Your singing scares me. Knock it off.
Scary music. Can you imagine a horror movie or Halloween party without it? It’s essential, right? Let’s talk scary music, but let’s NOT talk about film scores, or “Monster Mash”, or anything by Alice Cooper or Jessica Simpson. Let’s instead talk about music that gives you the creeps or downright freaks you out, and any genre is game (though, really, Norwegian black metal is just too obvious).
I am not a fan of being scared, I have to admit. I gave up horror movies and horror novels years ago. (What I see, I can’t unsee. What I read, I can’t forget. That’s a problem for an insomniac.) However, music doesn’t affect me in the same way. I can get the heebie-jeebies and feel uncomfortable and creeped out while listening to a song or a score, but rarely do I wake up in the middle of the night with “Tubular Bells” running in a loop in my head. (If I just jinxed myself, you WILL hear about it.)
So, here’s my list of Songs that Creep Me the Hell Out:
1. “Tubular Bells” – Mike Oldfield: If any song is any more entwined with the film it was featured in, I don’t know what it is. This song = Linda Blair’s rotating head. Period.
2. “The End” – The Doors: I love The Doors and ol’ Jimmy boy, but this is a heavy, death-y song. Jim might have had issues. Just a gues.
3. “Down By the Water” – PJ Harvey: She’s brilliant. BRILLIANT. And here? She’s spooky, man. This song is – to me, anyway – clearly about a crazy mother who drowns her daughter. Eek. Eek. Eek.
4. “Stinkfist” – Tool: Had I not simultaneously heard this song AND seen the video, perhaps I wouldn’t feel freaky about it, but alas, that’s not how it happened, so it’s on the list. For good.
5. “Polly” – Amanda Palmer: I just discovered this song – a cover of Nirvana’s “Polly” – and it’s ghoulish and creepy, and I love it. I might even like it better than the original. (Forgive me, Kurt.)
I toodled around the Interwebs, and here is a list compiled from several sources, all songs I’m not familiar with, but all considered scary/creepy/freaky. I’ll pop a couple of these on the buffet today for us all to enjoy (or avoid forever after):
1. “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” – Sufjan Stevens: Based on the title, I’ll give this one a “No duh”.
2. “When This is Over” – Hayden: A song about the sweet little boys who were drowned by their evil mother, Susan Smith. Sung from son Michael Smith’s POV. Not sure if I’m ready to hear this one.
3. “D.O.A.” – Bloodrock: Car crash, bloody limbs, death. It’s on everyone’s list. Why don’t I know this horrific classic?
4. “Black Eyed Dog” – Nick Drake: I know Drake, but not this song. I’ve read it described as something like “Oh, hey – death is at the door for you”. Great. Probably not ready for this one either.
5. “Gallows” – Cocorosie: A band named Cocorosie (Coco! Rosie!) should be singing songs about pina coladas, and festivals, and drinking too much rum, and partying in South Beach, but they’re not. Apparently, they’re singing about hanging someone.
So, Easy Company, help me out. After whipping this up, I realize that I don’t know THAT many scary tunes. Have I not heard many? Have I blocked them out? Does it take too much to musically creep me out? What makes your list of scariest/creepiest/most ghoulish songs?
