Mike’s Graveyard Smash

You’re invited to Mike’s HalloweenGraveyard Smash Bash.

Apples will be bobbed. Pumpkins will be lit. And music will be played. Let’s get this party started.

The first song on my playlist, Jon Dee Graham’s October, may not seem like a traditional choice. But it’s a tribute to the entire month, the most haunted one of all. I chose the live version of October from the magnificent album Swept Away, recorded live at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas. Jon Dee’s vocals and his and Mike Hardwick’s guitars spit, snarl, and shred. “Bury me in a pile of dead leaves…say that I died from October.”

The second track may be the spookiest on the list. A gothic story of sibling love, death, and revenge: My Sister’s Tiny Hands by the Handsome Family. Yes, this song has inspired me to have a few nightmares after repeated listening.

You may call it cliche, but my Halloween playlist has to include Donovan’s Season of the Witch. For the subject matter to be sure, but I also love the groove and the way Donovan builds the song’s intensity only to release it and build it back up again. I also recommend the swampy, bluesy version by Mike Bloomfield.

I love finding the scary and supernatural in unexpected places. Like the way They Might Be Giants turns The Edison Museum into a haunted mansion, complete with the ghost of Thomas Alva. This was a favorite listen for my son and me when he was four years old. It gave us simultaneous giggles and shivers.

Ghost Riders in the Sky is a haunted cowboy classic. Johnny Cash’s rendition is my favorite. Also, check out The Ventures’ and Dick Dale’s instrumental versions.

Werewolves of London, sure. It’s a great Halloween jam and just a fun, singable party song. But for my money, the most haunted song on Zevon’s Excitable Boy album is Roland, the Headless Thompson Gunner. I mean come on, a headless, zombie mercenary on an across-the-globe killing spree? When’s the movie release? Come to think of it, the title track is pretty creepy, too. “…he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones…” Maybe Excitable Boy is the perfect Halloween album.

Ok, it’s time to dance. And if Fela Kuti’s Zombie doesn’t get your bones moving, you are experiencing rigamortis.

As long as we’re talking about zombies, let’s include a song by the Zombies. I know. Another “not technically Halloween tune.” But it’s a must-include for me. The tone and atmosphere makes me think of autumn, falling leaves, and Halloween.

Next on the playlist, a new to me song, and one I included for personal reasons: The Ghost of Cincinnati by Big Red Machine. I spent many wonderful years and had incredible experiences in Cincinnati. The place names in the song evoke memories and a few ghosts.

Vampire Blues is one the first songs Neil Young wrote about the most horrific story of our times, the destruction of our planet. But it sure wasn’t the last. Maybe someday we’ll get the message.

I thought about including Townes Van Zandt’s “Dead Flowers” on the playlist. And I can’t guarantee that I won’t play it if the party goes into overtime. But, I really like Townes’ Black Widow Blues and I often forget to play it. Including the song on this list will help me remember.

How much do you love that special person? Enough to overcome your fears and hang with them down at the Snake Farm? “Just sounds nasty. Pretty much is.” And as Ray Wylie Hubbard sings, it’s a true test of love.

Let’s close the party with a sweet one. I swooned over the Psychedelic Furs’ The Ghost in You when it was released in 1984. But I’ve come to love Robyn Hitchcock’s rendition even more. Dreamy and a great way to wind down our festivities.

Thanks for coming to my Graveyard Smash. I hope you enjoyed the music. Please, take some candy with you before you go. And, until next Halloween, may all your fears turn to cheers.