Tunes for Trick or Treat

“If music be the food of love, play on.”

I may be taking the line out of context, but for me, this Shakespeare quote from Twelfth Night illustrates my belief that music is the flavor added to the banquet of life.  Melodies heighten experiences and can elevate even the daily and mundane (like driving in the car or going for a jog). Music is a key component for setting the mood and creating ambiance. Choosing the right music can make or break an event. At a party, it can get people on the dance floor or send them out the door.

As Halloween approaches, I’m putting together a playlist of my favorite fun and frightful tunes. My dozen spooky selections can be broken into three main groups: classic Halloween songs, creepy instrumental compositions, and dancey party jams.

Classic Halloween Songs:

These include Monster Mash, Thriller, and the theme songs to the Munsters and the Addams Family.

Creepy Compositions:

The theme to Halloween, the Psycho theme, Night on Bald Mountain, and my all-time haunted favorite: Danse Macabre by Saint-Saëns.

Dancey party jams:

Calling all the Monsters (yes, from the Disney channel), Ghostbusters (both the CLASSIC Ray Parker Jr version and the UPDATED Fall Out Boy remake), and the creeptastic Marilyn Mansion version of This is Halloween from Nightmare Before Christmas.

If you’re looking for some more spooky songs to round out your haunted playlist, check out Billboard’s Top 25 Halloweeen Songs.  Tip: they put one of these out each year, there is some overlap, of course, but it’s fun to look at what songs make the cut and what gets slashed. (yes, that was some Halloween humor).

So that’s it, witches! Crank up the tunes and get ready to collect some CANDY!!! Or,  celebrate #thewritinglush style, with one of these spooky spirits.

What would be on your Halloween playlist? Stop by my Facebook page and let me know!