The household ten
The Spooky Ten: Music for a Household That Could Not Think of Any
Ten songs and pieces for the night, from Monster Mash to Saint-Saëns, in the order Constance Tally has settled on.
By Constance Tally The Parlour · The Lists 2026-10-26
Somebody at this paper sat down to make a Halloween playlist and could not think of a single song. There are, it turns out, plenty. Years, performers and chart runs here come from each work’s encyclopedia entry.
The playlist
- 1
Monster Mash 1962
Song · Bobby “Boris” Pickett
A graveyard smash, and the reason every party in October has the same first song.
- 2
Thriller 1982
Song · Michael Jackson
Seventh single from the album, and the one with a dance the whole house knows.
- 3
This Is Halloween 1993
Song · Danny Elfman
Sung by the entire population of Halloween Town, which is the only way to schedule a town meeting.
- 4
Ghostbusters 1984
Song · Ray Parker Jr.
Number one for three weeks in the summer of 1984, which settles who you call.
- 5
Werewolves of London 1978
Song · Warren Zevon
A werewolf with excellent taste in restaurants.
- 6
Time Warp 1973
Song · The Rocky Horror Show
The dance instructions are in the lyrics, so this is the one song here that is also a manual.
- 7
Somebody’s Watching Me 1983
Song · Rockwell
Michael Jackson sings the chorus, uncredited, which is the correct way to haunt a record.
- 8
I Put a Spell on You 1956
Song · “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins
Reported to have sold a million copies without ever making the chart. A spell, plainly.
- 9
Dead Man’s Party 1985
Song · Oingo Boingo
Dress code: dead. Arrive early.
- 10
Disturbia 2008
Song · Rihanna
A pop song about not being able to sleep, which is most of horror in three minutes.
The household may argue about the order. The order is final.
