Halloween music goes from cutesy kiddie tunes (moms may run screaming to find Valiums) to Gothic Romance and Death Metal. Here is a good sample song list that will give your children a rush, without turning them into deranged crybabies.
Preschool Halloween Songs
These goodies are appropriate tunes for young toddlers and you might want to play this stuff for older kids, too. I'm more into Nirvana, but I want to do my part in helping parents survive the merriment.
- Zombie Jamboree: All ages.
- Welcome to My Nightmare by Alice Cooper: This version has Muppets.
- Trick or Treat: I've tried to edit out songs with screaming, skull-crackling, witches, but I can't work magic. This song's a bit like Devo-Lite-Muzak.
- The Munster's Theme: Los Straitjackets
- Mickey's Boo to You Halloween: This might be good for older kids or background music, too. I'm not a big Disney fan, but this song's okay and almost danceable.
- Skeleton Dance: This is good for 2-year-olds. It’s so eeky, creepy, stupid.
- Wubbzy Halloween Night: Nice punk-rock beat. If we could mute the voices, it would help.
- My Son the Vampire
- Halloween Song by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen: Very few things on earth are scarier than the Olsen Twins...even as adults. Bit o' joke.
- Spooky Scary Skeletons: I like the Skeleton's eyes.
- The Witch Doctor Song by Alvin and The Chipmunks: Try singing the words. No one can do it without laughing.
- Moshi Monsters - Doctor Strangelove's Music Video
- My Beloved Monster and Me from Shrek
- Original theme song from Batman
If any adults will be at the party, do keep the female-witch-voice songs to a minimum. Adults will be plagued with headaches after hearing that evil cackling and high-pitched screaming.
Disney Halloween Music
Disney has traditionally hired top-notch song writers and animators. All of their movies have some scary element in them; that's what is required for a good plot.
- This is Halloween by Marilyn Manson or Disney.
- Grim Grinning Ghosts: Used at Disney’s Haunted Mansion.
- Disney’s Halloween Treat
- Fantasia - Night on Bald Mountain: Classical music reworked with magic.
Some of Disney's works have not been released, but look around.
Halloween Rock Songs
None of these tunes are overly scary, but they are fabulous for parties. See ideas for background ambiance below.
- Monster Mash
- Devil Woman by Cliff Richard
- Spooky by Classics IV
- Out of Limits / Telstar by The Marketts
- Boris the Spider by The Who
- Zombies Ate Her Brain by The Creepshow
- Psycho A Go Go: The Sonics
- Strychnine: The Sonics
- Beware: Corny 1962 Halloween song
- Spiders in the Night by Ozzy Osbourne
- Poison, Black Widow, or Teenage Frankenstein by Alice Cooper: All of these verge on being scary or spooky but they really rock.
- Phantom of the Opera by Iron Maiden
Halloween Dance Music
These songs are perfect for tweens and young teens, but some are fine for younger monsters.
- Calling All the Monsters: Cute and sassy. Someone added a comment below to point out this song. You'll love it. I'm adding new songs and video links to this list, so check them out.
- Boogie Man Jam: Halloween Roller Skate Party
- Thriller / Heads Will Roll by Glee. I would add Michael Jackson's Thriller and have both versions. Just don't play them back to back.
- Happy Halloween with Jimmy Fallon
- Doctor Who Things That Go Bump in the Night
- Halloween Theme Remix or Halloween Theme Hip Hop Remix
- Ghostbusters Theme by Ray Parker JR: Boys love this.
- The Time Warp by Glee or Rocky Horror.
- Ding Dong the Witch is Dead by Klaus Nomi
- Dragula by Rob Zombie
- Monster High
- It’s a Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo
- It's Only Halloween
At the end of these songs, everyone should be ready for blood-colored punch and gummy-worm treats.
Background Music
Here are some tunes that will work for adult parties, too. Some are scarier than phony screams and creaking doors, and they add a lot to the overall ambience.
- Trick or Treat or Die
- Season of the Witch by Donovan
- Witchy Woman by The Eagles
- Black Magic Woman by Santana
- The Cold Song by Klaus Nomi
- Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield
- Unbury Me by Brandi Paige
- The Resident Evil by Marilyn Manson
- Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult
A Halloween children’s party is one of the easiest kinds of soirees known to mankind. If all of the little ghouls and bats have to come in costumes, that’s half the fun. Some moms have been known to play Ghostbusters over and over until all the little monsters are worn out and ready for cake.
Click on "Don't Fear the Reaper" for adult songs. Many are fine for teens or hipsters of any age.
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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