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Fangs for the Memories - A Vampire Music MixOct 29 '11 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.
Every year, the days leading up to Halloween brings us countless news stories and we site articles about what this years hot new Halloween costumes. They’re hip and trendy, even if more than a little gimmicky, but even those that aren’t shoddily made usually end up rather dated and forgettable. Want something great? You need to go with the old school classics, and nothing is more iconic at Halloween than the top of the undead food chain, the vampire. With a literary and folkloric history that stretches back centuries, vampires are an undeniable part of the collective consciousness and will always play an important part in any celebration of all things scary. With that in mind, here’s a vampire themed mix of music to help set the mood for this or any year’s Halloween celebration. Bela Lugosi’s Dead by Bauhaus There’s no better song to open up this musical tribute to the bloodsucking undead than with the song that spawned the goth rock movement. A masterpiece of stark minimalism, the sparse, staccato percussion, the angular, shrieking guitar, and the ominous three-descending-notes bass riff blend together to create a sinister, otherworldly atmosphere, much like the ancient and dusty medieval castles that stand at the center of every cliched, classic vampire film. Add in Peter Murphy’s eerie, echoey lyrics of undying devotion to silver screen’s most iconic vampire portrayer, and we have an epically atmospheric opener for our mix. ♬ the bats have left the bell tower the victims have been bled red velvet lines the black box Bela Lugosi’s dead ♬ Moon over Bourbon Street by Sting While most undead monsters are easy to write off as simple, one-dimensional forces of evil, it’s impossible to escape the romanticized, tortured-soul nature that sets vampires apart from the mindless hordes of zombies, ghouls, and their ilk. Inspired by Anne Rice’s Lestat novels, Sting weaves his lyrical tale of remorseful hunger and compulsion around a jazzy bass beat and a haunting soprano sax wail, expertly crafted to capture the seductive, forbidden allure that surrounds every vampire story. ♬ how can I be this way when I pray to God above? I must love what I destroy and destroy the thing I love ♬ The Perks of Being a Vampire by Vision Through Sound People who are really into the whole vampire mythos love to surround themselves with all things this gothic and macabre, so much so that their often end up insufferable to be around for any length of time. Vampire lovers still want to fit in with the rest of society need to have at least a little bit of ironic detachment. It’s hard to find just the right blend, but Vision Through Sound manage to do so for their 2006 song. Sure, they are the typical gothic piano riffs and the minor key guitar licks that one would expect from any vampire rock anthem, but there’s enough self-aware nods and winks in the lyrics to keep the song accessible. ♬ and we'll become one with our infatuations cause we've got too much too offer to just lie in our coffins ♬ Blood by Pearl Jam So far, this mix has been all about the brooding, romanticized side of the vampire mythos, but even the most atmospheric of horror stories needs its moments of frenzied blood and gore. Pearl Jam capture those those fleeting but oh-so-integral moments with this song off of Vs. Stabbing guitar assaults, lopsided drum beats, and Eddie Vedder’s frenzied vocals all blend together in a pure sonic assault on the senses, rushing out of nowhere to strike when we’re least expecting it. ♬ stab it down fill the pages suck my life out maker of my enemies ♬ Vampire by Jad and David Fair Monsters are a primal part of the human psyche, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that young kids can often explain what they’re all about just as well, if not better than grown up writers. Taken from their collection of outsider art, anti-folk kids songs about monsters, the Fair brothers’ Vampire looks at the idea of undead hunting through a child’s eyes, set to backwoods, ozark folk arrangement. It’s a little bit silly and innocent, but it’s even more creepy and unnerving. ♬ we’re on a vampire hunt oh we’re on a vampire hunt he can’t take a wooden stake we’re on a vampire hunt ♬ Let the RIght One In by Morrissey There’s something undeniably seductive about the vampires of literature, film, and folklore - a sense of sense of power, of status, and of forbidden knowledge that comes with their unnaturally advanced age. If there weren’t an ever present temptation under the surface to give in and join their ranks, most vampire tales would feel flat and one-dimensional. While not specifically about vampire’s, Morrissey’s jangly Let the Right One Slip In succinctly captures the feeling that of all the tempting vices in the world, there’s one that can overtake us without destroying us in the process. ♬ let the right one in let the old dreams die let the wrong ones go they cannot, they cannot they cannot do what you want them to do ♬ Release the Bats by The Birthday Party It’s been a while since we’ve seen one in a vampire film, but the deranged human minion used to be a stock character in all vampire films. If you’ve seen any version of Dracula, just think back to Renfield, scurrying around for bugs to eat and spouting mad, ranting praises to his master. Nick Cave, backed by his early eighties punk band, plays that role here, screeching his vocals filled with random vampire imagery over a thumping rockabilly beat. It’s primal, it’s wild, and it’s clearly disturbed - perfect for the unhinged vampire minion archetype. ♬ she says damn that horror bat sex bat horror vampire sex cool machine horror bat! bite! ♬ Love Song for a Vampire by Annie Lennox Even with the fangs, and the drinking of the blood, and the sleeping in a coffin, which would logically seem to be deal-breakers, there are always people who find vampires irresistibly attractive. I’m at a loss to explain it myself, but Annie Lennox managed to capture the sentiment quite well. Without the song’s title, it’d be easy to mistake this for a straightforward, dreamy love song, but many of the lines take on a whole new ominous tone when we consider that the tune was written for Francis Ford Coppola’s cinematic adaptation of Dracula. ♬ the rhythm of this trembling heart is beating like a drum It beats for you it bleeds for you it knows not how it sounds ♬ Dracula from Houston by the Butthole Surfers Yes, I’ll admit that this song has no real connection to vampires in any way save for the title, but it’s nice to have some lighthearted fun to balance out the darker moments of this mix. From the catchy power pop guitar riffs to the slick, layered indie rock arrangement, to the half-bored, spoken word delivery of the song’s stream of consciousness lyrics, it’s not something that makes a lot of sense, but with a song this infectiously catchy, it really doesn’t have to. ♬ oh no, we gotta go we're not gonna live forever why, why, we gotta die you know that well be together ♬ Satin in a Coffin by Modest Mouse Vampires have long blended a classy sense of elegance and style with wild, frenzied hunger that can eradicate all sense of civility. It’s a dichotomy that Modest Mouse capture well on this song. On one level, we’ve got slick bluegrass riffs that follow in a tradition as old as the hills themselves. But on another, we’ve got singer Isaac Brock’s frenzied, manic rantings. Together, they create that eerie sense that there’s an undeniable taint of evil lurking unseen beneath the veneer of civility. ♬ are you dead or are you sleeping? are you dead or are you sleeping? are you dead or are you sleeping? god I sure hope you are dead ♬ Bloodletting by Concrete Blonde Few can deny the powerful charisma that cinematic vampires exude. They’re easily the most captivating and magnetic characters in any scene in which they appear. As such, it would be hard to beat Bloodletting as a soundtrack highlight for any vampire montage scene. With its rolling bass beat, its thumping tom tom drums, its shrill post-punk guitar riffs, and its massively layered sing-along choruses, the song is a pure sonic assault of dark, gothic swagger. ♬ there's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on the bed there's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on the bed oh you were a vampire and baby I'm the walking dead ♬ Vampire Blues by Louden Wainwright III It’s usually a challenge to figure out whether or not Louden Wainwright is being serious in any given song of his, so it’s a little surprising to hear something as straightforward as Vampire Blues from him. With its honky-tonk piano riffs, its honking sax fills, its traditional twelve-bar blues structure, and its blistering breakdown that draws the song to a close, it’s exactly what one might expect to hear if Dracula were a regular at some smoky downtown blues bar. ♬ I’m a vampire please let me come inside I’m a harmless little vampire please let me come inside throw away that crucifix and all that garlic I want you to be my bride ♬ Dracula by Gorillaz Vampires may not be as prevalent in caribbean folklore as they are in other parts of the world, but that doesn’t stop Damon Albarn and his virtual band from crafting a reggae flavored tribute to the most iconic of all vampires. There are plenty of sinister sounding minor key back beat guitar riffs to create an eerie feel for the track, but the real sense of fun comes a few samples dropped in from the old Bugs Bunny cartoon Transylvania 6-5000. All in all, it makes for a great Halloween party track. ♬ some of us toe the line the rest of us out of reach everybody party time some of us will never sleep again Dracula ♬ Bloodsucker by Southern Culture on the Skids So far, this mix has mostly focused on vampires’ seductive allure, hypnotic appeal, and eternally cursed life, but no vampire story would be complete without that moment when the protagonists switch into action hero mode and set off on the hunt. SCotS’s Bloodsucker may not be a pulse pounding action anthem, opting instead for a relaxed latin grove mixed with sleepy vocals that drip with snark and sass, but it still reflects the essence of the most memorable vampire hunting scenes out there. ♬ give me a stake I won’t hesitate to drive through your icy heart you ain’t got the beat in those antique feet you need some fresh blood your heart ♬ Cry Little Sister by Gerald McMann Vampire stories work best when they’re able to mix the dark, gothic elements with just a little bit of campy humor and wrap it all up in a slick, stylistic sheen. Coming along at the height of the MTV age, The Lost Boys captured that mixture perfectly. Gerald McMann’s theme song from the film still stands as a paragon of the goth rock scene, with its dark guitar hooks, its guttural vocals, its synth-heavy string arrangements, and its creepy little girl chorus repeating “thou shall not fall/die/fear/kill.” As that film was one of the first R rated movies I saw when growing, up, I can’t think of a better way to draw this mix to a close. ♬ a last fire will rise behind those eyes black house will rock, blind boys don't lie immortal fear, that voice so clear through broken walls, that scream I hear ♬  |
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