(Disclaimer.  This post will be overwrought with bad Halloween puns.  Please bear with the author as he carves up this blog.  Heh. Carve.)

“Discos don’t open ’til after dark and it ain’t ’til twelve ’til the party really starts.”

Monster Mash. Purple People Eater. The theme from “The Addams Family.”

These songs just scream Halloween! Heh heh…scream. See what I did there? Scream? No. Okay, I’ll continue.

Like traditional Christmas music, these songs have become long in the (vampire) teeth.  I’m here to set up a playlist that will wow even the most monstrous of friends at your Halloween Party.

Some of the songs that are listed are going to be quite obvious.  Others will be a stretch to include, but I will explain why, if you play these songs, people will not leave your party — until you want them to. Don’t skip ahead.  You don’t know what horror is around that corner.

Obvious Halloween Party Song Number 1 – Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters.”

This song is “so 1984″ and, yet, it’s timeless.  From the synth organ at the intro to the overbearing use of the word “ghost,” this song will be stuck in everyone’s head all night.  Don’t be surprised that when you ask, “What kind of pizza does everyone like?”that you’ll have one joker scream, “Who you gonna call?”  Always appropriate.  Trust me.  I’m unprofessional.

Speaking of “so 1984/1985,” I present to you Obvious Halloween Party Song Number 2 – Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party.”

Nothing personifies creepy like Danny Elfman’s music.  You’re just going to have to go with me on this one.

“Now when freaks get dressed to go out at night they like to wear leather jackets, chains and spikes.”

The next submission is obvious only from the title;  Ministry’s “Everyday is Halloween”

You can feel the pre-90s electronica come through in the driving beat.  You’ll get the wannabe-goth group out on the floor with this song.  It’s arguably one of my favorite songs.  Dark and somewhat heavy — perfect for Halloween.  The young ladies dressed up as Catwoman (and we all know there can NEVER be enough leather costumes) will be meowing all night.

Unlike the naughty nurses and police women that show up at most parties, some people prefer to be dark and somber.  For those people, I present the (dis)embodiment of dark and somber, The Cure’s “Lullaby.”

“But take my advice, you don’t stand a chance, freaks are so bad they got their own dance.”

What would a Halloween playlist be without the granddaddy of all spooky dance moves? Get your best “Zombie” on, kids. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

I would suggest finding a way to play the video at your party, especially if you’re the DJ.  The video is 13 minutes long.  This gives you enough time to get another drink, change into your “Kiss Me, I’m a Leprechaun” costume and see if the girl across the room likes Irish guys.  She will.  Especially if you can do the cool shimmy that the zombies do in the “Thriller” video.

Zombies.  Dancing.  Dancing Zombies.  Well, there are no zombies dancing in this video, but you will have the whole crowd jumping up and down, up and down, up and…well you get the idea.  Any person that has been to a sporting event will know this song; Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft.”

Here are a few other songs you can’t live without for your Halloween party.  Get it?  Live without?  Dead?  Oh, come on!  It’s funny!

Mike Oldfield, “Tubular Bells” (known as the theme from “The Exorcist”)
Alice Cooper, “Welcome to My Nightmare”
Warren Zevon, “Werewolves of London” (You thought I’d mention this earlier, didn’t you?)
Bauhaus, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” (Pair this one up with The Cure’s “Lullaby” and you’ll have the emo kids flocking to your door.)
Talking Heads, “Psycho Killer” (Fa fah fah fah, fah fah fah fah fahhh fah)
DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, “Nightmare on My Street” (Yeah.  You know it.)
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, “I Put A Spell On You” (This is one of the oddest songs ever. Love it.)
The Doors, “People Are Strange” (If you get a chance, grab the cover of this by Echo and the Bunnymen.  You can’t go wrong.  It’s on the “Lost Boys” soundtrack.)
Golden Earring, “Twilight Zone”
CCR, “Bad Moon Rising”
From the “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Susan Sarandon, “Over at the Frankenstein Place”

These are enough to get you started.  I’m pretty sure I haven’t steered you wrong yet, so please give these songs a try.

“So if you wanna live a nice quiet life, do yourself a favor, don’t come out at night, ’cause the freaks come out at night.”

And how can I forget the theme of the post?  Whodini, “The Freaks Come Out At Night”

Thanks for putting up with me and my odd tastes for Halloween music. I hope you give it a try. I know you’re dying to! (Really. Nothing? I’ve gone out of my way with the puns tonight and nothing?)

What Halloween party songs are your favorites? What songs would you suggest to us? The anticipation is killing me.

Jim is going to have the Monster Mash stuck in his head for weeks after writing this. You can follow him on Twitter (@hepcatdj) and Facebook (DJJimbo).

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