Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Ritual” — Ghost (2010)
Ghost made Satan swing again, and “Ritual” was the opening prayer. Turning damnation into theater, and theater into joy, it’s an essential Halloween song.
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Enter Sandman” — Broken Peach (2025)
Sighs in frustration… Only Broken Peach could get me to include Enter Sandman in my Halloween playlist. Because otherwise I can’t stand the freakin’ song. But damn do I love my Peaches. So let’s get this out of the way. Enter Sandman. Arguably Metallica’s most mainstream hit. The one your annoying little sister and all…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Happy Phantom” — Tori Amos (1992)
And if I die today I’ll be the happy phantomAnd I’ll go chasin’ the nuns out in the yardAnd I’ll run naked through the streets without my mask onAnd I will never need umbrellas in the rainI’ll wake up in Strawberry Fields every dayAnd the atrocities of school I can forgiveThe happy phantom has no…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Suspirium” — Thom Yorke (2018)
A sparse, haunting piano waltz that ruminates on our brief mortality, “Suspirium” by Thom Yorke is the perfect Halloween song.
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “We All Go Together When We Go” — Tom Lehrer (1959)
Celebrate Tom Lehrer and his ode to jaunty nuclear incineration with “We All Go Together When We Go”, the latest addition to our Halloween playlist.
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Take Me Away” — Blue Öyster Cult (1983)
Strange shapes light up the nightI’ve never seen ’em though I hope I mightDon’t ask if they are realThe men in black, their lips are sealed Fantasy fills my mindTo leave this place before my timeRelease myself from earthly careMy dream may be your nightmare… Yes, I do have some Blue Öyster Cult…” A pseudo-Fast…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Gila Monster” — King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (2023)
With each meal Gila grows moreA biblical beast of ancient loreWith fire in belly, flames in eyesThe beast rise to the highest skiesSo beware, ye witches fairLest thee be spied by dragon-glareIt’ll show no mercy, it is saidBut devour thee and leave thee for dead (woo!) Gila, Gila, Gila… Oh is it October? Fudge… Yeah…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Back From The Dead” — Halestorm (2022)
On the edge of the world getting lost in oblivionTo the devils who tried to keep me living like a prisonerCouldn’t chain me down, couldn’t cage me inSo keep your savior, give me back my sins ‘Cause I’m still standing on the ground… OK wasn’t it literally just November 1st three seconds ago? Meh who…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Albuquerque” — “Weird” Al Yankovic (1999)
Holy crap. It’s Halloween. And we freakin’ did it. As the sun retreats beyond the horizon, the darkness enfolds us, and the moon refuses any succor, we creatures of the night take to the darkness and… well most likely go out for a bunch of candy or hand some out at the door. Or prep…
Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter” — Bruce Dickinson (1989)
Honey, it’s getting close to midnightAnd all the myths are still in townTrue love and lipstick on your linenBite the pillow, make no soundIf there’s some living to be doneBefore your life becomes your tombYou’d better know that I’m the oneUnchain your back doorInvite me around… For fuck’s sake, Bruce… Avoiding the prosaic introduction, let’s…