Our Top Ten Scary Songs For Halloween

“Ave Satani” as performed by some creepy looking white kids from Europe

This is the Halloween equivalent of a carol, we suppose. The Gregorian chant praising Satan that was used as the theme song in the original Omen movie from 1976. Someone actually dubbed the song over this footage of a children’s choir, but the effect is good.

“Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus

Never before has such a danceable song been so freaking scary thanks to its use in the 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs. Now remember, it puts the FUCKING LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!

“My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me” by The Ghetto Boys

What’s scarier than living in a drug infested ghetto? Gunfire, toothless crack hos. Twelve heads in a bag. Shit is dangerous.

“One” by Metallica

The story behind this song–a war veteran returning home with total paralysis and no ability to communicate with the outside world–probably qualifies as the scariest idea we’ve ever contemplated.

“Helter Skelter” by The Beatles

What makes this song scary for us, of course, is its association to Charles Manson. Manson used it, along with voices from his dog, to come up with a theory about how black Americans were going to start a war with white Americans–what he called Helter Skelter. Somehow he used that theory to convince a group of teenagers to brutally stab and murder a pregnant Sharon Tate and her friends. Happy Halloween.

“Psycho Killer” by The Talking Heads

Back when The Talking Heads were in their prime, David Byrne came across as a possible Type-A serial killer, himself. Which only made this song more intriguing.

“Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield

If you’ve ever seen The Exorcist, you’ll recall this little diddy and then you’ll move a little further under your covers.

“People Are Strange” by The Doors

This one really taps into our social phobia.

“Night Prowler” by AC/DC

This song, about a murderer hunting a woman outside her window at night, was the inspiration for real-life serial killer Richard Ramirez’s nickname. Though we’re not really sure why he got called “Night Stalker” instead.

“Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Cryptkickers

Just to lighten the mood, we’ll throw in this classic. It’s like the Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer of Halloween as far as we’re concerned. No matter what kind of boo humbug mood we’re in, this song will get us in the spirit in ten seconds flat.