Five unintentionally scary songs that should be on every Halloween playlist
Halloween is right around the corner, and with it, people are making the perfect playlists which should act as the backdrop for whatever parties they’re throwing.
There are plenty of classic Halloween songs that will always find their way onto different playlists, no matter what kind of vibe you’re going for. These include the likes of ‘Thriller’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’. All of them are perfect for a spooky evening, but if you’ve ever tried to make such a playlist, you’ll know that once you’ve ticked off the classics, it’s hard trying to find the best songs to include.
What is it that makes a song scary? The truth is, there are a number of different attributes. These include the likes of tone, narrative, and also overall performance. If a band gets these right, then whether they intend to or not, they make a song which is perfect for the Halloween season as it can wonderfully set the tone for a spooky playlist.
So, what are these songs that weren’t written to be scary but somehow fit within that bracket?
Unintentionally scary songs that should be on your playlist:
The Police – ‘Every Breath You Take’
‘Every Breath You Take’ is one of those songs which you have to sit with for a moment before you truly realise what’s happening. The guitar line paired with Sting’s soft vocals makes for a sweet-sounding and romantic song, but once you start to hum along to the lyrics, you realise what you’re singing isn’t sweet… It’s fucking creepy.
The song isn’t a tale of love, but one of obsession. Every word which comes out of Sting’s mouth is one of harmful longing, telling the subject of the track that he refuses to leave them alone, no matter where they go. It makes for a pretty scary number, not literally, but that hidden obsession lingering under the sweet musicianship is goddamn harrowing.
Nine Inch Nails – ‘Closer’
Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails are less musicians at this point and are instead architects of sound. The way that they put music together is unlike damn-near anything else out there, spanning soundscapes and making for something atmospheric and cinematic. It allows them to create music that feels vast; however, it also feels somewhat haunting at times, too.
One of the best examples of this is the track ‘Closer’. The song creates a barren landscape, one of both minimalism and maximalism. It’s hard to tell whether Nine Inch Nails wanted to scare listeners by creating a song like this, but under the right circumstances, that’s certainly what they’ve done. This is a track that needs to land on any self-respecting music lover’s Halloween playlist.
Clipping – ‘Body and Blood’
Clipping are a rap trio who are well and truly the masters of horror-inspired hip-hop. Their albums There Existed an Addiction to Blood and Visions of Bodies Being Burned are concept albums that try to put the listener in a devilish hellscape where they’re checking over their shoulder constantly. However, even their music which isn’t centred around horror, because of the band’s use of noise and harsh sounds, makes for an indirectly terrifying listen.
The song ‘Body and Blood’ is a pretty good example of this. The song is made up of harsh sounds and aggressive rapping that centres around a woman who doesn’t need men except for their physical attributes. The way the lyrics are structured is quite terrifying, as Daveed Diggs raps in the chorus, “She don’t need you for shit but your dick and your veins and your guts.”
Danny Brown – ‘Downward Spiral’
Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition is often applauded as being one of the greatest and most innovative rap albums ever made. The theme of the record is Brown’s overreliance on drugs and alcohol and how they’re ruining his fucking life. He uses bold sounds to put together something truly extravagant, and a lot of the record comes across as chaotic.
The opening track, however, leans less on chaos and instead focuses on the likes of creating an eerie atmosphere. Brown talks about sexual infidelity and the meaninglessness of a “rockstar” lifestyle over a cascading instrumental, which well and truly sets the scene for something haunting. The track is borderline terrifying and should be played on any night centred around horror.
Suicide – ‘Frankie Teardrop’
You might need to give us a bit of leeway with this song. Suicide likely did want to instil some level of fear into the listener with this song, but it wasn’t their sole aim. The song ‘Frankie Teardrop’ centres around despair and hopelessness; it’s supposed to make you helpless, but in the process, it also makes you feel scared.
The song tells the story of Frankie, a 20-year-old who is working in a shitty fukcing factory and struggling to support his wife and child. He’s driven to violence, and we’re with him every step of the way over the pounding bass and monotone narration. It’s enough to make your hair stand on end and is one of the most unintentionally haunting tracks ever written.
