Tyler's Halloween Playlist

Listen to the tunes here while you follow along

🧟‍♀️Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - “Little Demon”

It can’t be a Halloween party without Screamin’ Jay! Hawkins is an undisputed RnB legend. Most known for his original, enduring composition “I Put A Spell On You” featuring what became his signature grunts, growls, and gurgles. His unmistakable and inimitable vocal style can be heard on so many joyfully, twisted tunes like “Little Demon.” This persona performed on stage for decades, emerging from a coffin with rubber snakes, voodoo props, and “Henry.” You can have fun looking that up. 

🍬Bow Wow Wow - I Want Candy

If half the fun of Halloween night is dressing up in costume, the other half is all of the candy! Bow Wow Wow’s cover of the novelty group The Strangeloves’ (New York/New Jersey session musicians masquerading as Australian sheep farmers…I s’pose the pursuit of the Hit Parade is a helluva drug!) song has justifiably become the classic version. Led by 13 year old Burmese singer Annabella Lwin (reportedly discovered while singing along to the radio while working at a dry cleaners) Bow Wow Wow have lots of other great records, not just this one! Go buy some. 

🎃The Cramps - Fever

I guess everyone knows about Lux and Ivy now thanks to Netflix’ “Wednesday” show. And I genuinely say … thanks! This band rules and I love to see those Spotify numbers climb for all of their incredible songs. Their cover of Peggy Lee’s hit “Fever” sends me directly into a spooky Halloween headspace. But don’t listen on Spotify, please. Pay the artists by buying their music. There is a new record out of The Cramps early demos, it’s fabulous and Poison Ivy deserves the income. True story: I used to know a fellow record hound who was trying to acquire every version of “Fever” ever recorded. I oughta check in with him and see how that’s going …

🐈‍⬛Nina Simone - I Put A Spell on You

You can’t possibly have thought this song would NOT appear, right?? Nina Simone’s version of Hawkins’ classic elevates the song in ways that only Nina could. Beyond just her insanely powerful, commanding voice, Nina takes it to the stage. Jay put a spell on you, Nina puts her spell on the world.

🦇Donovan “Season of the Witch”

Donovan Leitch wrote many great songs in his career, some of which have never left the radio. But I credit Donovan with 2 main accomplishments:
1. Maintaining his composure in a scene in DA Pennebaker’s legendary Bob Dylan documentary “Don’t Look Back.” A very young Donovan performs a new song, “To Sing For You.” He does just that, for Dylan and his entourage, clearly pleased with the composition and performance. Dylan responds with his own intimate performance of new material. “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” absolutely mesmerizes the room, all jaws on the floor. On a scale with parking your rowboat next to a 400ft yacht. And...
2. The lyric in “Season of the Witch” “Beatniks out to make it rich”, hands down the most terrifying Halloween costume imaginable. 

👻The Sonics - The Witch

Too many Sonics’ tunes to choose from for this list but really there was no choice. Hailing from the pacific northwest, specifically Tacoma, WA (we love you, Tacoma!), this isn’t their first appearance on a Garlic and Roses playlist (CCMA “Strychnine”) Featuring the growling vocals/moody organ of Gerry Roslie, and the stomping, thunderous guitar of founder Larry Parypa “The Witch” is a defining Halloween tune. 

🍫Screaming Lord Sutch - She’s Fallen in Love With a Monster Man

Cut from the same showman cloth as his fellow screamer Jay Hawkins, Sutch literally took his name as tribute to the American RnB legend and was inspired to follow a similar dark, dimly lit path to monster music. Collaborating with the UK producer Joe Meek (that is WHOLE other story ...) Sutch made a string of goofy, but ass-kicking Halloween songs including “All Black and Hairy”, “Jack The Ripper” and many more. Sutch had a wild career, played with many very famous friends (Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, more) and eventually turned to … politics. But fear not, he never abandoned his inner ghoul, forming the Official Monster Raving Loony Party in the 1980s. Earlier in his political career he also founded The National Teenage Party, encouraging young people to take an interest in politics and campaigning to lower the voting age in Britain. 

🧛‍♂️Misfits - Saturday Night

Last but certainly not least! (I swear my editor did NOT subtly force me to include a Misfits song). I do love the Misfits and I only allow myself to listen to them one day per year; Halloween day. It just doesn’t sound right the other 364. Disclaimer:  all of you Danzig obsessives can just save it, I don’t want to hear it. This 1990s era Misfits tune, sung by Michale Graves rules, and is a perfect encapsulation of 1970s horror/B-movie aesthetics meets 1950s pop jukebox combo Glen and the Only boys were always going for in the first place. This Halloween get yerself a milkshake and listen to the Misfits.