Haunting hits for a spooky good time - staff picks

The Sentry’s Halloween staff picks

While this song is not a traditional Halloween bop, Cindy Lauper’s 1983 hit, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a sure-fire way to make all the witches in the club start groovin’. The upbeat 80’s tune is a bubbly way to start off the spooky evening. With relatable lyrics like, “When the working day is done / Oh, girls—they wanna have fun,” everyone will let loose and let their ghoulish sides out for one hellishly fun night. Slip this song into a playlist and no one will be complaining as they scream the lyrics out like a Halloween anthem.

-Frankie Spiller

“Last Caress” is Misfits at their finest. The song has everything, Glenn Danzig’s voice and personality taken straight out of a horror movie. The completely outrageous and macabre lyrics, sloppy playing and production that perfectly walk the line between charming and straight up bad, all packed into less than two minutes of pure punk. The stripped-down and overdriven harmonies, driving kick-drum, and rattling hi-hats combine to form a song that’s impossible not to jump around to, and a catchy melody to boot. “Last Caress” is a classic must-have for anybody ready for a hardcore and high energy Halloween.

-Aiden Beatty

Not only does it have more cowbell than all other Halloween tracks, but Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” is the perfect Halloween playlist feature. The chillingly rhythmic opening riff brings on a sense of something looming, which carries through the track. Add in the slightly disembodied vocal harmonies to increase the alarm as he sings about how many people die around the world every single day, crooning “Another 40,000 coming everyday / We can be like they are.” At the song’s midpoint, the track shifts into a slamming electric guitar break, forcing listeners to think about their own mortality. Come on, it’s a song about death. It doesn’t get spookier than that.

-Amanda Blackman

A song that is spooky, chilling, and mildly disturbing at the same time, “Mad Hatter” by Melanie Martinez is a song worth the listen to throughout the Halloween season. With a generic beat that is fun and energetic, combined with creepy lyrics, “Mad Hatter” sets the mood for a spooky night out. The song showcases Martinez’s vocal talents, creating a haunting atmosphere when singing in different pitches and tones. The most disturbing part of the song is when she sings in a high key, “I’m peeling the skin off my face,” setting a dark and entertaining tone for listeners all around.