Halloween Music: In Need of Suggestions

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Some time ago in September, I convinced my (now four-year-old) son that we should collaborate on a Halloween musical composition for Mama, who really cherishes the autumn holidays.  He agreed and assisted me with the following: clicky (CAUTION DIALUP USERS: 13 MB download).  Since that time--and since Jude expressed real enthusiasm for (repeatedly) listening to the song he and Papa recorded--I have been hard at work trying to compose and record an album's worth of children-oriented, Halloween-themed music that Jude can share with his daycare chums at their upcoming Halloween party.  While I have met with moderate success, I find myself at a loss for additional musical styles and genres within which to work.  Thus far I have composed and recorded (in whole or in part)

1. a creepy waltz;
2. a "Goblins' Dance," which blends elements of a march and a waltz with a pan flute solo;
3. a Halloween version of The Backyardigans' theme song (one of Jude's favourite television programmes), which begins with some lines from my ancestor's Toccata and Fugue in in D Minor; and
4. a kooky rock 'n' roll tune (with a heaping dose of theremin) entitled "Oogie Boogie," which, I fancy, represents a reply to Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash" (I even rigged the mix of the song to sound like a worn LP from the 1960s. ).

There are a few tracks I'm tempted to do, though I feel they might be somewhat lame or represent territory already covered by other tracks: an arrangement of "Casper the Friendly Ghost"; something heavy and crunchy, reminiscent of "Frankenstein" by Edgar Winter; and some other tripe, the recollection of which escapes me at the moment.

What I am asking others to dream up would be musical styles, genres, or, short of those, textures/instrumentations that

A. Are not too, too frightening (specifically in the texture/instrumentation department--e.g., no sound clips from Hostel or *gasp* Catwoman--especially given that some ambient textures of "Spooky Song" are already pushing the envelope);
B. That you associate in your mind with Halloween; and
C. That seem sprightly enough to appeal to preschoolers.

Links to examples of what you suggest would be highly appreciated, indeed.  Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Glitch Girl]

I'll be honest, I have no idea how helpful this list might be since I'm still not 100% sure what you're looking for, but here's some music I associate with Halloween

Classical:
Night on Bald Mountain Mussorgsky
toccata and fugue in d minor Bach
Infernal Dance from Firebird Stravinsky


Mood:
Anything by Midnight Syndicate
Anything from "Nightmare before Christmas" except for "Making Christmas"

Rock:
"This is Halloween" Marylin Manson cover
"Bloodletting" Concrete Blondes
"Every Day is Halloween" Ministry
"Dead Man's Party" Oingo Boingo ("Weird Science" is good too.)
"Thriller" Michael Jackson (though it is overused)

Just goofy
"Drak's Back"  Billy De Marco & Count Dracula
"Werewolves of London"  Warren Zevon
"Purple People Eater" Sheb Wooley
Halloween is Grinch Night - tv special.  Had some great musical bits but I can't find the song with the original footage, sorry.

Hope this helps a little.

[Deaths Jester]

A. Are not too, too frightening (specifically in the texture/instrumentation department--e.g., no sound clips from Hostel or *gasp* Catwoman--especially given that some ambient textures of "Spooky Song" are already pushing the envelope);
B. That you associate in your mind with Halloween; and
C. That seem sprightly enough to appeal to preschoolers.

Well I would've offered a few things and maybe even composed something for you but now that you say they can't be too frightening and must be for preschoolers...well, I'm out...not my type of stuff.  Sorry Tiobe.

[Viking]

Other classical picks that I associate with Halloween or spookiness:

Danse Macabre, by Saint-Saens - though that may be duplicative of the "spooky waltz" that you've already recorded

In the Hall of the Mountain King, by Edvard Grieg

When the Night Wind Howls, from Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore

For other Halloween music, you can take your pick of almost anything from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to search for links.  My apologies.

[herodad1]

what about "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedance Clearwater Revival?

[daglob]

Alan Parson's Project "Tales of Mystery and Imagination"

Manheim Steamroller's "Halloween" and "Halloween II"

The original Addams Family TV show soundtrack

The Addams Family motion picture soundtrack

...and I have the old Dark Shadows TV show soundrtack.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Wonderful suggestions!  Thanks to everyone--except for D.J., who can go rot.

Wait a tick...He already has.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Glitch Girl]

I didn't include it in my list, but you might also want to look into "Bela Legosi's Dead" by Bahaus.  The intro goes on forever, but it might be worth sampling, and the later part's kinda neat.

[lugaru]

Figured I would weigh in with some real left field suggestions.

First I will second Glitch with Bela Lugosi is dead, in particular a cover by Opera IX, usually a female fronted black metal band but here she doe snot do any extreme vocals. It is just a good high energy version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVbxH5jo05A

Skeleton by Lila Downs A nice Day of the Dead themed song by Lila Downs, the mexican singer who goes from indigenous song to blues passing through opera and ranchera along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PsCyA0bl50&feature=related

La Daga by Santa Sabina A 90's mexican band that mixes goth and jazz with some explosive vocals and videos inspired by silent horror films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K19mPeAVzTU

Ravens Claws by Moonspell a danceble hard rocking goth tune with some metal and soaring bluesy vocals as a bonus. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjDwtegWCf8

[lugaru]

A few more quick ones

I'm your Boogie Man by Rob Zombie a mix of funk and creep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwfpBVmrC2g

Red Right Hand by Nick Cave perfect atmosphere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vU22ts-Qcw

Halloween by Helloween fun german metal about the holiday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOAl0enE7kI

[daglob]

To go with Manheim Steamroller's Halloween II (Halloween is scary classical music, Halloween II includes themes to fantasy/sf tv shows, and a version of The Monster Mash), soundtracks/themesongs for TV shows like The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, or movies like Psycho, Friday the 13th, The Bride of Frankenstein (or other Universal monster movies), 1950s sf/monster movies, and scarier parts of movies like The Lord of the Rings.

And you have to add Scooby Doo.

[BentonGrey]

How cool!  This sounds really neat Tiobe.  I'm sorry I can't offer anything useful, but I'm afraid my mind doesn't work along musical lines with nearly as much facility as it does along narrative ones.  Still, I think that sounds like a really fun project.

[Glitch Girl]

I'm your Boogie Man by Rob Zombie

I can't believe I didn't list that one. That is a great song.  So is "How to Make a Monster" also by Rob Zombie.

And for something on the complete other end of the spectrum, "Tubular Bells" by Robert Miles from "the Exorcist" soundtrack.

[Tawodi Osdi]

"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon

"Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult

"Season of the Witch" by Donovan

[BentonGrey]

"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon

"Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult

Ohh, interesting.  Werewolves of London and Godzilla both have very interesting sounds.

[daglob]

The original "Tubular Bells" has several sections that could be useful, including the part where The Piltdown Man... sings?

[ow_tiobe_sb]

And for something on the complete other end of the spectrum, "Tubular Bells" by Robert Miles from "the Exorcist" soundtrack.

Gotta love good ol' Mike Oldfield's massive undertaking (Even though the presentation of it, complete with pseudo-narration, seemed to doom the piece to a life of recording industry novelty and overdone marketing campaigns from the start.  I don't blame Oldfield for his withdrawal from the media limelight.  For my money, I much prefer Ommadawn or even 1990's Amarok, if I find myself in the mood for listening to Oldfield's longer works.).  I'm not familiar with Robert Miles; did he rerecord "Tubular Bells" for The Exorcist original motion picture soundtrack?

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Glitch Girl]

I think he did but I'm not sure.  I got the credit off of the clip I posted since I had a mental blank on the original composer.

[thanoson]

Ooh, I'll 3rd Glitches Bauhaus. Others, hmmm.....

Dietche- Sex Gang Children
Dead and Buried, Now I'm Feeling Zombiefied - Alien Sex Fiend
Halloween - Misfits
Rawhead and Bloody Bones, Happy House, Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Human Fly, Sheena's In a Goth Gang - The Cramps
Everyday is Halloween - Ministry
PIMPF - Depeche Mode
Ghost Town - Specials
Dragula - Rob Zombie
I Put a Spell On You - Screaming Jay Hawkins or Marilyn Manson
This is Heresy - Christian Death
Pet Semetary - Ramones
Scary Monsters - David Bowie
Black Planet - Sisters of Mercy
Hollow Hills, She's In Parties, Stigmata Martyr, Silent Hedges,  - Bauhaus
Christian Says - Tones on Tails
Wasteland, Raising Cain - Mission Uk
Grimly Fiendish, In Dulce Decorum - The Damned
Baby Turns Blue - Virgin Prunes

[Deaths Jester]

Well I guess if we're referencing old movie soundtracks...why not try some stuff off of the classic Lugosi horror "White Zombie", has an old worldly sound and a bit creaky as well..might be worth a shot for preschoolers...not sure though...

[Tawodi Osdi]

"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon

"Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult

Ohh, interesting.  Werewolves of London and Godzilla both have very interesting sounds.

Zevon has two or three songs that would be Halloweeny.  "Excitable Boy" is about a serial killer and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" is about a gangster that got his head blown off and came back.  Zevon's songs were definitely on the dark side of things.

[Ephemeris]

"Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell was the first song that came to mind.

[herodad1]

what about the theme song from True Blood?

[GhostMachine]

I'm Your Boogie Man is actually by Rob Zombie's old band, White Zombie.

I'd suggest the following Rob Zombie songs (all off the first Hellbilly Deluxe album): Dragula (which thanoson already mentioned), Superbeast and Return Of The Phantom Stranger.

Also:

Halloween (also already mentioned by thanoson), Kong At The Gates and The Abominable Dr. Phibes by The Misfits (Halloween has lyrics; the other two are instrumentals)

Re: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton

Dawn of the Dead by Murderdolls

Ghost Riders In The Sky - There are tons of versions of this, but my personal favorites are the Johnny Cash, Vaughn Monroe, Duane Eddy (instrumental), and Spiderbait versions. Avoid the Children of Bodom version, as it beyond stinks.