Halloween Hits (Rhino, 1991)

hard to get past Monster Mash but Screamin' Jay Hawkins might just do it.

I have lots of good childhood memories associated with "Martian Hop."

The Blob is so good but Monster Mash is hands down one of the greatest songs of all time

Why are all the big Halloween bangers from the late 50s/early 60s and mid-80s eras? What is it about those years that encouraged so much spooky funtimes? Has there been a recent Halloween hit?

Fun Halloween songs are Groovie Ghoulies entire catalog but unfortunately Bright Eyes' on-the-nose cover of Devil Town probably charted higher than their much funner (and shorter) cover.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins just over "Monster Mash."

'Spooky Scary Skeletons', which became an internet "hit" ca. the late 2010's but was released in 1996, is probably the closest thing to a contemporary halloween "banger"?

Also i think there were lots of Halloween hits in the 1920's and 30's but you'd have to ask Camaraderie at Arm's Length.

XP "Wharewolf Bar Mitzvah"?

WEREWOLF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6V2oCX3Hn4

Voted Purple People Eater. My parents used to sing it to me when I was a child, and they gave me this button (which I'm sure I lost years ago).

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sFAAAOSwWp9j2YMB/s-l1600.png

'Spooky Scary Skeletons', which became an internet "hit" ca. the late 2010's but was released in 1996, is probably the closest thing to a contemporary halloween "banger"?

― Easter underwear (Deflatormouse), Wednesday, October 18, 2023 10:05 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Similarly, I feel like You're Dead by Norma Tanega has entered the Halloween canon, thanks to What We Do In The Shadows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4jUZ-Ex1k0

In the past couple of weeks, I discovered Joanna Wang's skalloween jam Tina's Hausu, thanks to the weird women in music thread. Don't think it's a hit yet though. Will try my hardest to make it one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0AH5RRFA94

Other somewhat recent non-hits on my Halloween playlist include

Jeffrey Lewis - If You Shoot The Head You Kill The Ghoul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9geTRxJe4

Outkast - Dracula's Wedding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnrlSz9rBIg

The Sprites - George Romero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnqFOI4j5WA

but those are all 20 years old or so.

I have a feeling that Agatha All Along will turn into a perennial Halloween hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8u8md-NiHM

Time people pulled their fingers out and started writing spoopy fun songs

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

They were playing spooky songs at a kids halloween event this weekend and some sounded like Olivia Rodrigo singing about zombies

spoopy

anyway, it wasn't a hit but i really liked "i love you so much (it's scary)" from bob's burgers. just the right amount of camp and craft-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eoe5WmcYaww

boyz 4 now - "i love you so much (it's scary)" (from bob's burgers season 6, episode 3)

I love the Addams Family theme, but it's not specifically a Halloween song. Also, I think the one on this comp is an instrumental version? "Monster Mash" by default.

voted monster mash

i think i read that when screamin jay recorded the vocals for i put a spell on you he was so drunk that he couldn't remember doing it and was never able to get it quite the same ever again

I bought this compilation many years ago https://www.discogs.com/master/709556-Various-Monster-Rock-N-Roll-Show just because it had Monster Mash on it. it wasn't for halloween, I just really like that song

it does also have The Blob and The Purple People Eater on it, different Screamin' Jay Hawkins song though.

My band just learned "Monster Mash" for a Halloween party. Internet lyric pages (which are notoriously iffy) show the backing vocals change at one point from "wah wah ooh" to "tennis shoe," and damned if I don't hear it that way.

Had the words on such an infinite loop in my head while learning it that I have to vote for something else. Opting for "Haunted House" for the riff and for the use of the word "haint."

imho "Monster Mash" is a legit masterpiece on par with "Be My Baby" et al, but "I Put a Spell On You" still edges it out for me

Why are all the big Halloween bangers from the late 50s/early 60s and mid-80s eras?

boomers are kids / boomers have kids. same as christmas

I bought this compilation many years ago https://www.discogs.com/master/709556-Various-Monster-Rock-N-Roll-Show just because it had Monster Mash on it. it wasn't for halloween, I just really like that song

The comp polled has a lot of overlap with another Rhino comp of the era, Elvira Presents Haunted Hits. Elvira must have been considered too disturbing for young'uns and so a more condensed alternative was needed.

Voting "The Blob," a most soothing warning.

What's in your head?
In your head?
BRAINS!

Screamin' Jay by a mile

i think i read that when screamin jay recorded the vocals for i put a spell on you he was so drunk that he couldn't remember doing it and was never able to get it quite the same ever again

― ava (paolo), Tuesday, October 31, 2023 7:19 AM bookmarkflaglink

yeah, the story is he'd been doing it live and put on insane renditions of it, and then got into the studio and was very subdued, and they realized he was usually three sheets to the wind during concerts, so basically they got him drunk in the studio, and he was shocked at some of the moans he did during the song during playback

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Disappointing showing for Team Blob ;_;

Story's up for only a few more hours, but I love how Jim Jarmusch still pays tribute to Screamin' Jay Hawkins every year. (When he licensed "I Put a Spell on You" for Stranger Than Paradise, he was stunned that none of the money would go to Hawkins, so he personally tracked him down and paid him himself. Years later, he memorably cast him in Mystery Train.)

voted Blob in the end, since it was clear Monster Mash and Screamin' Jay were getting the most love. but very pleased with the results. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes as the only song with 0 votes is also as it should be.