Yes ladies and ghouls, that special time of year is almost upon us once again – Halloween! The idyllic season for horror films, grossly unhealthy portions of candy, and extreme fireworks.

So.

Many.

Damn.

Fireworks.

And if you’re anything like me or live in a neighborhood like mine, you’ll find your own brand of amusement trying to distinguish the sounds of unlimited fireworks from actual gunshots.

B-BRRRRRR B-BRRRRRRR BRRRRRAAAAAAT!

But before you dress up as your favorite food, object, meme, anime or movie character and head out for a spooky night of partying and debauchery, you’ll need some music to get you fully engrossed in the Halloween spirit.

So today, we’ll be counting down 5 songs that not only epitomize the things that go bump in the night, but are sure to keep your Halloween playlist delightfully haunting.

#5. Portugal The Man – Evil Friends

The first time I ever heard this song was back when I actually use to watch cable television. Soooo 2013? It was featured on this Taco Bell commercial, advertising their new Grilled Stuffed Nacho (See commercial here).

An enjoyable commercial, but it’s the song that really captured my otherwise impertinent attention. It instantly begins with this mythical and mysterious melody. The song moves along nicely with light twinkles, whirring, and auxiliary guitar strings.

And the vocals come across  in a sadistic, yet moving manner.  “Your mama’s got nothing on me/ Your daddy’s got nothing on me/ And the world that sleeps in its lunacy/ It’s got nothing on me” There’s an element of storytelling in which the lyrics were performed.

It’s like the singer is forewarning you about the dangers that lie ahead if you decide to embark on this wild journey with him – that the ramifications of this venture are irreversible. Just note the line,  “And what you think’s got nothing to do with it/ Before you were born, I was already sinning.”

Moving past the eerie energy of the first verse and chorus, there’s an energetic guitar rift that introduces the more alternative rock nuances of the song. All in all, entire track sets the mood for a memorable and possibly criminal night.

#4. Panic! At The Disco – Let’s Kill Tonight

Although brewing pop-centric vibes in bulk, this song still manages to evoke that spirit of adventure and trouble-making heavily associated with this time of year.

The pre-chorus following the first verse contains some brow-raising lines that add-on to the malicious ill-intent of the song. “May your feet serve you well/ And the rest be sent to Hell/ Where they always have belonged/ Cold hearts brew colder songs”.

As per usual, Brenden Urie is able to extend a connection to listening audiences through his emoting vocality. You can feel his conviction as he sings in a slightly jarring and sinister tone.

And can we take a moment to enjoy the instrumentation on the chorus? The winding synths, pulsing drums, and spicy strings accompany a misty organ that works well in tandem with a tray load of weird and mystifying sound affects that all contribute to the hollowing hoo-rah bravado of the track.

It’s certain to make you want to kill tonight with your closest friends. Just ensure you hide the body smartly.

#3. Childish Gambino – Zombies

Now, upon my initial listen of the track I was expecting another predictably psychedelic piece given the mannerisms of the album ‘Awaken My Love’. However, I was rather taken aback by Gambino’s zany, monster-like vocal delivery.

He literally sounds like a zombie all the way through on this track. But it somehow works rather well. The angelic backing vocals contrast sharply with the dark and menacing lyricism – possibly referencing the music industry’s vulturous nature.

“We’re coming out to get you/ We’re all so glad we met you/ We’re eating you for profit/ There is no way to stop it”, Kari Faux mouths teasingly. As your eardrums are hit with bursting flavors of soul, jazz, and kaleidoscopic production, you can’t help surrender to the uneasiness of it all.

The song has this way of imprinting it’s haunting spirit on you; it lingers overtime and makes you feel as if you’re facing an impending and terrifying doom – but in a cool, funky-fresh way.

#2. Rihanna – Disturbia

Well of course this gem of a tune made it onto the list! If there’s anybody who knows how to make a timeless record, it’s Rihanna. And from it’s release in 2008, this song has been bumping through across the globe every year during the Halloween season.

It’s dancy, catchy, spooky, yet kinda sexy. As the lyrics make themselves readily available for consumption, you begin latching onto the lurid sense of description.

Riri describes what seems to be her battling some inner-demons, but losing the engaging tug-of-war for her sanity. “It’s a thief in the night to come and grab you (aha!)/ It can creep up inside you and consume you (aha!)/ A disease of the mind, it can control you (aha!)/ It’s too close for comfort, ah”.

You may even tend to overlook the creepy overtones of the song because of how sonically pleasing the track is delivered. Nonetheless, it’s enough to make you want to let loose your sense of impulsivity and danger.

And let’s not forget about that infectious, ear-worm of a refrain that has to be one of the most well-known amongst all mankind. “Bum bum be-dum, bum bum be-dum bum”

**Honorable Mentions**

• Florence + The Machine – Girl With One Eye

• Marilyn Manson – This is Halloween

• Rockwell – Somebody’s Watching Me

• Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters

• Avenged Sevenfold – Little Piece of Heaven 

#1. Michael Jackson – Thriller 

Without a doubt, this is truly the living, breathing embodiment of Halloween – conducive of all elements of fright, terror, and enchantment. The memes, the iconic dance moves, the constant allusions, the ubiquity of it all…

Do I even need to further discuss why this is rightfully at the top of this list???

I think not. Just take a listen to this legendary, musical masterpiece. And may the king of Pop rest in peace.

Did you agree with today’s list? What songs are on your Halloween playlist? Let me know in the comment section below.

If you liked this post, share it with others and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram  @introverted_insight . 

And a huge shoutout to Mia, Regwin, AJ, and Dilly for recommending songs for this list! I really enjoyed creating it.

Which Top 5 music-related list would you like to see next week? Let me know, and if it’s chosen, I’ll give you your very own shoutout on the next post. 

Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see you next time on Introverted-Insight!

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