There are many versions of Red Right Hand, and the original is still the best. I have a different Nick Cave song on this list, so I’m going with this muted cover with ring tones.
Tear You Apart – She Wants Revenge
Run – AWOLNATION
Jay Diggs – Slasher
I hoped there was a song out there that used Slashers as a metaphor for love.
The Curse of Millhaven – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Mack The Knife – Louis Armstrong
A New Beginning – Wolfies Just Fine
Mama – Genesis
Bananarama – Cruel Summer
Help I’m Alive – Metric
One Way or Another – Blondie
Heads Will Roll – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Final Girl – Pretty Bitter
There’s always an unexpected treasure in my annual hunt for new songs, and this is it.
It has been a long time since I’ve demanded my MTV, but every now and again I’ll catch a glimpse of a music video with some great Sci-Fi and Horror elements.
Allow me to play VJ for a moment and introduce a few videos.
1. 1983 by Neon Trees
I am always on the lookout for vampires. Something about this video, with its Zoltar machine wish opening and Lost Boys style carousel setting made my Vamp-sense tingle. I did not expect a brief cameo (at 3:18) from a fully grown Edgar Frog!
If you do not know who Edgar Frog is, please leave.
2. Thought Contagion by Muse
This suite of videos off the band’s album Simulation Theory is a shot gun blast of awesome sauce straight from the 1980s. There are vampires, werewolves, robots, Tron style VR chases, time traveling phone booths, and Terry Crews taking out Critters with a proton pack. It’s madness.
3. Odd Look by Kavinsky
This one is a bit older but I think some people missed it. Kavinsky is the magic, Ferrari driving zombie altar ego of a french electropop musician. The concept album OUTRUN is like the movie The Wraith. Did you see that one? That’s how cool the album is.
4. Bonfire by Childish Gambino
Before Donald Glover made Atlanta or This is America he was making interesting, experimental videos like these next two. Bonfire is a self-contained horror story set at a summer camp with a great twist.
5. Telegraph Ave by Childish Gambino
This one is full of chill vibes and gorgeous visuals leading to a shocking turn (at 3:40).
6. Deep Down Low by Valentino Khan
Want to see something really tentacular? Check out the video for this house music track that looks like something Junji Ito might experience tripping on ketamine in Innsmouth.
For more music curated for genre fans, try my Music Page.
Here’s another 13 songs for your Halloween party. The theme for this year’s mix is Horror Movies, featuring songs from scary movies or about movie monsters. While there are many throat-shredding, head-banging heavy metal bands that write nothing but monster odes, this list will even appeal to mullet-challenged individuals.
If you think a song is missing from this list, you may find it included on a previous list here, here, here and here.
Batman, Wolfman, Frankenstein or Dracula – The Diamonds
There are many songs about B-Movies from the 50s and 60s, but I like this one because it’s about a girl who can only be amorous when watching monster movies.
Beware of the Blob! – The Five Blobs
I don’t know what else Burt Bacharach and his band The Five Blobs sang about, but this is the definitive song about blobs.
Human Fly – The Cramps
Bzzzz bzzzz bzzzzzz!
The Creature From the Black Lagoon – Dave Edmunds
I like how simply the love story is laid bare in this catchy tune.
The Howling – Babel
This entire song is performed live several times in The Howling 2: Your Sister is a Werewolf.
Big Bad Wolf – Bunny and the Wolf Sisters
This is the song from the prom at Teen Wolf to which the Teen Wolf dance is choreographed. Dear God I love this movie.
Pet Cemetery – the Ramones
Sometimes Ramones is bettah. For bonus horror movie music, checkout ‘Chainsaw’ about a certain massacreeee.
Drinkenstein – Dolly Parton & Sylvester Stallone
Not from a horror movie, not a classic monster, not stopping me from putting it on the list. The album has a bigger sound, but the outfit from the movie is not to be missed:
I Still Believe – Tim Cappello
This song was performed live in Lost Boys, and the saxophone player really brings the heat.
He’s Back (the Man Behind the Mask) – Alice Cooper
This movie is written about Jason Voorhees for Friday the 13th part 6. Not only does the music video have Cooper in a hockey mask running around a theater showing the movie, Jason himself makes a cameo.
Dream Warriors – Dokken
Not to be outdone, Dokken made a music video for Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3 where they rock out so hard they give Freddy Krueger a nightmare.
Do the Freddy – The Elm Street Group with Freddy Krueger
Did somebody say FREDDY? Two rap songs weren’t enough, so Freddy cut an album with The Elm Street Group that will definitely give you nightmares. Other highlights include ‘Dance or Else’ and ‘Down in the Boiler Room’.
Feel free to suggest more songs in the comments. I hope you enjoy the music and have a Happy Halloween!
Author Jeff C. Carter 