Halloween Mix V: Wicked & Sweet

And… here’s the fifth of seven Halloween mixes.  They Might Be Giants, Tom Jones, Undertones, Flaming Lips, the Archies, and more!  It’s a very busy week, but I’m going to do my utmost to get these all up prior to the 31st.

1. Dr. Evil They Might Be Giants (1999)      1:50

From Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, it’s They Might Be Giants performing the film’s theme song.  Nice echo of John Barry’s James Bond music, with Robin “Goldie” Goldwasser’s vocal evoking the great Shirley Bassey.

2. Scarecrow Beck (2005)      4:16

From Beck‘s album, Guero.

3. King Kong Jimmy Castor Bunch (1975)      3:30

The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s biggest hit was the #6 pop single “Troglodyte (Cave Man)” in 1972.  Here’s a lesser hit from 1975.

4. Spider Man Ramones (1995)      2:07

From the compilation album Saturday Morning Cartoons’ Greatest Hits, here are the Ramones!  1-2-3-4—!

5. Spiderwebs No Doubt (1995)      4:29

Yes, I know that this (and some of the other songs here) are only loosely Halloween-y, but I’m choosing to interpret “walking into spider webs” as apt for October 31st.  As you probably already know, this is from No Doubt‘s smash hit record Tragic Kingdom.

6. Ghost in You The Psychedelic Furs (1984)      4:17

From the Furs‘ Mirror Moves, the album that also brought you the songs “Heaven,” “Heartbeat,” and “Here Come Cowboys.”

7. I Want to Be Buried in Your Backyard Nightmare of You (2005)      4:07

From the band‘s debut, Nightmare of You.

8. St. James Infirmary Blues Tom Jones and Jools Holland (2004)      4:06

This song has been recorded many, many times – with many lyrical variants.  The first may be Fess Williams’ “Gamblers’ Blues” (1927) and the first under a version of the famous title is Louis Armstrong and His Hot Fives’ “St. James Infirmary” (1928). Rob Walker‘s “Name That Tune” (14 June 2005) provides a fascinating history of the song.  Sarah Vowell’s “The Magical Mystery Tour” (6 Oct. 1999) offers her own reflections on the song, and Pre-War Blues’ “So Young, So Cold, So Fair: The Saint James Infirmary Blues” (10 July 2008) gathers together over 100 versions of the song.  Check it out!

9. When the Spell Is Broken Bonnie Raitt with The Five Blind Boys of Alabama (1994)      5:18

From the stellar album of Richard Thompson covers, Beat the Retreat.

10.  Candy Everybody Wants 10,000 Maniacs (1992)      3:08

From the band‘s Our Time in Eden.

11.  Mars Bars The Undertones (1979)      2:08

From the Undertones‘ classic self-titled debut, the record that includes “Teenage Kicks.”  This track is also on the fine compilation, The Very Best of the Undertones.  Recommended for fans of Buzzocks, early Clash, and classic punk.

12.  Sugar, Sugar The Archies (1969)      2:53

Studio musicians, with Ron Dante on vocals, performing as the Archies (of the animated cartoon series based on Bob Montana’s comic books).  This was their big hit single.  Here’s the introduction to The Archies (TV show).

13.  Candyman Christina Aguilera (2006)      3:14

From Aguilera‘s Back to Basics, which also includes the hit “Ain’t No Other Man.”

14.  Candy Bottom Girls Q-Unit [50 Cent vs. Queen] (2005)      3:29

From Q-Unit’s Greatest Hits, a mash-up album full of 50 Cent and Queen.

15.  Lollipop Mika (2007)      3:06

From Mika‘s debut, Life in Cartoon Motion, which also brought you “Grace Kelly,” “Love Today,” and “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful).”   Very catchy pop!

16.  Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead The Munchkins (1939)      2:49

From the 1939 MGM musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).

17.  Wicked Blitzen Trapper (2008)      1:55

From the soundtrack to the movie Choke.

18.  Spider Web Joan Osborne (1995)      5:33

This appears on Osborne‘s Relish, which includes her hit single “One of Us.”

19.  I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes The Boy Least Likely To (2005)      3:58

From the Boy Least Likely To‘s charming debut album, The Best Party Ever.

20.  All My Friends Are Insects Weezer (2010)      1:53

A bonus track from Weezer‘s latest, Hurley.

21.  The Purple People Eater Sheb Wooley (1958)      2:16

Character actor & musician Sheb Wooley‘s big pop hit – #1 in 1958!  Wooley also starred on the TV series Rawhide (1959-1966) with Clint Eastwood.  He had some hit songs on the country charts, too.

22.  Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1 The Flaming Lips (2002)      4:46

From the band‘s album of the same name (well, minus the “pt. 1”).

23.  My Body’s a Zombie for You Dead Man’s Bones (2009)      4:31

This appears on Dead Man’s Bones self-titled debut album.