TRACK #290:

Halloween by Denise Jannah

This smooth operator of a Halloween track, from Dutch jazz-vocalist Denise Jannah, might not immediately strike you as a banger, but its infectious groove, spooky accompaniment and festive lyrics are sure to win you over in the end.

I love the mood of this record, no doubt aided by this it’s laid back clarinet and spooky organ. There’s some other instrument in there pops up later in the song that’s also spooky, but I’m not enough of a musical scholar to able to properly identify it. Perhaps it’s another organ of some kind. All’s I knows is it’s spookyish too.

Now, when it comes to Halloween tunes, you’re basically only really getting 2 types.

First, you got the explicitly and undeniably festive songs of the season, draped in all the imagery of autumn and unashamedly so. These song can go about their pumpkining and tricking in either a fun, spooky or horrific manner, but the end result in always the same – literal Halloweenery.

Now the second kind of song may appear literal at first glance, but they’re using the imagery and traditions of Halloween to tell a different tale. Think Siouxsie and the Banshee’s Halloween, or  Otis Reading’s Trick or Treat.

Such is the case with Denise Jannah’s Halloween, which finds her confronting a lover who is duplicitous! She likens their deceptions to the mumming on our favorite holiday. She even goes so far as to just call this dude “Halloween.” 

Ouch. That’s a pretty serious accusation, and one that I’m not sure how to take. I don’t know how comfortable I am with “Halloween” just getting tossed around as some pejorative. I’m not even sure how effective it is.

For instance, would you say to a friend whom you have just discovered is a liar…

“Wait, you told the boss I took a shit on his desk? But you’re the one who dared me to do it! You know what bruh, you’re Halloween.” 

Then this dude for sure is gonna be like…

“I’m sorry, did you just call me ‘Halloween?”

Then you’ll have to be all…

”Yeah. Ya know, cause like people wear masks and shit on Halloween to disguise their identities. And that’s what’s you did to me bro! You disguised your ass as my friend! So just stay the fuck away from me, alright?!”

To which any reasonable person should respond…

“Yeah, well I definitely don’t want to associate with anyone that uses dumb ass roundabout insults, so no problem guy.”

But hey, I get it. Music is art and art is figurative and all of that. Don’t be so literal, man. Sure sure. But don’t start taking Halloween’s name in vain either!

We’ve had a bit of fun her at Denise Jannah’s expense, but seriously, I found this song last year and I absolutely love it, and I’m glad to be able to add this spooky little number to the playlist this year and I hope ya’ll like it to.

Halloween, it’s in your heart and your dreams!