Friday Five: Halloween Songs

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re too old for trick or treating. But you can still get in the Halloween spirit by listening to this fun-sized playlist.

• 5. “The Day Before Halloween” – Casey Driessen
  Casey Driessen sure can coax some spooky sounds out of his five-string fiddle. On his 2009 album Oog, this song immediately follows similarly eerie “Conversation With Death.”
• 4. “Undead Blues” – Unknown Hinson
  Self-proclaimed King of the Country & Western Troubadours “made out with a vampire gal” and ended up in his current predicament which includes an allergy to sunlight and a penchant for drinking a certain fluid.

• 3. “I Kept Her Heart” – Pine Box Boys
  If you’re a fan of Hank III and similar acts, you really should be listening to these California murdergrassers. The feller in this song holds his wife’s heart in the palm of his hand…literally. Creeeeeepy.

• 2. “Keep Them Cold, Icy Fingers Off Of Me” – Pee Wee King
  Bill Jackson is something else. He doesn’t mind your naked bones, your hollers or your moans, but icy fingers? That’s a dealbreaker. Also check out versions from Homer & Jethro and the Stanley Brothers.

• 1. “Vampira” – Bobby Bare
  Bobby Bare is to Vampira as Tyler Dean is to Taylor Swift. Only, you know, better.
  He pays tribute to television’s campy, marvelous horror host (played by Maila Nurmi) with this 1958 scream-filled rock & roll number. Unpleasant dreams, darlings.