Tuesday Tunes 173: A Spooktacular

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Check your calendar: today is 31st October, Halloween, the night when I turn off all the lights and pretend I’m out in case anyone comes trick or treating. No one ever has in the fifteen years I’ve been living here, but it is always best to take precautions. My chocolate stash is mine, and is not intended for sharing! For several years I have played some tunes to mark the occasion, though, and as this year it falls on a Tuesday this just feels right to do. I have played all of these apart from one in previous years, but you can’t keep a good song down, can you?

As in previous years I’m starting with my all time favourite. In case you hadn’t already guessed it, there is a big clue in the picture above:

A brilliant song from a brilliant songwriter, much missed by many. And I love that lyric video which was released for it three years ago, though the song dates back a lot longer. Werewolves Of London was released in January 1978 both as a single and as a track on Warren Zevon’s third album, Excitable Boy. That was his breakthrough record in the US, reaching #8 and also getting to #9 in Australia. It wasn’t a hit album here, though – he had to wait until 2000 before that happened. The single also fared well in those same two countries: #21 in the US and #8 in Australia, and even made it to #87 here in the UK in April 1987. It was eventually awarded a silver disc for 200k sales in May of this year – what we call a ‘sleeper!’

Today’s second tune is also an oldie that has been given an updated lyric video treatment – in this case, in October 2022:

Monster Mash was first released as single in May 1962 by Bobby “Boris” Pickett (and the Crypt-Kicker Five) and topped the US Singles chart that year in the week before Halloween. It was re-released in 1973, getting to #10 in the US that time round, but peaking at #3 here in the UK and making #1 in Canada. It has been a perennial Halloween favourite ever since it first came out, and even made the US chart again as recently as 2021. Yes, it’s corny, but I have always loved it!

Another continued favourite of mine is another oldie:

The Witch’s Promise was released by Jethro Tull as a non-album single in January 1970, getting to #4 in the UK and #6 in Ireland. It also had some lower placings in other countries, but wasn’t a hit in the US. I’ve always liked it, having been a fan of the band since they first started, and it is always good for me to play it at this time of year.

This is also a Halloween favourite for me – and just about everyone. I wasn’t going to include it this year but felt it would be remiss not to, so I’m adding it in as a bonus sixth video:

Never let it be said that I short change you. That is the full 13 min 42 secs epic cinematic version of the video. There is a shorter cut, which I don’t think really does the song and the creativity of this piece sufficient justice. If you want to know how popular this is, check out the YouTube viewing figures: just the 941m to date! I won’t bother going into detail for the Thriller album, as I’m sure you already know that it is the best seller of all time, at over 70m copies.

Today’s penultimate tune is one that some might think is stretching it a bit for Halloween, as it doesn’t mention ghosties or ghoulies, but images of the Grim Reaper are appropriate, I think. I played the original of this in this week’s Song Lyric Sunday post, but when this version by one of my favourite bunches of idiots was uploaded to YouTube last Thursday, especially for today, I couldn’t resist it:

Steve ‘n’ Seagulls are a kind of bluegrass band – they call it ‘newgrass’ – from the hotbed of that style of music, er, Finland. They made their name with their many covers of AC/DC songs, with some funny videos. By their standards this one is a little more restrained, but it still includes some nice touches. They are a fun find on YouTube and I can recommend them if you enjoyed this one. Apple Music describes them as a roots collective with a penchant for turning hard rock classics into front porch jamborees, which I think is pretty accurate. They have to date released four albums which generally reflect their rustic background in their titles: Farm Machine, Brothers In Farms (brilliant!), Grainsville and the most recent, Another Miracle, in 2020. This is, of course, their latest release, and I’m hoping it heralds a new album on the way with – fingers crossed – some more of their very funny videos too.

Something a little different to close with. I couldn’t really leave out my favourite German pagan folk band, could I:

That video for Halloween by Faun was released in October 2021, and has accumulated more than 1.9m views. I have featured them before, singing in their native German, but they have occasionally used English lyrics on their albums and this one follows that path. Their music is great, and the video is amazing: not least for what they have (so far) got away with on YouTube! The band also posted a ‘making of’ video for this which is quite revealing, in more senses than one. This link should work for anyone who would like to know what goes into a video like this – it looks like hard work! The song was a track on their most recent album, Pagan, released in April 2022, reaching #3 in Germany. In case you hadn’t realised, I like Faun a lot and I closed with this one as the first three verses of the song sum up what I think is the essence of Halloween – the Eve of All Hallows Day, on which we celebrate the departed: 

“Spirits haunt these magic hours, Dwelling in the sylvan bowers; In the trees is a ghostly breeze.

Light a candle for the dead, With sprigs of fir do warm their bed; And in songs bless the ancient ones. 

Halloween – in moonlight we gather; Halloween – to join with the unseen; Halloween – calling the spirits who come forth on Halloween”

That seems a very appropriate note on which to leave you. Enjoy your day, however you celebrate it. Happy Halloween! 🧙‍♀️

59 thoughts on “Tuesday Tunes 173: A Spooktacular”

  1. Pingback: October Passed Me By | Take It Easy

  4. I’m sure you can probably predict the ones that were new for me (Warren Zevon, Steve ‘n’ Seagulls, and Faun. I remember Faun from others songs you’ve played from them before. I especially like that one. While I prefer the Blue Oyster Cult version, I admire the creativity, instruments, and harmony of the Steve “n” Seagulls cover. I’ll have to give a listen to some of their AC/DC covers as that has to be interesting.

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    • The last two of those, yes, but I’m surprised you didn’t know the Warren Zevon one – it’s a kind of classic. Glad you liked the Faun one, as I really like their music. Do try some more of Steve ‘n’ Seagulls: you’ll get more of all of those elements and they have a lot of fun with them.

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  7. Happy Halloween Clive! Thanks for a varied and fun selection. Loved hearing Witch’s Promise again, and Thriller (I remember watching it live on TV when it came out). Also, I enjoyed the Faun Halloween video. The trick or treat assault has slowed down here, so I’m hoping to retain some goodies for personal consumption.

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    • And to you, Paul. Glad you enjoyed the selection. Tull are a long time favourite band of mine and I think that one has gone under the radar for many.

      I tried to leave Thriller out but talked myself out of it!

      Faun are a more recent favourite, but I’ve yet to hear something of theirs that I didn’t like, and they make great videos.

      I’m keeping fingers crossed that the onslaught doesn’t start here. Enjoy your chocs 😊

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      • Thanks, I will enjoy the left-over chocolate – an avenue of pleasure often cut off to me by my wife (for my own good of course). Yes, I must listen to Faun more. You introduced them to me and they really are good.

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  8. Eating choccies in the dark, fearing the footsteps creeping towards your door, waiting breathlessly for the knock you know you won’t -can’t-answer, coz you dare not move for fear of stepping on the multitude of cellophane wrappers and discarded Turkish (bleccchhh) Delights- ah, the perfect Halloween.
    The Faun song isn’t overly revealing- conveniently dark shadowed mostly, and the Finnish vid was goofilly fun to watch. And ‘Newgrass’ is a a new one for me.

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  9. Werewolves of London. I think I know the song. But the theme melody is borrowed from “Sweet Home Alabama” isn’t it? The Faun song is fantastic. I like that kind of music – so mystic and therefore very fitting Halloween. Oh, and of course, Thriller… such teenage memories are going along with that song and video clip which was the first of this kind. Thank you for all the treasures you shared here, Clive!

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    • It’s similar, and Kid Rock stole them both for ‘his’ song All Summer Long: a man whose talent knows no beginnings!

      Faun are great, and they make wonderful videos for their songs. This one is perfect for today.

      I almost didn’t play Thriller as I play it every year, but it wouldn’t have seemed right to do this without it. I was well past my teenage years when it came out, though!

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      • Yes, exactly, the themes show up again in All Summer Long. Probably Thriller is for Halloween what some Christmas movies are during the Christmas season. They need to be played and seen… haha.

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      • I think you got me wrong 😉
        There are Christmas movies that are a must for the Christmas season and so maybe Thriller is for some regarding Halloween. Since Halloween found its way to Central Europe only a few decades ago. When Thriller was released in the 80s I never connected it to Halloween.

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      • No, it’s ok, we were on the same wavelength! Here, Love Actually is a Christmas must see, as much as Thriller is for Halloween. And they both have in common the fact that neither of them has the slightest thing to do with the original meanings of the festivals 🤣

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    • They’ve done a fair bit since then, but have spent a lot of time touring – they played shows here last year, I think. I love their videos, especially the one with the Finnish women’s ice hockey team 😊

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      • For a kid raised on the prairies with nothing much to do and no TV, Halloween was something to look forward to. I loved dressing up, mom always made our costumes, as I did my children’s. I have such fond memories.

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      • It meant much less here, as we had Guy Fawkes Night and didn’t really import Halloween until the influence of tv brought it on. Odd, really, seeing as it started here! Those memories are great to have, aren’t they 😊

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  14. These are fantastic, Clive! “Werewolves of London” … what a great song and artist … and how can we celebrate Halloween without the classic “Monster Mash”?!
    Hunker down and turn off the lights; the little monsters will be arriving soon! Happy Halloween! 👻

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  15. great song to start with – another artist who left us way too early. When that album came out, myself and a friend each got shirts that said “Excitable Boy”.

    lots of other classic spooky songs here. I was not familiar with the Jethro Tull song, but it was great to listen to, as I thought it would be.

    fun, and quite good, version of Don’t Fear the Reaper.

    and why I am not surprised that a song by Faun made it on to this list?

    Happy Halloween – enjoy your chocolates!

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    • Warren Zevon is very underrated by many, and has loads more great songs to his credit. Good to know you got the shirt 🤣

      I guess that Jethro Tull one didn’t get played much over there. It was a big hit here and I’ve always liked it – an early toe in the folk music waters for them before they went fully for it later in the 70s.

      That is one of Steve ‘n’ Seagulls’ calmer videos – some of theirs for AC/DC covers are absolute riots!

      Any excuse to play Faun 😊

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