Late October in Arizona means Fall is (finally) in the air! Pumpkin spice lattes flow like mulled cider and coffee houses crawl with Washington apple pound cakes. Halloween lurks just around the corner and last minute costumes are in the works. Nothing makes a Halloween night better than the perfect playlist. We count down our top ten spooky tunes to give yourself the creeps. Make your costume party a hit with these eerie anthems. Call ahead or come in to your local Bookmans to peruse our eclectic selection of CDs, cassettes and vinyl.

Bookmans Recommends: Top Ten Spooky Tunes

I Put a Spell on You Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
This classic is complete with delta blues elements and haunting sound effects by Screamin’ Jay himself. Check out Hawkins’ genius in this spooky hit.

That Old Black Magic Louis Prima and Keely Smith
Louis and Keely are a match made in New Orleans heaven. Their complimentary styles create musical and theatrical harmony. Enjoy this big band take on a spellbinding tune.

Love Potion No. 9 The Coasters
Written by Leiber and Stoller and made famous by The Searchers, Love Potion No. 9 is part of the American cultural lexicon. The Coasters’ cover adds a cha-cha backbeat and soulful vocals.

Theme from “The Munsters” Los Straitjackets
An ode to Herman and Lily! Remember how catchy this TV theme is? Now it’s immortalized in surfer punk fashion.

Werewolf Southern Culture on the Skids
Another throwback to mid-century surf rock, this tune is reminiscent of dating that all-American high school heartthrob in a letterman jacket–if he were a Werewolf.

Ghost Town The Specials
The title paired with the eerie siren-like horns set a perfect creepy mood. The Specials blend reggae, ska and actual howling in this classic.

Vampire Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog expertly parallels the horrors of heartbreak to Nosferatu in this compelling rock song.

Red Right Hand Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Currently famous as the theme song to Peaky Blinders, Red Right Hand kinda elicits sympathy for the devil. Well done, Nick Cave.

Witchcraft Quincy Jones featuring Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan’s voice is bewitching, so how apt that she covers this classic jazz standard? Arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, he and Sarah make an enchanting pair.

Danse Macabre, Op. 40 L’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
The ultimate Halloween dance hit! Camille Saint-Saëns penned this in 1874 and it endures. Listen as the opus begins with a clock striking midnight and skeletons rattle as the ruckus culminates with clamoring violins. A melodic sunrise at the conclusion means that it’s time for all happy haunts to go home until next year.

We hope that your Halloween season is full of creepy cheer, delectable candy and unearthly tunes. Come see us anytime to fulfill all your music and media needs. We’re dying to help!

* Bookmans is your store to explore. We can’t guarantee stock so if you are interested in one of these Bookmans recommended tunes, please give us a call and we’ll check our orange shelves for you. Otherwise, we hope you will come and browse.