Halloween Songs: “Neon” and “You’re My World” (Last Night In Soho Soundtrack)

Another selection from the BHT haunted vault.

With Halloween just two weeks away, it’s likely some people are already working on a playlist for a party at home or at a bar. They should consider a prelude that sets the mood for the haunting material that follows. An instrumental, such as a classic TV show theme from The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Star Trek, Doctor Who or Alfred Hitchcock Presents would work, and there are plenty of film soundtracks to explore. For example, the song “Neon” from the 2021 thriller Last Night In Soho.

The track opens with a simple but haunting piano solo before a full orchestra conjures an invading army of zombies or some other evil force. With an instrumental, you’re free to craft your own nightmarish scenario; a flock of crows or bats swirling around in tune with the string section? Why not? Last Night In Soho doesn’t have those things, but there are plenty of ghosts. Slowly building its massive arrangement, “Neon” effectively conveys a sense of danger that might be inescapable.

In addition to an intense storyline with unexpected twists, Last Night In Soho uses several classic hit songs to establish an authentic 1960s setting for when the heroine, played by Thomasin McKenzie, drifts back to that decade in a series of frightening dreams. There are few selections on YouTube, and one of the best is a version of the Cilla Black hit “You’re My World.” It not only captures the glamor of swinging London, but establishes an undercurrent of dread. Also, watch for the way director Edgar Wright uses mirrors to connect his two females leads, McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy.

The Last Night In Soho soundtrack is filled with gems from the swinging London era.

Weekend Reminders

Thursday posts focus on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend. Plus, the occasional event taking place this weekend that has just come to my attention, or concert tickets going on sale.

 Let’s start with a BHT welcome to Elvis Costello and The Imposters, as well as Charlie Sexton. They’ve been touring America together with Radio Soul - Early Songs Of Elvis Costello, and will perform tonight at The Chicago Theatre.

McLuhan, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan, will be part of a double bill this Sunday afternoon at Montrose Saloon with the folk rock trio Esmeralda’s Boys. The music starts at 1:30 pm.

Room At The Top - An Evening Celebrating The Music Of Tom Petty to benefit the Make The World Better Foundation will be held at the Union Transfer venue in Philadelphia, PA tomorrow night. The all ages event will feature The Philadelphia Tom Petty Appreciation Band, along with a special guests that include Eric Bazilian from The Hooters; Vicki Peterson from The Bangles; and Goug Gillard from Guided By Voices.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. He’ll perform from 6:00 to 10:00 pm tomorrow night at the Chicago Prime Italian restaurant in Schaumburg, IL.

Yeah Alright Productions will present a Remembering 1975 Live Music Event this Saturday night at The Gallery Cabaret on Chicago’s north side. The featured acts will be Rolling Numbers; Second Summer; Staff Infexion; and Super X, along with an acoustic set by Keke. The music starts at 8:00 pm.

Duets Special - Chrissie Hynde And Pals, an album featuring The Pretenders lead vocalist pairing up with Lucinda Williams; Julian Lennon; Shirley Manson; k.d. lang; David Gahan; Debbie Harry; Brandon Flowers; Rufus Wainwright and other well-known performers, will be released tomorrow.

The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club, a Chicago-based power pop/indie rock band that has released several impressive albums over the past 10 years, will perform at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side this Saturday. Three other bands are on the bill that night: Man’s Body; The Failers; and Turning Birds

The Miki Berenyi Trio (led by the former Lush founder) has been touring the U.S. in support of its new Tripla album, and will perform in Chicago tomorrow night at Lincoln Hall. The opening act will Gina Birch And The Unreasonables; Birch having been a founding member of the U.K. band The Raincoats.

Local bands The Spindles and Go Time! each have their own approach to power pop, whether it’s at live shows or on albums. That doesn’t keep them from sharing gigs on a regular basis, and this Saturday, they’ll be joined by Vinto Van Go for a triple bill that kicks off at 8:00 pm at the Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville.

Fans of hard-edged alt rock can enjoy An Evening with Violent Femmes tomorrow night at The Salt Shed just north of downtown Chicago. The Milwaukee band is known for songs such as “Blister In The Sun” and “Gone Daddy Gone.”

The West Loop Contemporary Fine Art Expo will take place at the Stephen M. Bailey Auditorium in Plumbers Hall just west of downtown Chicago this weekend. The event’s organizers describe it as “a curated boutique expo showcasing over 40 invitation-only fine artists from 7 states offering original art.” Plumbers Hall is located at 1340 W. Washington.

Yoko Ono - Music Of The Mind, a retrospective of her career that reaches back to the 1950s and explores her art, films, and music, opens on October 18 at the Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago and will run through February 22. According to the MCA website, this will be the only venue in the United States that Yoko Ono - Music Of The Mind will visit.

Chicago’s unpredictable and always entertaining covers band EXPO ’76 will showcase their debut album Hot In The Dark with an in-store performance this Sunday afternoon at Animal Records (624 Grove Street) in Evanston, IL. The Facebook ad states “get your records signed,” which sounds like they’ll have vinyl copies of the album on hand. Otherwise, the official release date for Hot In The Dark, which was recorded with help from the Total Pro Horns, is October 24.

Halloween Song: Lene Lovich - “Bird Song”

This Halloween song profile made its BHT debut on October 29, 2009, and I’ve posted it just about every year since.

The arrival of new wave and punk rock in the late 1970s introduced an exciting cast of talented and sometimes intimidating female performers such as Chrissie Hynde, Deborah Harry, Annie Lennox, Siouxsie Sioux, and Nina Hagen. In 1979, Lene Lovich, a singer with a passion for bizarre outfits and even more bizarre hair, released “Bird Song” as a single on Stiff Records. While the lyrics don’t mention anything diabolical, Lovich’s high-pitched warble, the song’s gothic arrangement, and an ominous-sounding male chorus create a nightmarish ambience. All the while remaining catchy enough for the dance floor.

Basically, this is a dark twist on the old expression, “A little bird told me,” in which a scheming feathered creature steals a woman’s boyfriend by tricking her into thinking he’s been untrue. “So with the bird, one day, you flew away/I woke up too late, you had gone/Fading on . . . with this song/Of the hurting little bird.” Lovich delivers these lines, and others like, “Such a cold bird, so hard, captured your heart/Does it matter I am falling apart” with a Nora Desmond like intensity. When she later mentions “the dead little bird,” it’s unclear whether she killed it.

The avian metaphor carries over to the startling video Lovich created for “Bird Song,” which is executed in the style of a vintage European horror flick. She plays a runaway bride, leaving her guy at the altar while she runs outside to challenge a raven to a staring contest. The male chorus becomes a choir of priests or deacons, one of whom pounds away at the pipe organ like Lon Chaney. Maybe Lovich did lose out to an actual bird. “Still I watch the sky/Still I wonder why/Still I hope that I can carry on.” Regardless of whether the villain is animal or human, Lene Lovich’s “Bird Song” record and video are genuine Halloween classics.

Halloween Song: Blue Oyster Cult - “Don’t Fear The Reaper”

I first posted this as a Halloween song back on October 14, 2009, and I’m pretty sure it’s been included every year since then.

Hair-raising scenarios come naturally to hard rock and heavy metal bands, but Blue Oyster Cult’s variety of approaches was impressive. “Nosferatu” is a majestic and brooding meditation on the original vampire tale, while the thundering “Godzilla,” with lines like, “Oh no, there goes Tokyo! Go, Go, Godzilla!” is unabashed fun. The band struck gold in 1976 with “Don’t Fear The Reaper” from their Agents Of Fortune album.  

The opening guitar riff and progressive arrangement are pure classic rock, but the song spread across genres and retains its massive popularity to this day. Which is strange, because the lyrics appear to advocate suicide as the ultimate expression of love. “Seasons don’t fear the reaper/Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain... we can be like they are.” They also promise “We’ll be able to fly” and point out, “Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity.”

Blue Oyster Cult effectively sells these sentiments through a strong melody and intricate harmony vocals. There’s even a “La la la la la la” and “Come on, baby.” It’s almost like The Beach Boys inviting a girl to the sock hop. The last verse describes a despondent woman whose lover has already died. “And it was clear she couldn’t go on.” The final image is of the reunited couple looking back and saying goodbye to the living. Or is she flying off with the Reaper himself? Either way, “Don’t Fear The Reaper” is a love song that probably doesn’t get played at many wedding receptions.

Halloween Song: Phil Angotti - “I See Spaceships”

Another post from the BHT haunted vault. This one first appeared on October 13, 2021, and was chosen today because of Phil Angotti’s recent John Lennon birthday bash at Martyrs’ in Chicago this past Saturday. Plus, Brad Elvis plays drums on this track, and today is his birthday. Angotti is well known on the Chicago club scene for his tribute shows over the years—Beatles, Zombies, Squeeze, Bee Gees—but he’s also impressive creating his own stuff. Here’s a fun example.

“I See Spaceships” might be the only song that simultaneously evokes The Byrds and The Who while spinning a tale of intergalactic visitors who love to party. Amazingly, this whirlwind of vintage rock from Phil Angotti’s Life And Rhymes CD was conjured by just three musicians: Angotti on vocals and guitars; Casey McDonough on bass; and Brad Elvis on drums. If you’re creating a Halloween playlist, you could sandwich this Roger McGuinn/Keith Moon homage between the lighthearted “Mr. Spaceman” by The Byrds and the more ominous “They Are Among Us” by The Redwalls.

“I’ll tell you my story but you won’t believe me,” Angotti predicts as the song kicks off. He goes on to describe how the little green men who crash-landed their saucer in his garden are now driving his car, and staying up late to party. Angotti, a 1960s fanatic, specifies these Martians are listening to LPs (as opposed to streaming) and watching movies. They’re also often intoxicated, which might explain why their calls for help to their planet have gone unanswered. Maybe they keep dialing the wrong number. With all the rowdy behavior going on, it’s tempting to think Angotti’s homeowner is near-sighted and is really watching the neighborhood teenagers.

Whoever they are, this guy isn’t about to do a Clint Eastwood and tell them to get off his lawn. “I hope that they stay here, at least until Sunday,” Angotti sings. “I See Spaceships” has a rousing instrumental coda featuring Angotti, McDonough, and Brad Elvis, with a snippet of Orson Welles from his notorious War Of The Worlds radio broadcast layered on top.

Incoming

Photo of Brad Elvis from the official Facebook page for The Handcuffs.

Happy Birthday to Brad Elvis, drummer and co-founding member with his wife Chloe F. Orwell of The Handcuffs. The indie rock band always impresses with its live shows on the Chicago music scene, and is currently working on its fifth album. Brad’s impressive resume extends well beyond The Handcuffs to include The Romantics, Big Hello, The Elvis Brothers, and Screams. Plus, various side projects helping other musicians. Best wishes to Brad for continued success in the music biz, and with his upcoming memoir. Also, congratulations to Brad and Chloe on their recent wedding anniversary.

Cheap Trick has released a single from their upcoming album All Washed Up, which is due out November 14. “The Riff That Won’t Quit” adds some genuine funk to the band’s guitar-driven approach, and follows on the heels of the mid-tempo “Twelve Gates,” which can be viewed in an animated version on YouTube.

Duets Special - Chrissie Hynde And Pals, an album featuring The Pretenders lead vocalist pairing up with Lucinda Williams; Julian Lennon; Shirley Manson; k.d. lang; David Gahan; Debbie Harry; Brandon Flowers; Rufus Wainwright; and other well-known performers, will be available this Friday on various sites.

There will be a Remembering 1975 Live Music Event this Saturday night at The Gallery Cabaret on Chicago’s north side. The featured acts will be Rolling Numbers; Second Summer; Staff Infexion; and Super X, along with an acoustic set by Keke. The music starts at 8:00 pm.

The Radio Soul - Early Songs Of Elvis Costello featuring Mr. Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton tour, is working its way across America, and will arrive at The Chicago Theatre this Thursday.

The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club, a Chicago-based power pop/indie rock band that has released several impressive albums over the past 10 years, will perform at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side this Saturday night.

The Miki Berenyi Trio (led by the former Lush founder) has been touring the U.S. in support of its Tripla album, and will perform in Chicago this Thursday at Lincoln Hall on the north side. The opening act will Gina Birch from the Brit band The Raincoats, backed by musicians Marie Merlet and Jenny Green. Birch’s second solo album Trouble came out on July 11.

Local bands The Spindles and Go Time! each have their own approach to power pop, but that doesn’t keep them from sharing gigs on a regular basis. Both have recently released new albums to promote. This time, they’ll be joined by the likewise inclined Vinto Van Go for a triple bill that kicks off at 8:00 pm on Saturday at the Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville.

The West Loop Fine Art Expo will take place at the Stephen M. Bailey Auditorium in Plumbers Hall just west of downtown Chicago this weekend. The event’s organizers describe it as “a curated boutique expo showcasing over 40 invitation-only fine artists from 7 states offering original art.” Plumbers Hall is located at 1340 W. Washington.

Yoko Ono - Music Of The Mind, a retrospective of her career that reaches back to the 1950s and explores her art, films, and music, opens this Saturday at the Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago and will run through February 22. According to the MCA website, this will be the only venue in the United States that Yoko Ono - Music Of The Mind will visit.

Several members of Chicago’s creative community have posted tributes to artist/poet/performer Tony Fitzpatrick on social media since his death this past Saturday. Fitzpatrick’s colorful, imaginative art can be found in galleries and on album covers, and he also found success as an actor on stage and screen. There’s a particularly touching and informative tribute to Fitzpatrick by columnist Neil Steinberg in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. Rock In Paradise, Tony.

Halloween Song: Sonic45 - “The Phantom”

Here’s a Halloween song profile that first appeared in 2024.

Sonic45 has been known to set troubling lyrics to irresistible new-wave arrangements, so it’s not surprising to find “The Phantom” on the Chicago-based band’s second album SuperSonic. I sometimes stretch the boundaries of what qualifies as a Halloween song, but make no mistake, “The Phantom” is the real deal. Some might suspect bassist-songwriter Len Kasper intends this tale of a creature who returns frequently but always unexpectedly has a political undercurrent. Or maybe it’s just about a carnivorous monster with invisible hands.

Following an extended and ominous instrumental intro, lead vocalist Matt Spiegel warns, “The world’s not as safe as you’d like it to be.” The mystery deepens with the lines, “Don’t know him now; didn’t know him then./There’s no telling how The Phantom shows again.” There’s a definite need to stay awake in order to survive. “If you don’t believe the Phantom is real, don’t close your eyes, you will be his next meal.” Just like the ending of so many horror films, the song suggests we’ll never be rid of this menace. “I swear on my heart, The Phantom will come again.”

In addition to being musicians, Kasper and Spiegel are also sports announcers, and the band’s other members—Liam Davis, Gerald Dowd, and Dag Juhlin—are also well-known on the Chicago club scene. That means live performances by Sonic45 are rare, but well worth checking out.