There is one change from past years. I've usually made this stuff so that it would all fit on a single CD (if the max length of a CD is 80 minutes and each side is 20 minutes or less, it should work out automatically). But this year I did a fifth side. So you're either going to have to use 2 CDs or kick one side to the curb. There were two reasons I did a fifth side. First, I had some tunes I liked that couldn't worm their way into the other 4. More pointedly, however, I'm not a fan of novelty records, even at Halloween. I think they wear out their welcome fairly quickly. And, after listening to "The Mummy" a couple dozen times, I couldn't take it anymore. But the side was already mixed and I did want "Disco Werewolf" in. So I cut a fifth, even though those songs are less "spooky" (except for "Spooky", of course, which...ah whatever). There is artwork for a CD that tosses "Side P" and artwork for a CD that excludes "Side S" (as always, the artwork is included in the zip file). And, yes, there is also artwork for the dreaded double CD. And, if none of the options appeal to you, there are also raw versions of the artwork for you (assuming you've got a program to do something with it).
A few other track notes. Kacey Jones also passed this year. She was mostly known for her novelty records, but her album of Mickey Newbury covers (from which we get "Apples Dipped In Candy") shows she could deliver a straight tune with exquisite power. Mr. Undertaker, whose "Here Lies My Love" is an All Hallows Eve classic, is Roy Hawkins. Hawkins life was fairly well cursed, itself. His right arm was paralyzed in an auto accident, inspiring one of his better known songs "Why Do Everything Happen To Me". But his best know composition was "The Thrill Is Gone". Poor Roy. When B.B. King recorded that one, Hawkins was not originally given the writer's credit and he lost out on tons of royalties. That's the kind of luck Roy Hawkins had. And, yes, Roy did record a Christmas track, "Christmas Blues", in 1948.
Greg In Good Company's "Monster's Lair" was inspired by the Netflix series "Stranger Things", which I've never seen. If you hadn't yet heard Fifth Harmony's "I'm In Love With A Monster", get used to it; that song's got legs (at least 8 of them) and it's going to be a Halloween staple for decades to come. And, while Katie Melua has other songs more appropriate for the witching hour, I just love "If The Lights Go Out" too much to use anything else. Its got jangly guitars and a hopeful message and I can't think of any better closing number.
Side O HALLOWEEN -- BILLY COBB (2016) I'M IN LOVE WITH A MONSTER -- FIFTH HARMONY (2015) A TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE -- THE PHILISTINES (2016) VOODOO QUEEN -- OTIS CLAY & JOHNNY RAWLS (2014) OTIS CLAY (1942 - 2016) I AM A MONSTER -- CAUDA PAVONIS (2015) MONSTER NEED WOMAN -- KILL VAN HELSING (2016) |
Side P *THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN -- KAY STARR (1948) HERE LIES MY LOVE -- MR. UNDERTAKER (1955) THE MUMMY -- BOB McFADDEN & DOR (1959) ROD McKUEN ("DOR") (1933 - 2015) *MONSTER MASH -- THE DEREVOLUTIONS (2016) DISCO WEREWOLF -- CLAY OTIS & THE DREAM SHEIKS (2015) CLAY "OTIS" HARDEE (1981 - 2016) *DEVIL'S POINT OF VIEW -- SHADOW RABBITS (2016) |
Side Q GHOST TOWN (EXTENDED VERSION) -- THE SPECIALS (1981) MONSTERS - RUELLE (2015) I'M A WEREWOLF, BABY - THE TRAGICALLY HIP (1987) CASTING MY SPELL - SANDY & THE WILD WOMBATS (2015) GHOSTS -- MIDNIGHT MOB (2016) |
Side R TO CAUSE A WITCH TO DIE -- VINCENT PRICE (1973) SPELLBOUND -- HELEN WELCH (2016) MONSTER MAKER -- THE SCAREDY CATS (2014) MONSTER'S LAIR -- GREG IN GOOD COMPANY (2016) MONSTER -- SARAH POTENZA (2016) MONSTER -- PARAMORE (2011) WITCHES DISCO -- MIDNIGHT CHIMES (2016) |
Side S (buy 4 sides, get 1 free) APPLES DIPPED IN CANDY -- KACEY JONES (2006) KACEY JONES (1950 - 2016) SPOOKY -- DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (1970) *MY DATE WITH DRACULA -- PUBLIC POOL (2016) I'M IN LOVE WITH THE WOLFMAN -- RUBEN (2011) IF THE LIGHTS GO OUT -- KATIE MELUA (2009) |