(SOUNDBITE OF MICHAEL JACKSON SONG, "THRILLER")
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
All right. If that beat tells you anything, it's that Halloween is almost here. And last week, Billboard published a list of the 25 biggest Halloween songs of all time based on their Hot 100 performance. But the list ruffled some feathers among the ALL THINGS CONSIDERED staff. So we asked them for their thoughts and recommendations.
(SOUNDBITE OF MICHAEL JACKSON SONG, "THRILLER")
JONAS ADAMS, BYLINE: I'm Jonas Adams, director of ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm usually good at seeing these lists online and ignoring them, but this one rubbed me the wrong way. I don't understand how Michael Jackson "Thriller" could be ranked 22 out of all Halloween songs. The video for that song plays the whole month of October. The song is everywhere. You cannot deny that this song is the No. 1 Halloween song. I don't care what the numbers say.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THRILLER")
MICHAEL JACKSON: (Singing) You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes. You're paralyzed.
AVERY KEATLEY, BYLINE: My name is Avery Keatley and I'm a producer on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MONSTER MASH")
BOBBY BORIS PICKETT AND THE CRYPT-KICKERS: (Singing) He did the mash. He did the monster mash. The monster mash. It was a graveyard smash.
KEATLEY: "Monster Mash" was No. 1. But, you know, it's a Halloween classic. I wouldn't say it's, like, a song I'm going to listen to more than once per year (laughter).
KATHRYN FINK, BYLINE: My name is Kathryn Fink. I'm a producer for ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. My favorite Halloween song is "This Is Halloween" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," the wonderful Tim Burton movie.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THIS IS HALLOWEEN")
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTISTS: (Singing) Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Come with us...
FINK: It is just one of my absolute favorites that I listen to all year round, honestly.
KEATLEY: One that I didn't see on the list that I think is, like, one of the greatest Halloween songs of all time is "I Put A Spell On You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
(SOUNDBITE OF SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS SONG, "I PUT A SPELL ON YOU")
KEATLEY: That song never charted on Billboard pop or R&B charts. But, I mean, if you listen to it, it's just this great, witchy song.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I PUT A SPELL ON YOU")
SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: (Singing) I put the spell on you because you're mine.
ADAMS: My list is going to be always a little different from Billboard. Geto Boys "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," where the last verse specifically says, this year, Halloween fell on the weekend.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MIND PLAYING TRICKS ON ME")
GETO BOYS: (Rapping) Halloween fell on a weekend. Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin', Robbin' little kids for bags.
ADAMS: I'm also a huge fan of Whodini, "Freaks Come Out At Night." These are great, classic Halloween songs.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT")
WHODINI: (Singing) The freaks come out at night. The freaks come out at night. The freaks come out at night. The freaks come out at night.
(Rapping) Discos don't open till after dark, and it ain't till 12 till the party really starts. And I always had to be home by 10 right before the fun was about to begin. Crowds of people lined up inside and out, just one reason - to rock the house. But in the daytime the streets was clear. You couldn't find a good freak anywhere, 'cause...
(Singing) The freaks come out at night. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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