As a kid I had a Halloween record that I used to play over & over again. I can’t remember most of the songs except for the classic Monster Mash (by Bobby Boris Pickett, it hit #1 on the charts in 1962.) So in honor of this upcoming holiday I thought I’d share some Halloween favorites….

For us 80’s kids, who can forget DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s “Nightmare on My Street?” It was their next hit after the huge “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Playing off the popularity of the movie Nightmare on Elm Street, it definitely had a big cheese factor, but its addictive bass line and cool effects make it a treat to hear. Bet you haven’t heard it in awhile:

Probably the king of all Halloween themed tunes has to be Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” which is just iconic at this point. From the creepy Vincent Price spoken word, to the often copied zombie dance moves to its great beat, it just doesn’t get much better than this.


In the 90’s came Rob Zombie who looked like a Halloween monster himself. One of his best songs is “Dragula” which sounds like it was made for Halloween. The video clip with lots of classic horror movies is a sight to see:

One of the scariest pieces of music has to be “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield. This composer & electronic music pioneer burst onto the scene in the early 70’s (his debut album sold over 16 million copies worldwide!) with this hit song. It’s better known as the theme song to the Exorcist. Gives me chills just hearing it again, although I’m not sure if it’s from the song itself or the association with the movie…

A newer entry into our lexicon of Halloween classic tunes is Danny Elfman’s “This is Halloween.” One of the most memorable songs from the Tim Burton classic Nightmare Before Xmas. I still remember seeing it in the theatres and somehow not knowing it was a musical…


What’s your favorite Halloween song?