Halloween Mix VI: Season of the Witch

Welcome to the sixth Halloween mix.  Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Curtis Mayfield; Charlie Daniels; Billy Bragg; Van Halen; Donovan; and, of course, many more…!

1. Halloween Spooks Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (1959)      2:17

The vocalese trio from their Hottest New Group in Jazz LP.  If you like vocalese, then – well, then you probably already have all of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross‘s recordings.

2. The Halloween Song Evangelicals (2007)      2:29

A seasonal number from the Oklahoma indie group, Evangelicals.

3. She’s Got a New Spell Billy Bragg (1988)      3:25

From Bragg‘s Workers Playtime, which includes “The Great Leap Forward” and “The Short Answer.”  A great record.

4. Crazy as She Goes The Legion of Doom [Gnarls Barkley vs. The Raconteurs] (2006)      3:19

Very catchy mash-up of Gnarls Barkley‘s “Crazy” and the Raconteurs‘ “Steady as She Goes” – with a little Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (“The Message”) added, to taste.  Nice.

5. The Devil Is An Angel Janiva Magness (2010)      3:09

The title track from Janiva Magness‘s latest album.

6. Runnin’ with the Devil Van Halen (1978)      3:37

Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony.  The original Van Halen and the first song from the band’s debut album.

7. (Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going to Go Curtis Mayfield (1970)      3:28

The first song on Curtis, Mayfield‘s debut solo record.  The same LP that introduced “Move on Up.”

8. Sheep Go to Heaven Cake (1998)      4:45

From Prolonging the Magic, Cake‘s third album (features the hit “Never There”).

9. Last Night I Nearly Died Duke Special (2006)      3:49

Appears on the band‘s album Songs from the Deep Forest.

10.  Only the Good Die Young Billy Joel (1977)      3:53

From Joel‘s hit album, The Stranger… which had many other hits – “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” “Just the Way You Are,” and “She’s Always a Woman.”  Below, an energetic Joel performs the song in… 1981?  His attire suggests 1981 or thereabouts.

11.  Live and Let Die Paul McCartney & Wings (1973)      3:13

The theme song to the James Bond film of the same name.  Here’s a live performance that I would guess (based on the hairstyles) dates to the mid-1980s.

12.  Where The Bodies Are John Wesley Harding (1992)      4:21

From Harding‘s Why We Fight.

13.  Bury Me In Smoke Burnt Ones (2010)      3:41

From the Burnt Ones‘ debut LP, Black Teeth & Golden Tongues.

14.  Die, All Right! The Hives (2000)      2:46

Appears on the same album as the band‘s “Hate to Say I Told You So” – Veni Vidi Vicious.

15.  Danger! High Voltage Electric Six (2003)      3:35

Featuring a vocal turn by Jack White, the Electric Six warns us about the dangers of high voltage.  On the dance floor.  There’s a really campy video for the song, which may be NSFW – well, depending on where you work.

16.  Black Ghost/Black Girl Starling Electric (2006)      2:26

From Starling Electric‘s debut LP, Clouded Staircase.

17.  Casper the Friendly Ghost Mike Doughty (2009)      1:33

The former Soul Coughing frontman sings about the friendliest ghost you know.

18.  Wall of Death R.E.M.  (1994)      3:09

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

19.  Dead Flowers The Rolling Stones (1971)      4:05

Sticky Fingers.  The Stones.  Keith Richards recently talked to Fresh Air‘s Terry Gross.  He doesn’t talk about this song, but he does talk a good bit.

20.  Season of the Witch Donovan (1966)      4:56

From Donovan‘s album Sunshine Superman.

21.  Swamp Witch Jim Stafford (1973)      3:36

Stafford‘s first hit – top 40 in 1973.

22.  The Legend of Wooley Swamp The Charlie Daniels Band (1980)      4:15

When I was a student at Choate, I did my own radio show once a week, in the evening – Saturday nights, perhaps?  I don’t remember.  I do remember that my one regular listener called himself “Mr. Skittles” (after the candy, presumably) and would always call to request this specific song.  So, Mr. Skittles, this song goes out to you – the Charlie Daniels Band‘s top 40 hit from 1980.

23.  The End of the Track The Fleshtones (1987)      4:04

The band recorded for so many different record labels that there’s unlikely ever to be a great compilation of the Fleshtones‘ over-30-year career.  Indeed, many albums are out of print and have yet to be released via any on-line music service.  The Fleshtones vs. Reality is one such album – and the source for this particular song, a tune that gives conclusive proof that garage-rockers also listen to Judy Garland.  (In this tune, you’ll hear some quotes from her “The Trolley Song.”)

It may be the end of the track, but it’s not the end of the Halloween mixes.  One more mix still to come.  Stay tuned!