Halloween Hits: "Mr. Sandman" The Chordettes (1954)

Another nifty little gem from Cadence Records, this song was heavily featured in the original Halloween movie series in the '70s and '80s......

Halloween Hits: "The Beauty Of Poisin" Specimen (1983)

Specimen were an early UK goth rock band. I remember this song from it's airplay on influential early Seattle alternative rock station KJET. But in order to get a copy, I had to special order it. It was only available then as a UK import. (Boy have we come a LONG way!)

Halloween Hits: "The Mummer's Dance (Radio Single Version)" Loreena McKennitt (1997)

It's amazing how so many people get Loreena McKennitt mixed up with Enya. And contrary to widespread urban legend - and one of my pet peeves when talking to the utterly CLUELESS about the song - Enya NEVER sang backup on the chorus on this radio single remix. That was just an overdub of Loreena McKennitt's voice in a different key. I have the radio promo CD and nowhere on it does Enya's name pop up ANYWHERE.

"The Mummer's Dance" hit #14 on the Top 40 radio charts in 1997.

So what's a mummer and why is it dancing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_Play

Loreena McKennitt also had another creepy earlier Canadian hit single "All Souls Night" (1991)

Halloween Hits: “The Witch” The Sonics (1965)

The Sonics were several years ahead of everybody. Compared to everyone else in 1965, they were most likely the very first American hard rock band. They didn't have any fancy name to call their music other than rock n' roll....

And that alone suits it perfectly.......

Halloween Hits: "The Goo-Goo Muck" The Cramps (1981)