Brant's Halloween Go-To's (Ghost-To's?)

How am I supposed to enjoy my evening stroll through the cemetery when people keep putting crosses everywhere?!?

Let's face it - most people want to hear their own music, especially at a party!  So for a Halloween party, I encourage you to pull together the songs you and your friends love the most.  To make it a Halloween playlist, just pepper in a few seasonal selections. Below are my favorites that I never grow tired of hearing.  Enjoy!  

1.  Freakshow on the Dance Floor (the Bar-Kays) - Nothing like some old school funk to get the party going!  

2.  Monster Mash (Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers) - A classic that will always be welcome on any playlist.

3.  Walking Through a Cemetery (Claudine Clark) - This is an obscure one, but tons of fun with a vintage 1960's doo-wop vibe.

4.  That Old Black Magic (Florence Henderson) - From the 1976 "Paul Lynde Halloween Special"!  A disco-fied version of the pop standard.

5.  Zombie Jamboree (Harry Belafonte) - Harry goes Halloween!

6.  Vampire Ska (Horny Toad) - More islandy sounds to celebrate the season, mon.

7.  Spooky (Imogen Heap) - Imogen's faithful cover of the Classics 1V song, from the "Just Like Heaven" soundtrack.

8.  Black Cat (Janet Jackson) - Technically not a Halloween song, but it'll get your party rockin'.  

9.  Stayin' Alive (Lizzo) - Lizzo breathes life into any party, especially when she covers the Bee Gees!

10.  Thriller (Micheal Jackson) - The Grammy-winning mack daddy of Halloween songs!

11.  Ghostbusters (Ray Parker Jr) - Classic song from a classic movie!

12.  Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell) - Rumor has it that Michael Jackson thought he'd be singing with a choir at the time he recorded his vocals!  It ended up only MJ and Rockwell, but it's a fun song nonetheless!

13.  Witchcraft (Sarah Vaughan) - Sarah adds a touch of class to this bewitching tune.

14.  Nemesis (Shriekback) - An 80s rarity that always livens up a party, even though the dead are coming home!

15.  This Corrosion (Sisters of Mercy) - Danceable Goth vibes celebrating all that is rotten.

16.  Gidget Goes to Hell (Suburban Lawns) - A little punk rock ditty that probably isn't a Halloween song, but the chorus works.

17.  Night Time Fantasy (Vicki Sue Robinson) - I had to include a little more disco, this being from the 1979 soundtrack to the  cult vampire classic "Nocturna"!

Brant's October 2020 Playlist

Witch of us has a Zoom account?  It's time to log into the Halloween conference call!

Another month, and not much has changed!  And now it's looking like instead of a festive Halloween with friends and parties, it might just be a Zoom call (thanks to the pandemic). Oh, if only three witches could work their magic and get us out of this cursed year.    Until then, we'll keep plugging along - with coronavirus, a depressed economy, a president who refuses to condemn white supremacy, and (on the bright side) another batch of songs cobbled together as I try to hold on to some sense of normalcy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Preach (Saint Motel) - Upbeat alt rock to lift our spirits.

2.  Hot Stuff (Kygo feat. Donna Summer) - If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  And after successful remixes of Whitney and Tina, Kygo waves his magic wand over one of Donna Summer's disco hits.  I'm not mad about it!  

3.  Here Comes the End (Gerard Way feat. Judith Hill) - The My Chemical Romance guy is having a great year.  His awesome "Umbrella Academy" is now on Netflix, and he contributed this banger to the soundtrack!

4.  Vampire Ska (Horny Toad) - I wouldn't dream of having an October playlist without a Halloween song, and this one (from the "Things We Do in the Shadows" soundtrack) fit the bill!

5.  betty (Taylor Swift) - An easy country-flavored tune from her excellent "folklore" album.

6.  Rise Up Singing (Trigger Hippy) - Lifted from Jill's September playlist.  I always wondered what happened to Joan Osborne.  Happy to hear her contributing to this folksy rock band's sound.  She left the band in 2017, but it's a nice reminder of how great she is!

7.  I Need a Man (Prince) - From the Super Deluxe version of "Sign of the Times".  He apparently offered this to Bonnie Raitt but she never released her version.  I'm digging it!

8.  Who's Sorry Now (Angel Olsen) - Angel's voice is perfectly suited for this 1958 Connie Francis classic!

9.  Lost in Translation (the Neighbourhood) - More peppy alt rock to keep the party going (even if it's socially distanced!).

10.  Something About You (Elderbrook and Rudimental) - Percolating beats and falsetto vocals.

11.  Better Distractions (Faye Webster) - Jazzy soft rock perfect for sipping coffee and watching the autumn leaves drop.

12.  How Lucky (Kurt Vile with John Prine) - It's great to see how many younger artists paid tribute to John Prine after he passed.  It's even better to hear them singing with him!

13.  Surrender (Will Butler) - Arcade Fire member goes solo with some singalong pop!

14.  7 Seconds (Porridge Radio) - 80's influenced New Wave from British Indie band.

15.  Beautiful /Lewis OfMan Remix/ (Rhye) - Disco beats and Rhye's silky vocals make for a trippy and delicious dance extravaganza!

16.  Part-Time Lover (Nicole Chambers) - Not the Stevie Wonder classic, but still a jazzy soul jam!

17.  The Problem (Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell) - Can these two do any wrong?  They're even better when they team up.  I decided to end on a hopeful note with this latest collaboration.

So that's October's playlist!  See ya next month!