What Is the Best Spooky Music for Halloween Parties?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andre
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Music
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
24 replies · 6K views
Andre
Messages
4,296
Reaction score
73
That's what my daughter asked me, since she is organizing a halloween party for her 'clients'.

I advised Dance Macabre

-LupmmElMoI[/youtube] But what is the best spooky music?
 
Physics news on Phys.org

Discussion

I have no idea. I went to a haunted farm last night (excellent...well done and lots of fun), and they had lots of great spooky music, but I don't know what any of it was.

Turbo's suggestion is the only one I ever think of to associate with Halloween.
 
turbo-1 said:


Thanks Turbo, there is a long story behind Toccata e Fuga of Bach. I'm not that familiar with halloween so I was unbiased answering. But it's an excellent choice.

I was also thinking of the Organ Symphony #3 of Camille Saint Saens (If I had words...), same composer of the Dance Macabre.

dpziLCxAA4M[/youtube] The spooky part starts around minute 1:30.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Greg Bernhardt said:
Just play some Phantom of the Opera tracks.
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor (my suggestion) was actually used in the soundtrack of the old B+W movie - not the Andrew Lloyd Webber version.
 
Oh, now I remember there was one part of the haunted farm that had something from the Trans Siberian Orchestra (sp?)...that song that we've probably all seen with Christmas lights timed to it. It actually was far better as Halloween music than Christmas music in my opinion.

If the mood is set properly with spooky decorations and dim lights, quite possibly any classical music with a full orchestra would work.
 
Thanks all, The phantom of the opera is a good idea, Greg and I'll try and google the Trans Siberian Orchestra tomorrow Moonbear.
 
Here's some Trans Siberian Orchestra. The second one is what was played last night at the haunted farm to good effect. You'll recognize the inspiration, but they take it to a whole different level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_spMSsB12I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yey9381nB94
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ooooh, I haven't listened to Dance Macabre nor the Organ Symphony in ages. I need to dig those CD's out.

Anyways, some suggestions:
Night on Bald Mountain!
(Find the original orchestration if you can. I like it better, and it's a little more unsettling anyways. :smile:)

Dvorak's 7th Symphony, 1st movement:
I think this is more mysterious than spooky, though.

Symphony Fantastique!
This one is supposed to be a Halloween staple, I think.

Rite of Spring: Infernal dance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzDo-BX74uU&feature=related

Mahler's 1st Symphony, 3rd movement:
I'm not sure if it's inherently creepy, or just its choice of source material...

Neptune from the Planets:
I suppose this one is also more mysterious than spooky, though.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Moonbear said:
You'll recognize the inspiration, but they take it to a whole different level.
Gah, I wish I knew Beethoven better! I only picked out two tunes and a couple familiar feelings. :frown: (It's just Beethoven, right?)
 
Last edited:
Those are great Hurkyl.

I also have always associated Danse Macabre with Halloween. In third grade our music teacher was also an accomplished artist and she would play the classics and have us draw what we heard. This one left a powerful impression on me. I still remember drawing witches and demons dancing around a fire on a sheet of black construction paper. Fun memories.
 
Is it supposed to be party music or just ambiance?

For entertainment music the Tom Waits album Blood Money has several darker sounding tracks and lyrics with dark themes and even a rather dirge like rendition of Coney Island Baby. A couple instrumentals from the album, Knife Chase and Calliope, might make interesting additions to an ambient music line up.
I don't have my CDs on me but I think he has some other spooky bits on other albums. The Bawlers, Brawlers, and Bastards collection I'm pretty sure has a few.

If Rock and Roll type music would work, especially if its a somewhat younger crowd I could give you a very long list.

Some early "Gothic" music had a more classical and/or folk sound, sometimes with some electronica, so she might be able to find some good ambient music there. Bands like Dead Can Dance.
Voltaire is some fun kitch goth music, mostly folk sounding.
 
Depending on what it will be used for, some background music came to mind:

Velvet Acid Christ - Psycho (it's quite chilling, especially the vocal bit)
Velvet Acid Christ - Caught (nice beat actually, but sinister)
Tool - some tracks from the Lateralus album, "schism", for example, not spooky per sé, but great ambient music.
Metallica - Call of Ktulu (a great instrumental piece for ambient sound)
Some of the tracks from the war of the worlds orchestra album (not the new movie soundtrack!) My dad used to put this in the car on our road trips when I was a kid, it freaked the poop out of me. Good stuff! :wink:
 
Night on Bald Mountain is always a good "spooky" music.

But if one wants a "lighter" spooky music, then the whole soundtrack to "Nightmare Before Christmas" would be my #1 pick.

Zz.
 
Resident Evil theme by Marilyn Manson. Put the bass all the way up, surround sound and it'll make your heart thump.
 
The always fun yet grim. Oingo Bongos Dead mans party.
 
These are all good suggestions...but, really, they all need a lot more cowbell.
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
Just play some Phantom of the Opera tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej1zMxbhOO0

When I was a kid, I put on a haunted house every year for about five years. The old Phantom soundtrack, and the Disney Haunted House track linked by Russ, were the soundtracks of choice. It was all great fun and very popular with the neighborhood kids.
 
You know, last time I checked we don't have that many songs that feature the cowbell :smile:
 
oooh, i wish my banjo was repaired intime to have on halloween. I always go to a friends and together the four of us scare kids...a banjo playing from under the tree in his front yard would be creepy, add some crazy laughs...Damn!
 
binzing said:
oooh, i wish my banjo was repaired intime to have on halloween. I always go to a friends and together the four of us scare kids...a banjo playing from under the tree in his front yard would be creepy, add some crazy laughs...Damn!

You could wear overalls, straw hats, fake bad teeth, and act like crazy bayou swamp rats.



More good Halloween Party music (but more for a younger crowd)...

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Type -O- Negative - Black No.1

Gnarls Barkley - Boogie Monster

The Cure - Burn

Deadbolt - Voodoo Trucker

Batlord - Undertaker
 
(Don't Fear) The Reaper...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rW-YvYmUE&feature

Werewolves of London...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAWTkGu8bpo&feature