Haunted Hits: The Origins Behind Your Halloween Playlist Favorites
With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to get your Halloween party playlists in order. Of course, you’re going to feature the likes of the Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, and Thriller, but how much do you actually know about the stories behind the hits?
MusicnGear have dug deep into the music crypts to find out what some of our favorite spooky songs are actually about, and it turns out they might not be as scary as we had imagined!
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Perhaps the most known of all Halloween songs and with an iconic music video to boot, ‘Thriller’ mentions werewolves, graveyards, zombies, and even features a cameo from the master of horror Vincent Price himself.
During production, the song went through phases of being called ‘Starlight’ and ‘Midnight Man’ before finding its iconic title. However, it’s thought the song is actually a social commentary on a 1980’s America of gang violence, crack cocaine addiction and the AIDS epidemic.
Bobby “Boris” Pickett – The Monster Mash
‘The Monster Mash’ originated from a Boris Karloff imitation that Pickett performed whilst on stage with his band The Cordials.
Receiving a positive reaction from the crowd, Pickett was convinced his tale of a mad scientist having a party with his monster pals could become a hit. The track, inspired by the Mashed Potato dance craze and novelty hit ‘Alley Oop’, continues to be a Halloween favourite today.
Blue Öyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
Opening with spooky guitar riffs before exploding with clunky drum beats and ringing cowbells, ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ became Blue Öyster Cult’s biggest hit when it was released on their fourth studio album in 1976.
While it may have a creepy title, the song is actually about everlasting love – particularly in the afterlife. When lead guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser wrote the track, he was imagining that he’d still be with his wife when they both die.
Many people were quick to associate some aspects of the song to references of suicide, which was later disputed by Roeser.
Stephen King even cited the song as an influence to ‘The Stand’, which was also used as the theme tune to its accompanying television adaptation.
Soft Cell (Originally by Gloria Jones) – Tainted Love
‘Tainted Love’ is one of those songs that has been recorded over and over by numerous artists throughout the years. Whether you know it by Gloria Jones, Soft Cell or Marilyn Manson, the track is about a poisonous (or tainted, even) romance that needs to end.
The track’s story may not necessarily be scary, but it’s definitely a hauntingly realistic love tale.
Take a look at some more origins behind your favourite thrilling tunes over on MusicnGear.
Happy Halloween!
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