Partying Under The Covers On Halloween

My Mixtape’s A Masterpiece is a weekly feature in which a guest compiles a 12-song playlist around some theme. This week, Jeremy Lowe assembles a Halloween Party Playlist from covers of classic spooky songs. The Spotify and YouTube mixes are below, along with Jeremy’s liner notes.

There’s nothing better than a good Halloween party. One of the quintessential elements of a good party is a good playlist. Now, there are certain classics that need to be a part of said playlist in order for it to truly keep the spooky festivities a float. We all know which tunes I’m talking about. They’re the same ones that playin’ the background of every Spirit Halloween Store.

Tradition is great and definitely has its place, but this is Neon f’n Splatter, and we like to do things a little bit different. Rolling with the theme of #Mocktoberfest, I’m gonna dig up my favorite covers of classic Halloween party songs. Let’s get this party started and let’s make it weird!

1. “Superstition” by Mannheim Steamroller (originally by Stevie Wonder)

Talk about taking a song and making it something completely your own. “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder is an eerie funk masterpiece. Themes of delusion causing anxiety, this song has been a mainstay on Halloween playlists for years. What Mannheim Steamroller has done by tweaking it into a disco meets pseudo-industrial may not be for everyone’s liking, but I really dig it.

2. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Crystal Theory (originally by Blue Öyster Cult)

When I think of sexy songs, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” maybe quite possibly the furthest thing from my mind. Somehow Crystal Theory took the nihilistic Blue Öyster Cult rock anthem, and turned it into a smoothed-out lounge track that cannot be ignored. This may not be for every Halloween party, but I can definitely see it at a more refined, sophisticated spooky soirée. Either that or just a hot goth make out session.

3. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Black TarPoon (originally by Rockwell feat. Michael Jackson)

Written and performed by Rockwell (with a major assist on the chorus from Michael Jackson), this song has always been a perfectly creepy pop song making it a suitable theme for the scary time of year. Stripping away that pop aspect and rewiring it with hillbilly punk adds an extra layer of sinister redneck terror. Black TarPoon’s cover should be more widely known. It brings to mind so many backwoods stalk-and-slash films.

4. “I’m Your Boogieman” by White Zombie (originally by KC and the Sunshine Band)

When Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch wrote and produced “I’m Your Boogieman” it was originally a thank you to radio DJ Robert W. Walker for being the first to play their music on the air waves. Rob Zombie’s keen ear for everything retro picked up something different. An ode to a disco DJ was transformed into a nu-metal homage to Michael Myers. You can even hear audio samples of children saying “He’s gonna get you! The Boogeyman is Coming” from 1978’s HALLOWEEN. What a flawless jam for any metalhead looking to shake their groove thang.

5. “Psycho Killer” by Antiseen (originally by Talking Heads)

I’m a huge fan of Antiseen. They are one of the most controversial acts in underground punk rock/rock n’ roll history. As much as they like to push buttons, Antiseen also has a great appreciation for the history of punk rock. In 1977, Talking Heads wrote “Psycho Killer” as a catchy and deceptively funky tune about a serial killer. It’s one of those classics that once it’s in your head, it’s stuck there. Call it punk rock, call it new wave, but whatever it is…it’s a perfect song for the southern scumfucks known as Antiseen. (Editor’s Note: this song is not currently available on Spotify but it is in the YouTube playlist below)

6. “Werewolves of London” by Adam Sandler (originally by Warren Zevon)

Love him or hate him, everyone knows actor and comedian Adam Sandler. His debut album, They’re All Gonna Laugh At You, featured several silly songs including “Lunchlady Land” and “The Thanksgiving Song”. It should be no surprise, then, to see him cover Warren Zevon’s classic “Werewolves of London” with its quirky lyrics about mutilation, Chinese food, and grooming—it’s a musical marriage made in comedy heaven.

7. “Purple People Eater” by Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages (originally by Sheb Wooley)

1960s garage rocker Screaming Lord Sutch knew how to impeccably mix kitsch, horror, and rock ‘n’ roll. He’s better known for “Jack the Ripper”, but this take on the Sheb Wooley classic is a must hear tune. The cooky, kid-friendly side of the track remains intact while a layer of grime is laid thickly on top of it. Sutch’s raspy growl elevates this song to a more dangerous area, and creates something new for creepy teens to shake their tailfeather.

8. “Ghostbusters” by Run-DMC (originally by Ray Parker, Jr.)

Ever since GHOSTBUSTERS debuted in 1984, the theme song created by Ray Parker, Jr. has been guaranteed to get Halloween booties groovin’. So, what if you wanted to poop and lock to it? That’s when you have the OGs of hip hop, Run-DMC, come in and put their own flavor on it. Adding break beats and street cred to a theme song so widely regarded takes a careful touch, and Run-DMC most certainly delivered with their rendition of “Ghostbusters” for the GHOSTBUSTERS II soundtrack.

9. “This Is Halloween” by Marylin Manson (originally by Danny Elfman)

I’ve never been a huge fan of shock rockers Marylin Manson, but I will give them this: they certainly know how to cover a well-known song and make it their own. I mean, this is the band who broke into the mainstream rock charts with a cover of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”. So, it’s no stretch of the imagination to see them mutate “This is Halloween” written and performed by Danny Elfman for the stop-motion classic THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, from a family friendly sing-a-long into a heavy synth-driven masterwork of the morbid.

10. “Thriller (feat. Mikey General and Spragga Benz)” by Easy Star All-Stars (originally by Michael Jackson)

When I was a small child one of the kids my mom babysat brought over the video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on VHS. It terrified me. Looking back, it’s such a perfect blend of horror and pop music that it’s hard to deny how incredible it is. In 2012, I discovered that Easy Star All-Stars covered the entire Thriller album in their unique fusion of reggae and dub. This is that jam I can see urban goths smoking a big fat joint to, and I’m here for it.

11. “Science Fiction/Double Feature” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (originally by Richard O’Brien)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW is the ultimate queer rock musical. Just as with many others discovering their sexuality, I fell in love with this movie when I was in high school. It was about the same time I started listening to nothing but punk rock. Joan Jett being the queen of all things punk, rock, and queer makes her the perfect musician to cover the theme to Richard O’Brien musical freakout.

Hearing a revved up and aggressive version of “Science Fiction/Double Feature” is so empowering. Queer punk rock party never ends!

12. “Monster Mash” by The Kids Of Widney High (originally by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers)

For me, the greatest form of punk rock is unpolished, underproduced, and lo-fi. So many times when “Monster Mash” has been covered it was way too slick for my liking.

For me, the greatest form of punk rock is unpolished, underproduced, and lo-fi. So many times when “Monster Mash” has been covered it was way too slick for my liking. That’s until The Kids Of Widney High got their hands on it. The Kids Of Widney High are a punk/rock group composed of students with mental disabilities. Their style of music is raw and I love it. The best part of their cover of the Crypt-Kickers classic is that you can tell they’re having fun. Halloween should be fun, music should be fun, and “Monster Mash” should most definitely be FUN! If you hear this song and it doesn’t make you smile, then you have no business being at a Halloween party in the first place.