Bury a Friend
Written from the perspective of a monster hiding under her bed. But here’s another clue for you, sir. The monster is her.
Mirel Wagner - 1,2,3,4
Dead body underneath the bed, apparently lured. Maybe my artist discovery of the week.
Siouxie and the Banshees - Night Shift
More dead bodies, this time in the morgue. Channeling Peter Sutcliffe, on the theory he was a necrophiliac.
Sonic Youth - Halloween
Fangirl Kim Gordon possessed by a devil while at a Black Flag house party with Henry Rollins. (I think it’s called lust, Kim.)
The Cure - Subway Song
As a subway rider, this scares the crap out of me. All i know is that at least i’m glad i don't live in NYC anymore.
Slint - Nosferatu Man
Here’s yer vampire tune. Honestly it was probably always going to be this one.
Las Limiñanas - The Dead Are Walking - Can’t find online lyrics, but what i can discern is good enough for me. Some sort of walking and dancing zombies. Hypnotic shoegaze psych produced by BJM’s Anton Newcombe.
The Smiths - The Hand That Rocks the Cradle - Is this song really about child abuse? The answer to this question is no, at least according to Morrissey. ”He responded to the question by saying the song came from a relationship he once had with someone which didn’t “involve romance”. Ok then, that settles it. The first tune Morrissey and Johnny Marr wrote together, I’m giving the hairy eyeball to Marr here for adding such beauteous poppy guitar work to such a creepy tune.
Alice Donut - Green Pea Soup
Here’s yer gross green slime tune. (sorry, Frank.) Probably nicely deranged humor with a poppy tune is the best way to deal with the ridiculousness of The Exorcist.
Jean Grae / The Herbalizer - If You Close Your Eyes
Chill triphop lulls you to sleep, then Jean moves in to provide the nightmares. (I recommend caffeine.)
Utsu-P - Corpse Attack!!
One stop shopping. From what i can gather, a rape revenge fantasy with worms, zombies, skeletons, torture, trauma, murder, sweariness, and a guitar solo. Awesomeness all around.
The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned
Crew member on a sinking ship deserts it, absconding with all the money to live it up while he awaits his fate on a Turkish island. The captain’s corpse and crew come back for him to claim the debt. Fun fact - name and inspiration of the song came from a fan who asked MacGowan if he liked “The Turkey Song” by The Damned. Long past time Suzi and I put this song to rest with the crew in Davy Jones’ locker.
Bruce Springsteen - A Night With the Jersey Devil
Never did i ever expect to see Brucie show up in my blues slot, but here we are. Proper Tom Waits-ish crunchy fuzzy scuzzy swampy blues it is, and properly scary story of the Jersey Devil who now haunts the Pine Barrens (of Sopranos fame.) Springsteen released the song as a download only single on his website on Halloween 2008 with this note -
Dear Friends and Fans,
If you grew up in central or south Jersey, you grew up with the "Jersey Devil."
Here's a little musical Halloween treat. Have fun!
– Bruce Springsteen
Why thank you Boss, indeed i did grow up in south Jersey. (And watched Jersey Devils hockey games when they were a kind of ghetto Philly Flyers farm team, not the NHL team of today.)
Doobie Brothers - I Cheat the Hangman
Epic tune based on Ambrose Bierce’s “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. Man sentenced to hang believes he has escaped the noose and heads back home to his wife, without realizing he actually is dead. The choruses are especially creepy.
Comus - Song to Comus
Tale of violent rape by the Greek god Comus that’s oddly palatable, as it’s set to prog-ish psych folk. No accompanying screams at least.
The Herd - From the Underworld
Frampton comes undead. From Wikipedia - “Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice escaping Hades as a metaphor for the death of mod subculture”. (Ok, but i hate to break it to him that mod subculture is undead as well. Although it might be taking a rest at the moment.) Not really gothic or scary, but gently groovy.
The Human League - Being Boiled
Inspired nom that slides in here on lyrics alone because it melted my heart, they’ve been a lot more interesting musically. (Many others, including Depeche Mode, might beg to differ). Written from a Buddhist perspective, imagines the terror of silkworms being boiled alive to provide silk for the fashion industry, and compares them to children. Imagine the daily terror of our critter brethren. It really isn’t all about us.
Head of David - Jack Nicholson
"The snow is piling up outside...Here's Johnny!" All you need to know. Screechy, squealy guitar bliss banger.
Here’s Johnny!
Mötörhead - Steal Your Face
Was Lemmy a closet Deadhead? Or maybe in the throes of a bad acid trip. Then again, it could just be old age. It will steal your face bit by bit until there’s nothing left but a skull. No matter, this tune scratched the rock / metal itch most satisfactorily.
Black Sabbath - War Pigs
Another inspired nomination. Sabbath compares generals planning war to witches and sorcerers at black masses. Our MIC still runs the show here, but hey, at least they’re going woke. The horror. The horror.
Scott Walker - Cue
Not going to attempt to figure this one out (from 2006), but safe to say that it seems to have a lot to do with different viruses, illnesses and the body. Think we all have a hint as to what might be involved here and where it might end up. Trick or treat.
Bauhaus - The Three Shadows Part I
Who knows what evil lurks...
The Arrrgghhhh!!! A-List Playlist:
Goblin - Susperia (MussoliniHeadkick)
Steeleye Span - Long Lankin (treefrogdemon)
Billie Eilish - Bury a Friend (EnglishOutlaw)
Mirel Wagner - 1,2,3,4 (Seth Miller)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Night Shift (Carpgate)
Sonic Youth - Halloween (MussoliniHeadkick)
The Cure - Subway Song (Noodsy)
Slint - Nosferatu Man (vanwolf2)
Las Limiñanas - The Dead Are Walking (Steve)
The Smiths - The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (TarquinSpodd)
Alice Donut - Green Pea Soup (happyclapper)
Jean Grae / The Herbalizer - If You Close Your Eyes (Nilpferd)
Utsu-P - Corpse Attack!! (ajostu)
The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned (Suzi)
Bruce Springsteen - A Night With the Jersey Devil (Alaricmc)
Doobie Brothers - I Cheat the Hangman (AltraEgo)
Comus - Song to Comus (ShivSidecar)
The Herd - From the Underworld (SweetHomeAlabama)
The Human League - Being Boiled (Maki)
Head of David - Jack Nicholson (DiscoMonster)
Mötörhead - Steal Your Face (Carpgate)
Black Sabbath - War Pigs (Nicko)
Scott Walker - Cue (ParaMhor)
Bauhaus - The Three Shadows Part I (Vikingchild)
Big Black Magic B-List Playlist:
Artie Shaw - Nightmare (Pop Off!)
Nina Simone - I Put a Spell On You (Marconius7)
Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare (SweetHomeAlabama)
Depeche Mode - Black Celebration (Steve)
Bauhaus - Rosegarden Funeral of Sores (Vikingchild)
Cocteau Twins - Wax and Wane (MussoliniHeadkick)
Fields of the Nephalim - Reanimator (Bethnoir)
Sopor Aeternus - Dead Souls (Maki)
Carolanne Pegg - Fair Fortune’s Star (w/ Lucy Wan) (ShivSidecar)
Mirel Wagner - No Death (Traktor Albatrost)
Trees - The Garden of Jane Delawney (swawilg)
Yoko Ono - Mrs. Lennon (Fred Erickson)
Mogwai - Devil Rides (Steve)
The May Company - All My Friends are Ghosts (Traktor Albatrost)
Sunny Day Real Estate - Grendel (happyclapper)
The Sleepy Jackson - Vampire Racecourse (happyclapper)
Royal Trux - [Have You Met] Horror James? (Uncleben)
The Go-Betweens - Lee Remick (Traktor Albatrost)
The Naxalites - Massacre in Paraguay (Maki)
Ultimate Spinach - [Ballad of] The Hip Death Goddess (IsabelleForshaw)
La Carniceros del Norte - La Máscara de la Muerte Roja (Bethnoir)
Maria Theresa Vega - Boda Negra (pejepeine)
General Echo - Eventide Fire a Disaster (Nicko)
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Duppy Conqueror (Severin)
Frank Zappa - Zomby Woof (BanazirGalbasi)
Royal Bangs - My Car is Haunted (Uncleben)
Tropical Trash - Pink Sweat (vanwolf2)
Kings of Leon - Closer (Leaveitallbehind)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Stagger Lee (Nicko)
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (Acoustic) (Traktor Albatrost)
Guru’s Wildcard Pick (Axe):
The White Stripes - Jack the Ripper
Extra Bonus I-List of Scary Instrumentals:
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Goth, gore and more: scary, creepy, horror-inspired songs . The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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