Pop Shots – Spooky Stuff

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, with Halloween coming up on Friday I’ve put together a playlist of five songs that involve some classic spooky characters.

You’ll find werewolves, vampires, and even an invisible man in this selection of songs … although maybe not necessarily in the way you might expect, and since this is Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

Warren Zevon – Werewolves of London

 

Find me a better opening lyric than “I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand,” I dare you!

Inspired by a conversation with Phil Everly (of The Everly Brothers fame), the song features Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass. It isn’t about actual werewolves – although there is a nice mention of Lon Chaney Jr., who played The Wolf Man, as well as other famous Universal movie monsters – instead the werewolf is a metaphor for a well-dressed ladies man.

Regardless, it’s a great excuse to let out a big, “Aaaaooooo!”

Marcy Playground – The Vampires of New York

 

Marcy Playground was not all sex and candy, they also had vampires!

Their creatures of the night don’t involve capes, and blood sucking, however … unless you’re into that sort of thing. These “vampires” are actually New Yorkers existing on the fringes, and Marcy Playground is telling newbies everything they might see in the city – the good, the bad, and the ugly … but mostly the latter two.

I love NYC, but I have to admit this is a way more accurate portrayal of the city than the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song.

Alice Cooper – Feed My Frankenstein

 

For as non-traditional as I like to make these holiday-themed playlists, it’s tough to find Frankenstein songs, and honestly, this is Alice Cooper’s holiday.

So for the love all that is holy – or perhaps un-holy – feed his Frankenstein! (I won’t even go into a rant about how Frankenstein was the name of the scientist, and the monster didn’t have a name)

Clay Aiken – Invisible

 

Now playing the role of The Invisible Man – American Idol alum, Clay Aiken. I could’ve gone with 98 Degrees’ “Invisible Man” here, but is there anything spookier than the idea that Clay Aiken wants to be invisible so he can watch you in your room?

Yes, those are the actual lyrics! Spooky … and also seriously questionable.

Electric Light Orchestra – Turn To Stone

 

A song for Medusa … OK, not really, because in Jeff Lynne’s case, he turns to stone when the lady in question is gone, but this is my playlist, and I can radically misinterpret the song based on its title all I want!

Seriously, though, imagine if Jeff Lynne actually did get involved with a lovely woman with snakes for hair, then he’d turn to stone when she was gone and when she was there. Doesn’t seem like much of a relationship to me, but … wait, wasn’t I supposed to be talking about Halloween?

Jeff Lynne may turn to stone, but clearly my brain has turned into candy corn!

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.