Halloween music, all mixed up

Ever since Malinda told us about SpotDJ over the summer, I've been spending far too much time making mix tapes. I think part of the appeal is that when I was of mix-tape age, the technology was not friendly to such an endeavor. Making any kind of compilation required finding a stereo that had both a turntable and cassette recorder, then painstakingly finding songs on records and recording them to cassette. You young'uns have it so easy. And yes, I did have to walk to school in the snow.

Anyway, what better reason to make a mix tape than Halloween? I started with the intention of doing an all-female mix. For reasons I don't care to explore, the first song I thought of was "The End" by Nico. And Pat Benatar's "Hell Is for Children." When did Benatar start looking like this?

Bjork is always kind of scary, and "Ancestors" is a great Halloween song. And nothing says horror like "Rawhead and Bloody Bones" by Siouxsie & the Banshees.

But when I went to make the mix, I hit a snag. Most of the songs I wanted weren't available via SpotDJ. And honestly, could you imagine a Halloween mix without "Thriller?" So, I decided to fill in with songs loved by a woman, namely me.

1. "Thriller" — Michael Jackson

The ultimate Halloween classic from a truly scary dude.

2. "Psycho Killer" — Talking Heads

Tina Weymouth's driving bass mirrors the disturbing voices in the head of a serial killer.

3. "Zombie" — Cranberries

The zombies in this song are those who mindlessly kill innocents in war. More frightening than ever.

4. "Black Magic Woman Gypsy Queen" — Santana

Is it just me, or does this remind you of Alice and Tasha?

5. "Everyday Is Halloween" — Ministry

"I live with snakes and lizard and other things that go bump in the night 'cause to me every day is Halloween."

6. "Army of Me" — Bjork

The rhythm and the metal give this song a horror track sound to me.

7. "Voodoo Child" — Jimi Hendrix

8. "Wild Thing" — ZZ Top

9. "People Are Strange" — the Doors

10. "Witchy Woman" — Eagles

These four songs are here because I love them. 'Nuff said.

11. "Love Song for a Vampire" — Annie Lennox

From Bram Stoker's Dracula.

12. "Sally's Song" — Fiona Apple

This version was on the special-release Nightmare Before Christmas CD.

13. "This Is Halloween" — The Nightmare Before Christmas

Watching Nightmare is a Halloween tradition.

14. "Time Warp" — The Rocky Horror Picture Show

It's the pelvic thrust that really drives me insane.

15. "Halloween Theme" — John Carpenter

The original. The Jamie Lee Curtis. The end.

What did I miss? What's on your Halloween mix tape?