Music is huge part of my life, that’s no surprise to anyone who reads the Blind Pig on a regular basis. This time of the year folks start hunting up music to play at Halloween parties and festivals. Songs like Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, and Thriller are usually at the top of the list, but today I’m going tell you about some songs that I think are truly haunting.
I divided the songs into three different groups.
Group 1
Appalachia is famous world wide for it’s murder ballads. Many of the oldest most horrific ballads originated in the British Isles and were brought here by the first Scot Irish settlers. I’ve wrote about the phenomenon before how something so horrible could attract listeners year after year, generation after generation, including myself.
Below is a list of murder ballads. Each title is a link to a youtube video. Be forewarned the songs are not for the faint at heart.
- Knoxville Girl by Pap and Paul
- Down In The Willow Garden by the Everly Brothers
- Tom Dooley by Pap and Paul
- Pretty Polly by David Holt
- Darlin Cory by Mike Seeger
- Katie Dear by The Louvin Brothers
- Poor Ellen Smith by Jimmy Martin
- Banks of the Ohio by Bill Monroe and Doc Watson
- Omie Wise by Doc Watson
Group 2
Other songs that come to mind reach across several genres of music: bluegrass, county, and even rock.
- It’s Just the Night by The Del McCoury Band and The Fairfield Four
- Long Black Veil by Paul Wilson
- Miller’s Cave by Bobby Bare
- The Wooly Swamp by Charlie Daniels
- Eli Renfro by The Del McCoury Band
- In the Pines by The Louvin Brothers
- Swamp Witch by Jim Stafford
- The Brown Mountain Lights by The Country Gentlemen
- Deep Dark Woods by Pap and Paul
- Ghost Riders In The Sky by Johnny Cash
- Hotel California by the Eagles
- The Cave by Josh Williams
Group 3
Growing up in a Southern Baptist atmosphere the Devil and his host of demons are wrapped up in all of my spooky thoughts. Those fears are supported by more than one religious warning song. Songs which tell the story of what will happen if you stray from the straight and narrow way. To me-these are the scariest of all songs.
- O Death by Ralph Stanley
- Hush by The Nashville Bluegrass Band (Chitter and Chatter think this is the all time scariest song)
- The Crossroads
- The Great Atomic Power by The Louvin Brothers
- Almost Persuaded by The Louvin Brothers
- Oh Why Not Tonight by The Wilson Brothers
- Sinner You Better Get Ready The Louvin Brothers
- Careless Soul by The Wilson Brothers
Hope you enjoyed my list of songs for Halloween! If you got any to add please leave me a comment.
Tipper
Oh TIPPER! These posts put the chills on me again! Growing up in the Matheson Cove, I was such a scardy cat!
For today, that Ed snitched my response! Just reading his post scares me – any time! When I was writing “Fiddler of the Mountains: Attuned to the Life and Times of Johnny Mull” I just had to include some scary stories that Uncle Johnny and Daddy use to share with us! Those memories still run deep in the Tusquittee Mountains!
THANKS FOR YOUR MEANINGFUL POSTS!
Eva Nell Mull Wike, PhD
AUTHOR “Fiddler of the Mountains”
The Dillards used to really enjoy telling, and record the telling of, ghost stories. As far as ghost stories in music, my conclusion is that few match The Dillards.
Almost 50 yrs. ago I heard an old man sing this in church. There’s a little black train a comin.
It’s hard for me to consider Knoxville Girl a scary song since my mother used to sing it to me while she rocked me to sleep. 60 some years ago and I can still hear her voice.
Tipper,
I’ve listened to Knoxville Girl by Paul and Pap many times, but my Favorite on this one is by Jim and Jesse. Still I can’t understand why someone would write such a song. It is very popular tho.
There was a lot of thought put into those three lists. But then I don’t know of anyone who devotes time for a daily blog for us to read. You are a great writer, Tipper. …Ken
That is a fantastic list Tipper! I am aware of quite a few; however, I’m looking forward to listening to the new songs on your list. Thanks for sharing.
Years ago when I was a kid in Oak Ridge, Tn., @ the Glenwood Baptist Church, we had “Tacky Parties.” We would dress up ” tacky” & have the most fun singing old folk Songs & ballads. I will never forget one called “Florelly” taught to us by a lady who was from Townsend, Tn. It was so sad about a fella who thought she had two-time him so he murdered her! “Look down that long green vaLley, where sweet the flowers grow, it’s there my sweet Florelly lies moulding in her tomb. Oh, Willy, I forgive you, was her last & dying breath. I never did deceive you & she closed her eyes in death.” Ughhhhh!
Your lists brought back a lot of memories for me. I remember my brothers doing Tom Dooley and Miller’s Cave so many years ago and Mama used to sing Knoxville Girl. I’m the only family member not gifted for music–always wished I could join in.
Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers Off of Me by the Stanley Brothers
Bringing Mary Home by the Country Gentlemen (also Mac Wiseman)
For Chitter and Chatter’s scariest song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f500cUi7z3Q is much easier to understand the words.
Do you think the song Ode to Billy Joe by Bobby Gentry fits?
Love these songs of intrigue!
Many blessings for your day!
That’s a very thorough list of spooky songs, and a spooky picture to go with them. It’s always been a mystery to me how those cold brutal songs could be so popular. The must speak to a part of human nature that I try to pretend doesn’t exist.