Five evil-sounding songs that would make the devil shiver
The satanic panic was a strange period in musical history. There were a number of people across America who thought that a lot of artists, especially those who dabbled in rock music, such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, were responsible for spreading satanic messages across the country. They would break vinyl and boycott music they thought was the devil’s work and praised the word of the lord.
We know with the power of hindsight that these concerns were nothing more than mere delusion; however, there are some tracks out there where you could be forgiven for thinking evil forces were behind making it. Music is a powerful art form, and it can be used to make people feel a range of different emotions, including fear.
Every decade has some form of music that can instil fear into its listeners. Whether you are listening to rock, rap or something more experimental, there will be subsections of genres that make your hair stand on end and your blood run cold. It’s safe to say that these songs don’t fall into the realm of the satanic panic, as even Satan himself would likely avoid them.
This list covers those fear-inducing tracks. Here are five definitive songs laced with terror so palpable that even the devil would struggle to get through a listen.
Five of the scariest songs ever written:
The Beach Boys – ‘Not Learn Not to Love’
Before he became the infamous serial killer and cult leader we all know today, Charles Manson was a big music lover who enjoyed the work of many ‘60s artists, such as The Beach Boys. He worked on a song with them, which was initially called ‘Cease to Exist’, but Dennis Wilson reworked it and called it ‘Never Learn Not to Love’.
Charles Manson was incredibly angry that his lyrics had been changed, so he went away, re-recorded the song, and used his own lyrics. You could argue that his version ‘Cease to Exist’ is the more terrifying of the two, but what song do you consider the most frightening: The one written by pure evil? Or the one that can make pure evil angry?
Clipping – ‘Run For Your Life’
Is there any song more scary than the one that makes you feel as though a serial killer is following you? Clipping producers William Hudson and Jonathan Bailey have backgrounds in theatre sound, which comes across in how realistic this track sounds. The beat is provided by wind, footsteps and music playing from passing cars, as rapper Daveed Diggs inhabits an evil persona lingering just behind you.
The track is from one of the band’s two horror-themed concept albums. Any song from both of these records could have made it onto this list, but the ingenuity of ‘Run For Your Life’ makes it impossible to choose anything else. If you feel brave enough, play this with earphones on your next walk home.
Immortal Technique – ‘Dance With the Devil’
Rap music is a great medium for storytelling because it gives people the chance to say a lot in a short amount of time. A lot of people have therefore used the genre as a vehicle to write tracks with great lyrical power, whether that’s telling a story, framing a state of mind or trying to incite political change. However, Immortal Technique took things way too far with his song ‘Dance With the Devil’.
The song is often cited as one of the most graphic songs ever made, as the narrative throughout talks about a wannabe gang member, his time on the streets and his initiation into the gang, which involves assaulting and murdering his mother. The song ends with the boy killing himself. The story is horribly graphic and deeply violent, so much so that a lot of people struggle to listen to it.
Ghédalia Tazartés – ‘Un Amour Si Grand Qu’il Nie Son Objet’
A lot of music might have a scary theme or a haunting backstory behind the track, but very few can instil genuine fear into the listener’s heart. Ghédalia Tazartés’s use of sound is so intense and intimate that it feels deeply disturbing when you listen.
On his song ‘Un Amour Si Gran Qu’il Nie Son Objet’, he breaks down the music by beginning to hum with a croaking voice. The sound is haunting and anxiety-inducing, truly proving the power of music in evoking different emotions.
Tiny Tim – ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’
A lot of people might call this choice bias. The first time that a lot of people heard the song ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’ was on the horror film Insidious, and as such, we instantly associate the track with fear. However, if the song were played without the context of a horror film, it would still likely induce the same fear.
Tiny Tim’s bizarre high-pitched vocals, paired with the stripped-back nature of this song as he only plays a ukulele, is enough to make even the calmest of minds feel tension. If you play this song in a dark room while alone, there is no escaping the fact that you would instantly feel on edge.
