I’m trying to make a mix of scary songs, but I’m having trouble. So far, these are the scariest songs I can think of:
I know there are a lot more scary songs. Any suggestions?
Long Black Veil is scary, IMHO. There are some old bluegrass tunes who’s titles escape me that are pretty scary, too.
Tori Amos’ cover of '97 Bonnie and Clyde by Eminem is chilling. It’s on her “Strange little girls” album.
J.
You’ll never hear a scarier song than the live version of Choralone by Skinny Puppy. Ever. It’s on the Back and Forth Vol. 4 disc, I believe.
Cemetery Girls by Barnes and Barnes.
Mr Fox by Frankie Armstrong. Sent shivers up my spine.
I like the song Spiderman by the Cure. The version on the live album Show is especially fun.
I find “Strugglin’” from Maxinquaye by Tricky scary too, in a claustrophobic, smothering way. I had the album on once while getting caned and that track instantly gave me the Fear.
J.
D.O.A. the only hit from Bloodrock.
Killing Joke’s “Jana” from the CD Pandemonium.
About a victim of AIDS - still gives me the shivers.
Meninblack by the Stranglers - to this day, I get creepy chills down my spine whenever I listen to it.
Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
He’ll wrap you in his arms, tell you that you’ve been a good boy
He’ll rekindle all the dreams it took you a lifetime to destroy
He’ll reach deep into the hole, heal your shrinking soul
Hey buddy, you know you’re never ever coming back
He’s a god, he’s a man, he’s a ghost, he’s a guru
They’re whispering his name through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat is a red right hand
Jesus Forgive Me (For the Things I’m About to Say) by Concrete Blonde
I killed you in my mind today
I cut you up, I watched you bleed
I killed you in my heart today
For everything you did to me
I murdered you a hundred times
I shot you dead and never cried
I killed you in my mind today
I laughed and watched you die
and of course, Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles
The “Stephen” trilogy from Alice Cooper’s Welcome to my Nightmare.
“Ich Bin” and “Armenia” by Einsturzende Neubauten always get me into a scary headspace.
Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin
Maybe it’s just becaue I think of the video…
Poetic that someone posted my namesake right before me…
Good call on Nick Cave. How bout Good Morning, Captain by Slint? More melancholy than scary, but it has always creeped me out in an Edgar Allen Poe kind of way.
Possum Kingdom by the Toadies was kind of creepy/disturbing. Also, Kim by Eminem is pretty frightening.
A song by Sinead O’Connor is rather creepy, I believe it’s called “Jackie-O”.
No, it’s not about Madam Onassis.
There’s a song by the Golden Palomenos told first person by a woman about being kidnapped, thrown in the trunk of a car and murdered. I don’t remember the name (maybe another doper can help me out) but it’s truely haunting, and not to be listened to on headphones. One of the few songs I actually can’t listen to because it bothers me too much.
I’ll look through the records tonight to see if I can find the name.
General creepiness from Godbullies, mostly their live show. Mike Hard was a truely deranged individual. Probably their creepiest song would be “Magical Butterfly” off Dog Show, but that’s just off the top of my head.
Also, Neurosis did a great cover of Joy Division’s song “Day of the Lords” that ends with 15 minutes of guitar feedback that’ll leave you a paranoid mess.
A Neurosis offshoot, called Tribes or Neurot is very atmospheric and broody, and will induce paranoia in anyone listening to it alone in a house.
A friend of mine had a CD from a band called something like Amara Tan Tatiri that was very creepy. Sounded like a conven of witches. I have had no luck locating it, and don’t even know how it’s spelled.
Another Nick Cave - The Mercy Seat.
And I’ll second Aphex Twin’s Come to Daddy. It’s not just the video, it’s pretty much everything about it. The frenetic beats, the wails, the sinister voice. Musical horror.