A Cozy Halloween Night In: The Playlist

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Not everybody does Halloween out on the town. Some of us do it the best way there is: candy bowl by the door, something good on the stove, the house lit up with jack-o'-lanterns, and the doorbell ringing every few minutes. If that's your Halloween, you need music for it — something playing while you're cooking and getting ready, before you settle in for the night.

So here's mine. Sixteen songs, just under an hour, on Amazon Music: A Cozy Halloween Night In — the playlist

And when dinner's done and the porch light's still on, I've got you covered for the second half of the night too — yesterday I posted my full guide to what to stream this Halloween, family picks to the genuinely scary ones. Music first, movies after. That's a night.

If you're a Prime member, Amazon Music is already in your pocket. And if you want the full on-demand catalog, you can try Amazon Music Unlimited free — that's how I built this list. New to Prime altogether? Try Prime free and the music comes with it.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

While you're in the kitchen

Monster Mash — Bobby "Boris" Pickett. You start here. There's no other first song. (I told this song's whole strange story in this week's Behind the Track, if you want it.)

Ghostbusters — Ray Parker Jr. and The Purple People Eater — Sheb Wooley. The two happiest Halloween records ever made. You'll catch yourself singing along over the stove, and that's the point.

Which Witch Doctor — The Vogues. The "ooh-ee, ooh-ah-ah" song. If it doesn't make you grin, check your pulse.

This Is Halloween — The Citizens of Halloween. Straight out of The Nightmare Before Christmas — the moment the house officially turns spooky, right about the time the first trick-or-treaters hit the porch.

While the doorbell's ringing

Time Warp — Little Nell. From Rocky Horror — it's just a jump to the left, and the kitchen is as good a dance floor as any.

Thriller — Michael Jackson. Nearly six minutes, and it still stops people mid-conversation when Vincent Price starts laughing.

Somebody's Watching Me — Rockwell and Disturbia — Rihanna. Paranoia you can move to, a generation apart — Rockwell talked Michael Jackson into singing his chorus, and Rihanna built a haunted house of her own.

Spooky, Scary Skeletons — Andrew Gold. Two minutes of skeleton mischief. The internet adopted this one as the official song of Halloween, and it earned the title.

When the night slows down

Werewolves of London — David Lindley & El Rayo-X. A howl-along, in a cover with slide guitar that sounds like it had a wonderful time recording it.

I Put a Spell on You — Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The most genuinely unhinged record on this list, and he cut it in 1956.

Love Potion No. 9 — The Clovers and Bad Moon Rising — Creedence Clearwater Revival. Short, perfect records — one about a potion, one a warning that sounds so cheerful you almost miss it.

Black Magic Woman — Santana. Candles low, dishes done, let the guitar finish the evening.

One last grin

A Nightmare on My Street — DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Freddy Krueger as a comedy record, from when Will Smith was still the Fresh Prince. Porch light off, feet up, movie time.

That's the night at our house — 53 minutes of it, and if it runs out before the candy does, loop it. Nobody minds hearing the Mash twice. What plays at your house on Halloween? Tell me in the comments.

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