Songs For Halloween

Halloween does not rank high on my list of holidays I enjoy, which probably goes a long way toward explain why I'm half-heartedly putting this list together the night before Halloween. Perhaps next year I'll get an earlier start.

(Devon has a lot more suggestions, including this list of songs.)

First, 3 CDs that might be appropriate (if a little late to order) for the season:
-- Sue Schnitzer's Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat is a fairly tame (read: appropriate for preschoolers) celebration of the holiday that matches Schnitzer's folk-pop songs (and some traditional songs) with Halloween themes. If Halloween is more about the candy in your household than the scary, this is for you. (The album is also available on iTunes.)
-- Katherine Dines' Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Spooky! is for older kids (ages 6 and up). It's a little scarier, though many of the songs and stories (they're about evenly split) have a purpose -- overcoming fears. The song arrangements are a little more electronic, but it's still most folk/pop. (This album is available on iTunes as well, though it'll come without the excellent liner notes, which include all the lyrics and stories, plus other stuff.)
-- Magic Maestro Music's The Sorcerer's Apprentice is for kids of all ages. It plays Paul Dukas' famous "Sorcerer's Apprentice" (you know, Mickey and the nightmare of the ever-multiplying broomsticks in Fantasia) both with and without narration. There are plenty of versions available, of course, but this one does provide some context for kids to help them enjoy the piece.

Next, a couple podcasts:
-- Mr. David recorded a new Halloween podcast recently, including a new song, "The Winchester Festival," which continues the story-paintings of his Great Adventures of Mr. David CD. You can hear (and see) the podcast here.
-- Monty Harper also put out a Halloween podcast recently; check it out here.

Finally, a list of other songs:
-- "Skin and Bones" -- countless recordings (Raffi, Sam Hinton, the Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Spooky disk above)
-- "Dia de los Muertos," Uncle Rock -- off his Plays Well With Others disk
-- "A Skeleton Bang," Rasputina -- off the Colours Are Brighter

I'm sure I'm missing some songs... care to help add to the list?

Comments

[Katy L]

"Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus," from At the Bottom of the Sea by Ralph's World

"Maybe the Monster," from Meltdown by Justin Roberts

"Big Trouble," from Big Trouble by Trout Fishing in America

"Moonlit Town," from Catch That Train by Dan Zanes

As for Halloween, I'm kind of getting weary of all the hype. Kinda takes the fun out of the day, and it makes me sad to see Christmas stuff showing up everywhere already.

On the other hand, this was the first year we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," with our kids. It was so fun to watch them watch it, and for my husband and me to re-live the experience with them. Great tunes too, by the way--gotta love the classic Vince Gueraldi.

[Bill Childs]

This year's Hallowen show's themed songs (well, more or less themed):

Ralph's World - Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus (At the Bottom of the Sea)Roger Day - Monster Face (Ready to Fly)ScribbleMonster & Friends - A Monster Goes Rrraargh! (Chocolate Milk)Deedle Deedle Dees - Scared By My Own Costume (Live at Flywheel)Monty Harper - Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet (Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD)Elizabeth Street - Really Gross (Different)Telephone Company - Baby Halloween (The King's Surprse?)Milkshake - Scared (Happy Songs)Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls (Aaron and his Aeroplane)TMBG - Something Grabbed Ahold of My Hand (Apollo 18)Mary Kaye - Skeleton Song (Spin Your Web)Rebecca Frezza - Monster in My Room (Music in My Heart)TMBG - Fingertips (Apollo 18)Laurie Berkner - Monster Boogie (Buzz Buzz)Andy Glockenspiel - Monster in Pink UnderwearMuppets - Wild ThingThey Might Be Giants - Hovering Sombrero '05 (Here Come the ABCs)

Last year's, where we were much more Halloween-themed throughout:

They Might Be Giants - Hovering Sombrero '05 (Here Come the ABCs) (telling you, that floating hat is scary)Splash 'n' Boots - Spooky-Doo (Getting Our Feet Wet)Josh Greenberg & the Mother Goose Jazz Band - Boogie Woogie Ghost (Rhythm and Rhymes)Trout Fishing in America - The Goops (It's a Puzzle)Jennie Avila - Gargoyles (For Kids)Troubador - There's a Werewolf Under My Bed (All About Animals)Laurie Berkner - Monster Boogie (Buzz Buzz)Two of a Kind - This Holiday Is Halloween (Friends)Kevin Kameraad - Pumpkin Belly (Tomato Collection)Monty Harper - Trick or Treat Smell My Feet (The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD)Babaloo - Gorilla in the Middle of My Bedroom (Bean Bag Bop)Ben Kweller with Ben Folds and Ben Lee - Wicked Little Town (Wig in a Box)They Might Be Giants - Something Grabbed A Hold of My Hand (Apollo 18)Ralph's World - Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus (At the Bottom of the Sea)Nerf Herder - Buffy the Vampire Slayer ThemeDaddy A Go-Go - Scaredy Cat Cowboy Part 2 (Mojo A Go Go)Roger Day - Monster Face (Ready To Fly)ScribbleMonster & His Pals - A Monster Goes Rrraargh! (Best of Friends)They Might Be Giants - Someone Keeps Moving My Chair (Flood)Too Much Joy - Pride of Frankenstein (Cereal Killers)Kevin Kammeraad - Moogie Monster Man (The Tomato Collection)CandyBand - Monsters (More Candy)Jack Sheldon - Them Not-So-Dry Bones (Schoolhouse Rock! Science Rock)They Might Be Giants - Fingertips (Reprise) (Apollo 18)Monster Mash (Music for Little People)Telephone Company - Baby Halloween (The King's Surprise?)Gunnar Madsen - Mayonnaise & Pumpernickel Bread (Ants in My Pants)They Might Be Giants - Exquisite Dead Guy (Factory Showroom)Peter Alsop - What If? (Pluggin' Away)Bill Harley - Monsters in the Bathroom (Play It Again)Babaloo - Monsters in the Bathroom (Room for Everyone)Wolf Party (Sun, Sun Shine: Songs for Curious Children)Belly - Witch (Star)Daddy A Go-Go - Scaredy Cat Cowboy Part 1 (Mojo A Go Go)Rockapella - Zombie JamboreeDavid Roth - HalloweenDeedle Deedle Dees - Scared of My Own Costume (Let It Dee)Justin Roberts - Thought It Was A Monster (Yellow Bus)Milkshake - Scared (Happy Songs)Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls (Alphabet Songs Vol. 1)They Might Be Giants - Skullivan (The Spine Surfs Alone EP)

[Stefan]

I knew I forgot many (though there's a difference between Halloween-themed and Halloweeen-esque).

I'd add:

TMBG - The Edison Museum (No!)

Thanks for the suggestions, y'all!