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The Halloween Hit Parade
Greetings crypt-kickers! So what are the songs that make up the Halloween Hit Parade? And I'm not talking about
tracks from the likes of Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, or Marilyn Manson, who seem to have made a career out of theatrical horror,
I mean the artists that have released the odd horror-related classic, rather like some groups might release a Xmas record!
Human Fly - The Cramps
Quite a few Cramps songs could be included in our Halloween Hit Parade, Goo Goo Muck (which features in Texas
Chainsaw Massacre II), Eyeball in My Martini, Two Headed Sex Change etc, from these lovers of 50s sci-fi/horror
b-movies. But this is one of their more familiar songs.
Scary Monsters and Super Creeps - David Bowie
Well the perfect title for Halloween don't
you think? David Bowie didn't often sing about scary monsters - it was all laughing gnomes, diamond dogs and Aladdin Sane,
but we're glad that he penned this classic from the album of the same name. They keep you running - running scared!
Release the Bats - The Birthday Party
Brilliant trash mutant jazz with screeching vocals, 'how I wish those bats would - bite! ''This is perfect for Halloween.
Nick Cave would go on to form the Bad Seeds and also pen the critically acclaimed novel, And the Ass Saw the Angel, check
it out!
Hammer Horror - Kate Bush
Any homage to Hammer Horror films would be worthy of note, but coming from the wonderful Miss Bush and her unique style,
she does them justice. 'The first time in my life,
I leave the lights on.' Nuff said.
Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
Who? One hit wonder Warren Zevon (can anyone remember any of his other songs?) had a lucky break with this homage to the
old wolfman films of Universal. 'I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen / Doing the werewolves of London.' The howl
is a nice touch!
I Walked with a Zombie - Roky Erikson and the Aliens
The entire album, I Think of Demons, could be played at your Halloween party, with tracks such as, Night of the Vampire,
Stand for the Fire Demon and the brilliant, Bloody Hammer! However, I Walked with a Zombie, is the best of the bunch from
the former frontman of 60s surf punk garage band, The 13th Floor Elevators.
Grimly Fiendish - The Damned
Uncannily enough the Damned's only foray into horror territory (especially as lead singer has sometimes resembled Bela
Lugosi, and with the name, The Damned, too! This is definitely a worthy inclusion in the Halloween Hit Parade! Didn't quite
make it to number one though, keep reading to find out what did!
Monster Mash - Bobby (Boris) Pickett
How could you miss out this classic from Bobby and his Cryptkickers? 'My monster from the slab began to rise / and suddenly
to my surprise / it did the Mash / it did the Monster Mash!' Brilliant! I don't know whether Bobby had any other hits or even
had any other songs - but this is enough, isn't it?!
Halloween - Siouxsie and the Banshees
This was an early release from Queen of the Goths Siouxsie and her Banshees. It's so high up on the list because it couldn't
be more apt! But it isn't quite "scary" enough to make it to number one. 'Trick or treat / the bitter and the sweet '
Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
Bauhaus had success in the early 80s with both this, and a cover of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, and the band appear at the
beginning of the vampire film, The Hunger performing the song. Brilliant atmosphere and foreboding
bassline, you can almost see the bats leaving the bell tower and the victims being bled. So a worthy number one, all
right? Not half!
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