Horror movies and popular music have a longstanding association. After all, one of the biggest pop hits of all time is about horror: Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” featuring the inimitable Vincent Price. And of course, the unofficial anthem of Halloween, “Monster Mash” by Bobby Boris Pickett, is an homage to the classic monsters.
Both are staples of Halloween playlists, but the pantheon of songs about horror movies goes far beyond these perennials. Here are some examples you may not be as familiar with.
“Horror Movie”–Skyhooks (1974)
Elvira featured this track by the Australian band Skyhooks on one of her Halloween compilations, Elvira’s Haunted Hits (1988), and it’s no surprise it became a Halloween staple; not only does it have the perfect title, but it’s extremely catchy. The spooky instrumentation backs up a fun chorus:
“Watched a horror movie, right there on my TV
Horror movie, right there on my TV
Horror movie, right there on my TV
Shockin’ me right out of my brain!”
The twist is that the song isn’t about actual horror movies, but about how watching the nightly news is so distressing it can feel like watching a horror movie. (Forty years later, that hasn’t changed!) No matter– the song is a hoot, and irresistible to any horror fan.
“Amityville (The House on the Hill)”–Lovebug Starski (1986)
As a devoted Amityville Horror nerd, this song bothered me at first, since it’s not really about Amityville at all (for one thing, 112 Ocean Ave. isn’t anywhere near a hill!). But “Amityville!” makes a great refrain, and the song is basically a tribute to the haunted house trope and horror movies in general. It’s a story song in which Lovebug Starski visits the titular house– “I would’ve never went for nothing in the world, except I got a invite from one of my girls”–and, after encountering a Riffraff type at the front door, makes a splash at a creepy dance party. “I never seen so many girls with Cousin Itt!” he declares, while also mentioning a hunchback and a fine looking girl who “turned out to be the bride of Frankenstein.” There’s also an amusing interlude in which a Shatner soundalike narrates the strange scene to his Star Trek crew.
There actually is an “official” pop song connected to The Amityville Horror (1979): “Amityville Frenzy,” legendary composer Lalo Schifrin’s disco interpolation of his main title theme with breathy female vocals layered in.
“Monsta’ Rap”–Elvira (1994)
In addition to producing compilations, legendary horror hostess Elvira, aka Cassandra Peterson, provided her own songs for them. (The actress had a brief singing career in Italy in the seventies.) They’re all fun– “Full Moon” is another personal fave– but this is her ultimate paean to the horror genre. She blends references to classic monsters like Dracula and the Phantom of the Opera with more contemporary icons like Jason and Chucky. In a “rap” patterned after Madonna’s in “Vogue,” she cheerfully name-drops everyone from Boris Karloff to Stephen King: “They’re all monsters that I love / Freddy Krueger gives good glove.” It’s incredibly corny, but oh so much fun.
“The Halloween Dance”–The Reverend Horton Heat (1998)
This track is off of the inspired compilation Halloween Hootenanny, which features fun songs by the likes of Rob Zombie & the Ghastly Ones and Southern Culture on the Skids, all with a peppy, surf rock-like vibe. Legendary horror host Zacherle opens and closes the album with spooky narration, and contributes his own version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Sinister Purpose.” “The Halloween Dance,” by the psychobilly trio Reverend Horton Heat, is another song filled with horror references– including some you wouldn’t expect. Opening with diabolical laughter, the song purports to teach the listener the steps of a dance: “you do the stab with the Psycho knife / you push a shopping cart like a Stepford Wife.” It’s one of the highlights of this very entertaining album of music.
“Everybody Scream”–Rob Zombie (2003)
Zombie created original songs for his debut film House of 1000 Corpses, including this one inspired by the in-narrative Doctor Wolfenstein’s Creature Feature Show. As such it’s packed with nods to classic horror, i.e. “shrieking in the night on a haunted hill,” as well as the sort of punny, Crypt Keeper-like horror host Dr. Wolfenstein (Gregg Gibbs) was lovingly patterned after. (“Everybody Scream” samples his dialogue.) It’s a rocking homage to the Monster Kid culture Zombie himself was spawned from.
“A Shower with Norman Bates”–Etienne & Moi (2000s)
This obscure song is a loving tribute to Norman Bates, the oddly lovable killer played by Anthony Perkins in Psycho (1960). It’s essentially a romantic ballad exploring the kindred spirit connection between Norman and Marion (Janet Leigh). Incorporating dialogue from the actors and the sound effect of water swirling down the drain, the song hints at the darker aspects of the story (“if she needs my knife, I can use a spoon”) but remains sunny and upbeat. Landscape had a hit with their strange 1981 single “Norman Bates,” but I much prefer this one.
“This Club Is a Haunted House”–Sharon Needles Featuring RuPaul (2013)
Ru Paul’s Drag Race winner Needles built her brand on the macabre, and hearing this single was maybe the first time I became aware of queer horror. Here was somebody referencing the same things I knew and loved! “I’ll make you tingle like William Castle” was the line that made me fall in love with this electronic anthem, which features the refrain “I’ve tasted blood and I want more” and a chorus declaring “TGIF! The 13th!” Needles has recorded many other horror movie-homaging songs like “Call Me on the Ouija Board” (also 2013) and “Dracula” (2015).