Songs exclusively celebrating this eve of eves!
TRACK #60:
Happy Halloween by Zacherley
Perhaps the granddaddy of all Horror Hosts, John Zacherle donned the guise of Roland (later Zarcherley in New York) as Philadelphia’s host of Shock Theater in 1957.
In addition to being one of the most iconic personalities of the genre and one of its earliest originators, Zarcherley also released tons of spooky music during his career as a Horror Host.
Just in time for #60, here’s the Cool Ghoul himself wishing us all a very Happy Halloween.
TRACK #40:
Halloween by Kay Lande and Wade Denning
Divisible by 20? That must mean it’s time for another Halloween song.
When it comes to straight up Halloween music, few songs pack as much adolescent cheer and Halloweeniness than this track from spookster Wade Denning and children’s performer Kay Lande.
It’s catchier than all get out and set to the tune of Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, which itself used to be on the Shindig, until I came across this little ditty some years back.
Go ahead, try not humming this song to yourself for the next 72 hours.
H-A-DOUBLE L – O – W – DOUBLE E – N spells Halloween!
TRACK #21:
This Is The Night (Trick or Treat) by Lou Rawls
I don’t know bout y’all, but when I was a kid, only one thing meant Halloween and that was Garfield’s Halloween special.
6 years before The Simpsons would forever lace itself in my brain to this Eve of the Dead, Garfield was digging through costumes in John’s attic, trick or treating with Odie, and getting lost in a row boat.
The most memorable aspect of Garfield’s Halloween Adventure, other than those goddamn ghost pirates scaring the living shit out of me, was the music.
The first cut from this classic holiday cartoon is the opening number by Lou Rawls, lead in by our old pal Binky The Clown. Enjoy.
TRACK #20:
Halloween by Betty Grable
There are so many songs on the Shindig simply titled Halloween, that one appears roughly every 20 songs.
So, up at #20 is this vintage Betty Grable ditty from the 1950 film entitled My Blue Heaven.
The film, while not itself about Halloween, does feature this rather bizarre song and dance number. Stranger still, the movie is actually about a married couple (Dan Dailey and Grable) both radio personalities, that are expecting their first child. After a car accident, Grable miscarries and the couple look in adoption. Yeah, that sounds pretty light, let’s turn that into a musical. Shit, and while we’re at it, let’s throw in this completely unrelated song about Halloween!
Hey, if you’re singing about the Eve of All Hallo’s, the Shindig don’t judge, particularly when you have lines like “Hot jack-o-lantern it’s Halloween!”
TRACK #17:
Spooky by Classic IV
Ash might call it “Groovy.”
I’ll call it a Shindigger, cause with a verse like…
Just like a ghost, you’ve been a-hauntin’ my dreams,
So I’ll propose… on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you
…this song’s gotta get some Halloween props.
TRACK #3:
Halloween by King Diamond
With the first 2 tracks simply serving as atmosphere, the the unofficial start to Halloween Shindig is here. And what better herald is there than King Diamond to usher in our festivities? Halloween (or our Shindig) doesn’t truly begin until King Diamond fucking says so.
But to King Diamond, every night is Halloween, and he looks damn prepared for it…always. Check it out.
Anything anyone who looks anything like this 90% of the time has to say about Halloween is probably true, so we should just listen.
But, I’m not sure how that works exactly. If Halloween is just constantly occurring, what’s all the fuss about? What are any of us doing here? Why is there a party, and why do you need music for it?
That’s because, in deference to whether King gets his sack out and goes trick-or-treating every night, Halloween is still Oct. 31st, and you’ve got a party to host. A party King Diamond will most likely not be attending…at least not physically anyway.
So, in the true spirit of Halloween, the eve of the dead…..crank it up, and let the spirit of King Diamond make an appearance at your Shindig.