#SpookyTunesSeason, Volume One

Jumping on the Hallowe'en bandwagon, this is the first half of a month-long bit of fun over on Twitter. I've literally been making it up as I go along, so it's a surprisingly coherent Dubhed selection, all things considered.

Expect some wild swerves from indie to reggae to rap to disco to bubblegum pop to contemporary breakbeats. I've copied and pasted my 'sleevenotes' directly from Musk's manky bird. 

I Walked With A Zombie: R.E.M.

I was going to ‘rest’ for a month, but there’s clearly no rest for the undead… Starting big with this great cover from R.E.M.

 

Ghouls: Wooden Shjips

Ripley Johnson, Dusty Jermier, Nash Whalen & Omar Ahsanuddin R.O.C.K. out!

 

My Beloved Monster: Eels

I suspect this song may have been posted lots already, so here’s a lovely version from the 2 Meter Sessions in 1997.

 

Vampire: Sinéad O'Connor

Cover of the Devon Irons & Dr. Alimantado/Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry classic from 1977. Sinéad produced by Sly & Robbie and absolutely smashing it.  

 

Devil Is A Liar: Kode9 & The Spaceape

Astonishing music and video, sadly released posthumously as The Space Ape aka Stephen Gordon passed far too soon on 2nd Oct 2014.  

 

Horrorworld: Momus

I nearly picked The Hairstyle Of The Devil, but this more recent offering from Mr. Currie also has a suitably creepy video.

Werewolves On Wheels: Don Gere

Forget the "first ever motorcycle horror film", it's the soundtrack & especially the main theme that you need to hunt down. Just remember to bring the silver bullets.

Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master): Phosphorescent

Lots of great live performances out there, including this one atop the Studio Brussel tower in Belgium, on 26 May 2013 (like today, also a Tuesday)

I Don't Want To Be A Freak (But I Can't Help Myself): Dynasty

Just a music love affair...  

 

Garghouls (Richard Sen Remix): Funboys

Head straight for the Sen. Old school video, new school vibes courtesy of this Norwegian-Australian-Belgian-Anglo collab.

 

Munster Creep: The Munsters

A cash-in single and album on the classic TV show that's actually pretty good. The real musicians apparently include Glen Campbell on guitar and Leon Russell on keys. Spooky! (#1)

 

These Are The Ghosts: The Bees

Their harmonies are the bees' knees, as this 2011 live version amply demonstrates.

 

Plastic Man, You're The Devil: Pink Mountaintops

From The Bees to McBean. Stephen McBean, that is, with a lovely live version from Vienna in 2009. 

 

She's Got A New Spell: Billy Bragg

I'd already chosen the song before fact checking and I have just discovered this was released as a single in the UK on 14th November 1988. Spooky! (#2)

 

Dirty Creature: Split Enz

The video is online but I've gone for this performance on short-lived Australian daytime music show WROK. Health warning: hairy chests from the start.

Skeletons: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Lots of YYY contenders, but I don't think this has made an appearance so far. Great song from a great album.  

 

With Volume Two landing tomorrow, I'll leave it to you to decide if this is 'trick' or 'treat'...!

1) I Walked With A Zombie (Cover of Roky Erickson & The Aliens): R.E.M. (1990)

2) Ghouls: Wooden Shjips (2013)

3) My Beloved Monster (Album Version): Eels (1996)

4) Vampire (Album Version) (Cover of Lee Perry ft. Devon Irons & Dr. Alimantado): Sinéad O'Connor (2005)

5) Devil Is A Liar: Kode9 & The Spaceape (2014)

6) Horrorworld: Momus (2021)

7) Werewolves On Wheels: Don Gere (1971)

8) Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master): Phosphorescent (2013)

9) I Don't Want To Be A Freak (But I Can't Help Myself) (Album Version): Dynasty (1979)

10) Garghouls (Richard Sen Remix): Funboys (2021)

11) Munster Creep: The Munsters (1964)

12) These Are The Ghosts (Undead Version): The Bees (2004)

13) Plastic Man, You're The Devil: Pink Mountaintops (2006)

14) She's Got A New Spell: Billy Bragg (1988)

15) Dirty Creature: Split Enz (1982)

16) Skeletons (Album Version): Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2009)

Volume One (1:08:26) (KF) (Mega)