Four Rock Tracks Defined the Halloween Sound

Bobby Boris Pickett’s “Monster Mash” reached the top of the Billboard charts in October 1962, two months after its release. The track remains the most commercially successful song specifically written for Halloween. Pickett, a Massachusetts-based singer and comedian, conceived the idea during a performance by his band, the Cordials. He and bandmate Lenny Capizzi recorded the song in May 1962 using local musicians known as the Crypt-Kicker Five. Gary Paxton released the track on his Garpax label in August. It peaked at number one during the week preceding Halloween.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins released “I Put a Spell on You” in 1956 on Okeh Records. The song was originally a love ballad co-written with Herb Slotkin, but Hawkins added screamed vocals that altered its tone. The 1955 version failed to gain traction, but the 1956 release established the track as a staple. Nina Simone recorded it as the title track for her 1965 album. The Animals, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Annie Lennox have all recorded versions of the song. Lennox’s rendition reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014. Jeff Beck’s 2010 version, featuring vocals by Joss Stone, received a Grammy nomination.

Jumpin' Gene Simmons achieved a number 11 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Haunted House” in 1964. The song, written by Bob Geddins, was previously recorded by Johnny Fuller in 1958 and Domingo Samudio. Simmons, a rockabilly artist from Tupelo, Mississippi, had toured as an opening act for Elvis Presley. He died in August 2006. Bruce Springsteen performed the song at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on Halloween night in 1980, emerging from a coffin at the center of the stage before singing.

Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don't Fear) The Reaper” became inextricably linked to Halloween after its use in John Carpenter’s 1978 film. Guitarist Donald Roeser wrote the track, which originally charted in the top 15 in 1976. The song plays during a scene where Laurie Strode and Nancy Kyes drive to a babysitting job while being followed by Michael Myers. Director David Gordon Green used the song in the closing credits of the 2022 film Halloween Ends. Roeser has stated that the song carries a positive message about overcoming the fear of death, despite its frequent association with the holiday.