If My Life Were A Horror Movie…
My Mixtape’s A Masterpiece is a weekly feature in which a guest compiles a playlist around some theme. This week, Bee Delores assembles 12 songs that were perfectly accompany a horror movie. Read Bee’s thoughts on each song and listen along to the Spotify playlist on top and/or the YouTube playlist at the bottom of the post.
I watch enough horror movies that my entire life is literally a horror movie. For my playlist, I compiled pop songs, both well-known and indie, to soundtrack my life as if it were a horror movie. There are soundtrack-only cuts alongside songs ripped from the movie that pair with crucial story or character moments. All the songs chosen see frequent rotation during spooky season; so these picks were a no-brainer.
1. “It Must Have Been Love” by Roxette
A modern horror movie just has to have an iconic pop song for the trailer. Roxette’s signature ballad would make a perfect teaser for the darkness simmering just below the surface. Imagine buckets of blood splashing the screen - perfect!
2. “Won’t Sleep” by Tones and I
I’m envisioning this song soundtracking one of the early kill scenes. A friend is getting ready for a Halloween bash, and on their way, they’re stalked and slaughtered on a lonely dark street by a masked killer.
3. “Zombie” by Leadley
You’ve gotta have a glimpse into the killer and their secret lair at some point. “Zombie” serves as the killer’s anthem as we weave through a secluded garage where they’ve set up shop — it’s perfect: infectious and sinister. It hits the sweet spot!
4. “Don’t Drop The Funk” by Jara
Of course, we have to have at least one montage. While the Halloween dance seemingly goes off without a hitch, someone is being mutilated by a corkscrew in the basement after going to get another bottle of wine. They never saw it coming…
5. “Frankenstein” by The Edgar Winter Group
For the bad boy character, he likes his music on the rock side. “Frankenstein” introduces the audience to his gruff exterior. It both soundtracks the scene and plays off the radio as he zig-zags through a crowded highway scene.
6. “Come, Little Children” by Clovet Mae
Busy getting ready for the party, as Sarah from HOCUS POCUS, a character listens to Clovet Mae’s version of the song when she hears a noise downstairs. Against her better judgment, she goes to check it out – only to have it be her BFF scaring her.
7. “Season Of The Witch” by Lana Del Rey
To open the movie, we have Lana Del Rey’s “Season Of The Witch” as the camera pans around town to capture the spirit of the Halloween season. We soon zoom in on one young teen who happens to be listening to the song on her earbuds.
8. “Novels About Vampires” by Candi Carpenter
The same young teen is later seen getting ready for the Halloween party. She looks fondly at a picture of her crush that’s tucked into the corner of the mirror on her vanity. The killer, who’s lying in wait in her closet, reveals himself, and as he digs a butcher’s knife into her flesh, the song hits the crescendo.
9. “Alone” by Elijah Mann
In an early scene, I’m walking through downtown to do some last-minute shopping for a Halloween costume. A street performer with a guitar in tow begins playing “Alone,” which makes me think about my crush, who was just murdered the night before. I experience a panic attack and bolt around the nearest corner so no one can see.
10. “Appetite” by E. Alvin
My best friend is a tortured poet, and this serves as their low-key anthem. He’s also the red herring of the film. While he’s pouring out his suspicious feelings about his ex, the camera pans around him before transitioning to an imaginary moment of their ex being brutally murdered.
11. “Like Me” by Yorxe
The epic finale needs a big and bold song that throbs like a heartbeat. In the big chase scene at the end, this Yorxe song works overtime to get the blood pumping with tension and mood.
12. “Close Your Eyes” by Kim Petras
When the maniac is finally killed in the end, “Close Your Eyes” bursts through the speakers as the end credits song. It’s got enough oomph! to crawl into your brain and fit the film’s overall aesthetic.
