Destination Jam: Here are five spine-chilling spooky tunes to add ghoulish flavor to your Halloween playlist
The spooky season continues, and following on from our first round-up of the perfect Halloween songs to bring in the season, here are five more tracks ranging from some smooth jazzy classics to turn up while lounging by a fireplace to contemporary genre-blended tunes that were picked straight out of nightmares.
Nina Simone - 'I Put a Spell on You'
Any song from Ms Simone is somehow perfect for Halloween thanks mostly to her haunting, powerhouse vocals. 'I Put a Spell on You' was originally written and composed by Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins in 1956, with this original rendition making its way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and becoming a cult classic over time. Simone's version takes this already stunning track and somehow makes it even more spellbinding. Much like the track's name, you can't help but fall under the singer's spell as she serenades you.
Stevie Wonder - 'Superstition'
Wonder's music is the epitome of funk, and 'Superstition' remains one of the best tracks from his extensive, timeless catalog. Released in 1972 as part of Wonder's fifteenth studio album, 'Talking Book', the song describes various superstitions and the negative effects they can have on a person. Already popular as a song you can't help but groove along to when that riff kicks in, the song's theme also made it popular among the Halloween-loving crowd, for obvious reasons.
Billie Eilish - 'Bury A Friend'
Contemporary pop is many things. A blend of genres and styles, including the retro glam of the '80s, the grunge and punk stylings of the '90s, and the indie-rock of the early 2000s. And amidst all of that is modern-day scream queen Billie Eilish whose experimental music and videos seem to harken back to the classic horror and gore genres. And up there as one of her creepiest creations is 'Bury A Friend' which throws together everything from psychological horror to the stuff nightmares are made of.
Frank Sinatra - 'Witchcraft'
"Those fingers in my hair / That sly come hither stare / Strips my conscience bare / It's witchcraft." Sinatra had many a great tune, but this cheeky, melodic tune that speaks of being spellbound by one's lover such that despite knowing they have you caught in their web, you can't bring yourself to escape, is possibly one of the most pleasing tunes of entaglement ever penned. Composed in 1957 by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, the track went on to become one of Sinatra's best, with everyone from Elvis Presley to Ella Fitzgerald covering the song. A rendition by Joe Malone was featured in the 1993 movie 'Hocus Pocus', and another from The Cure's Robert Smith was used in Tim Burton's 'Frankenweenie Unleashed' in 2012. Sinatra himself released three versions of the song.
Beyoncé - 'Ghost/Haunted'
There is something so remarkably elegant about the way Beyoncé slays every genre she touches. And it was certainly no different back in 2012 when the singer released the video for 'Haunted' which drew inspiration from and paid homage to creepy flicks of ye olde times. Musically, the tracks 'Ghost' and 'Haunted' are paired together, with the former being a spoken word piece with robotic, reverbed vocals from Beyoncé that perfectly set up for the smooth sounds of 'Haunted'. The song itself features sexually explicit lyrics, and speak of being haunted by a lover. The song was met with praise upon its release, with critics commending the song's experimental yet minimalistic approach. For fans of horror flicks, both 'Ghost' and 'Haunted' are must-haves on your playlist, preferably paired together as they were originally meant to be.
Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!