I can’t believe October is tomorrow! While I’ve been in the Halloween spirit for a long while now, I know many wait until October to really start thinking about Halloween. So here to get you into the spirit is yet another selection of songs from my ever growing Halloween playlist.

“Man with the Hex” The Atomic Fireballs

If you’re a fan of the live action Scooby Doo from 2002, then you’ll remember this number being used during a chase sequence. The Atomic Fireballs were one of several neo-swing bands of the 1990s that I absolutely adored growing up.

“Honky Tonk Halloween” Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures

I’ve shared numbers from Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures before. The fictitious band was put together as part of Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, with Captain Clegg played by rockabilly artist Jesse Dayton. When Halloween II premiered, this album was dropped, and features some fantastic spooky hillbilly tunes. This is perhaps my favorite from the album.

“The Night before Halloween” Bill Buchanan

A spooky spin on “A Visit from St. Nicholas” also known as “The Night before Christmas.” This novelty number shares what all of the monsters are up to right before Halloween.

“Vampira” Bobby Bare

Likely inspired by the iconic horror hostess with the same name, this tune released in 1958 is a bit of a love song dedicated to a spooky gal.

“Dark Lady” Cher

Cher is of course an icon, and if you want to have something a little more unexpected on your playlist, throw in this supernatural themed murder ballad.

“There’s a Creature in the Surfer’s Lagoon” The Deadly Ones

Want some surf rock in your Halloween playlist? Then look no further. More or less a classic surf rock number, this has a handful of lyrics that sound more like warnings for those who risk surfing when a creature is on the loose.

“Screamin’ Ball” The Duponts

Monsters love a good party, and “Screamin Ball” describes a bash that happened at Dracula Hall with a doo-wop flair.

“2 Big Pumpkins” Elvira

While Elvira is better known as the famed horror hostess, she has a great singing voice too. This number perfectly encapsulates her witty double entendres.

“The Monster Hop” Jimmy Dee

Like I’ve said before, there are more monster dance tunes than just the “Monster Mash” like this one! Here the singer walks in on a party with all sorts of monsters drinking something red that isn’t wine, a woman with hair like a “grizzly bear” and more while twisting the night away.

“Headless Horseman” Marcel Bontempi

There are a handful of different numbers titled “Headless Horseman” and while I include many of them in my collection, this might be my favorite. Long time readers will already be familiar with Marcel Bontempi, as I’ve included tracks by him before, but if you’re new, he has a handful of great hillbilly style spooky songs that are perfect to freshen up your Halloween playlist.

“Them” The Misfits

At this point is it even a Halloween playlist without something from The Misfits? I love this song, inspired by the classic 1954 monster movie Them! especially before it includes the sound the giant ants make.

“The Cat” Rod Willis

Here the singer spies a cat walking through a cemetery and what follows is a number with a classic rockabilly beat.

“Long Black Veil” Orion

Originally recorded by Lefty Frizzell in 1959, “Long Black Veil” is one of the best and most haunting songs ever written, with the singer telling of his own demise. Falsely charged with murder, he choses to remain silent about his innocence because at that fateful moment he was with the wife of his best friend. Now his lover visits the singer’s grave wearing a long black veil. Partially inspired by the legend of the woman in black known to visit Rudolph Valentino’s final resting place, the song was recorded by many over the years, including Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Band, Nick Cave, Bruce Springsteen, The Proclaimers, Mike Ness, and many more. I selected Orion’s version, because I think Orion’s version is incredible, and I wanted to share Orion’s story.

Orion was born in 1945 as Jimmy Hughes Bell to a woman named Gladys Bell. His birth certificate would feature only “Vernon” (no last name) as the father. He was later given up for adoption, and grew up in the south, with the name Jimmy Hodges Ellis. He attempted a singing career, but his similar sound to Elvis Presley kept him from taking off. All of that changed when Elvis died in 1977. At that time Shelby Singleton owned Sun Records’ back catalog and released Ellis singing Sun songs, and some suspected these were unreleased Elvis tracks. Meanwhile a woman named Gail Brewer-Giorgio penned and released the novel Orion in 1978, a story of a popular singer who faked his own death. Inspired by the novel, Singleton had Ellis appear as Orion with a mask, leading many to believe Ellis was really Elvis. Eventually Ellis took off the mask, although he put it back on briefly, but went to live a quiet life as a pawn shop owner in Selma, Alabama. Sadly, on December 12, 1998, during a robbery, Ellis and his ex-wife, where killed, and an employee injured. Ellis’ story unfolds with greater detail, and even hypothesizes that Ellis may be Elvis’ half brother, in the documentary Orion: The Man Who Would Be King.

Need more songs for Halloween? Check out my other annual Halloween playlists! Want to simply listen to this year’s tracks along with ones from previous years? Check out my Spotify playlist! Sadly not all songs showcased over the years are on Spotify, but you’ll still get a ton of wonderful songs perfect for the Halloween season!