Halloween Song: "Dig It Up"

You could say I’m a big fan the Hoodoo Gurus. I already bought a ticket for a show they’ll be performing at City Winery Chicago next spring as part of their 2023 American tour. Their recent album Chariot Of The Gods finds them at the top of their game.

The Hoodoo Gurus are not only one of the best garage bands around, they’re also one of the spookiest. This was already evident on their rollicking 1984 debut, Stoneage Romeos, which came across as the perfect soundtrack to a Halloween party. “Leilani” is about a tropical human sacrifice, “In The Echo Chamber” is based on a torture scene from the 1960s TV spoof Get Smart, and “Death Ship” describes a ghostly crew that lures other sailors to their doom.

“Dig It Up” features a galloping backbeat, twanging guitars that raise the spirit of The Cramps, and opens with the line, “My girlfriend lives in the ground.” Lead vocalist-guitarist Dave Faulkner sings of placing flowers on a grave each day and laments, “I want her back/Because I look so bad, so bad in black/Like a maniac.” Later, he concludes, “You can’t bury love, you gotta dig it up.” look so bad, so bad in black/Like a maniac.”

The band breaks into some wild jamming, along with Faulkner’s ear-piercing screams. The cause of the beloved’s death is never revealed, because it would be too painful. “My friends, you ask me why she’s six feet down/I can’t tell you why ‘cos if I even try/I’d fall flat down on my face.” Faulkner’s promise to paint his girlfriend’s room pink and blue doesn’t seem like much of an incentive to return from the dead, but then “Dig It Up,” like the best of the Hoodoo Gurus’ energetic garage rock, skillfully balances the macabre with the silly.

Incoming

If you happen to be in the northwest suburbs tonight (October 20), Kevin Lee And The Kings will be performing their hard-edged and catchy rock and roll from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Madcats in downtown Palatine. Lee is a guitar slinger with an unerring sense of melody, which has resulted in a series of impressive albums of the years. 

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, which describes its approach to alternative rock as “21st Century Druid Music,” will be performing tomorrow night (Friday) at Montrose Saloon. In an review I posted here of their The Alternate Boot Vols. 1 and 2 album in 2019, I noted, “whitewolfsonicprincess seems obsessed with the darkness and bad will that engulfs the modern world but feels there’s a light that can save us.” There’s a definite mystic feel to their songs. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue on the city’s north side.

Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick will be at Antioch Fine Wine & Liquors in the northern Illinois village of Antioch this Saturday (October 22) from noon to 3:00 pm for a Rock-N Vodka Bottle signing.

The CHIRP Radio Record Fair And Other Delights returns to Plumbers Hall this Saturday, October 22. Numerous vendors will be offering vinyl, CDs, posters, buttons, and all sorts of music-related memorabilia. Live music will be provided by Neptune’s Core; Axons; 8-bit crEEps; The Purcells; Gal Gun; Bloodhype; and Judson Claiborne. CHIRP radio DJs will be spinning records from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, followed by Konstantin Jace; DJ Scary Lady Sarah; DJ Form; Suzanne Shelton; and Miss Alex White. The glam street marching band Clamor and Lace Noise Brigade, as well as Blue Ribbon Glee Club, will stage pop-up performances throughout the event. Food and beverage vendors will also be on hand. General admission at 10:00 am costs $10, and there’s an 8:00 am early admission option available for $25. The event is a benefit for the independent radio station CHIRP. Plumbers Hall is located at 1340 W. Washington Blvd., west of downtown.

People looking to start their Halloween fun early should check out Nightmare On Chicago Street, which is taking place  from 6:00 to 11:00 pm this Saturday, October 22 in Elgin. The annual event is back after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, so watch out for hordes of zombies staggering around the city’s downtown area. Live bands, including Chicago Loud 9, Too Hype Crew, Kashmir and Hi Infidelity will be rocking out amidst the chaos, and special guest Svengoolie will host a costume contest. Check the website for a number of other activities that will be taking place. A recent Facebook post warned that tickets are going fast, so anyone interested in going should purchase them in advance.

Halloween Song: “Cry Danger”

Another post from the BHT haunted vault.

Stray Cats celebrated their 40th Anniversary in style with their 2019 release 40, as original members Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker, and Slim Jim Phantom picked up right where they had left off 26 years earlier. Some might think the trio should have expanded on the rockabilly sound that endeared it to the MTV crowd, but there was no denying 40 was fun. Particularly on “Rock It Off,” “I Attract Trouble,” and “I’ll Be Looking Out For You.”

“Cry Danger” is the song to pick for a Halloween party playlist. By the time Setzer offers the first line “A wicked wind is blowing, and I blew in with it,” his twangy guitar playing, along with the pulsating Rocker/Phantom rhythm section, has the listener totally hooked. Setzer assumes the role of a drifter coming back to his hometown, only to find something’s gone wrong. In addition to his deserted former house and the empty streets, the ground beneath him is shaking.

His companion feels the same trepidation. “In the witching hour, she whispered ‘Please beware’ and I heard the devil say, ‘You’re not going anywhere.’” The lyrics don’t spell everything out, but since Setzer previously noted, “We rode a reckless highway/I took it all too fast,” maybe that’s not really his hometown they’ve arrived at. 

Halloween Song: “Cat People (Putting Out The Fire)”

Everything’s coming up David Bowie these days. Brett Morgen’s immersive film Moonage Daydream left patrons awestruck during its run in theaters, and will be available on DVD on November 18. The second annual David Bowie World Fan Convention is coming next June in New York City, with Chicago’s own Bowie tribute band Sons Of The Silent Age taking part. Other performers involved include Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas.

Here in Chicago, a group calling themselves Dead Freddies will be performing as David Bowie at Montrose Saloon’s Halloweekend festivities on October 28 and 29. Also, be sure to check out the official David Bowie website for upcoming events, as well as for its terrific gift shop. Plus, Bowie recorded one of the best Halloween party songs ever.

Few songs have a more chilling intro than his “Cat People (Putting Out The Fire).”  Amidst a tribal drum beat and swirl of synthesizers, Bowie sings, “See these eyes so green/I can stare for a thousand years” in a voice is so dark it’s impossible not to believe him. The theme from director Paul Schrader’s 1982 horror film Cat People is set to a guitar-driven arrangement crafted by veteran film composer Giorgio Moroder of Flashdance and Midnight Express fame.

Bowie’s lyrics are from the point of view of Irena and her brother Paul, played in the film by Natassia Kinski and Malcolm McDowell. They’re descendants of humans who mated with leopards centuries earlier. This causes them to turn into panthers during sex and they can’t get back to human form without killing someone.

Bowie’s music often featured fascinating characters, so he was the perfect choice to convey Irena and Paul’s tortured emotions. “Still this pulsing night/A plague I call a heartbeat/Just be still with me/Ya wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through.” Cat People tapped into long-held superstitions regarding felines and their mysterious nature. Even today, it’s a good idea to make sure black cats are kept indoors on Halloween to prevent deranged people from hurting them.

Halloween Album: Halloween A Go-Go

Back in 2008, musician/actor Little Steven Van Zandt’s goal of bringing the campy fun of his syndicated radio show’s annual Halloween bash to a CD format was a rousing success. Released on the Wicked Cool Record Co. label, Halloween A Go-Go offered all the treats of his Underground Garage program except for the B-movie sound bites. The album’s consistently entertaining tracks ranged from the 1950s unbridled rockabilly of Carl Perkins’ “Put Your Cat Clothes On” to the modern garage rock of Minus 5’s “Lies Of The Living Dead.”

Just as Van Zandt always aimed for variety on Underground Garage, Halloween A Go-Go’s 15 tracks included Tegan And Sara’s mysterious folk tune “Walking With A Ghost,”  as well as Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ For My Darlin’,” Roky Erickson And The Aliens’ “I Walked With A Zombie,” and Donovan’s “Season Of The Witch.” The only dud in the batch was John Zacherle’s cornball oldie “The Cool Ghoul.”

Not all of the songs qualified as genuine Halloween fare. The biggest stretch was “Restless Nights” by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (which includes Van Zandt), although it did fit a nocturnal theme that ran throughout the album. “I Had Too Much To Dream” by The Electric Prunes and The Pretty Things’ psychedelic “Walking Through My Dreams” were likewise more concerned with disrupted sleep than frightening apparitions. Veteran garage rockers The Chesterfield Kings, who always seem to be in a Halloween party mood, definitely had the right spirit with their Rolling Stones influenced “Running Through My Nightmares.”

Halloween Songs: “Alison Gross” And “Tam Lin”

Chicago FM radio station WXRT is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. I can honestly say I’ve followed it every step of the way from late-night-only broadcasts to being on the air 24 hours a day. I have fond memories of listening to XRT on Halloween night for an adventurous selection of spooky songs. Two of my favorites were Steeleye Span’s “Allison Gross” and Fairport Convention’s “Tam Lin.” The DJ would played them back to back, and that’s how I have them now on my Halloween playlist.

Steeleye Span’s successful career of updating centuries-old ballads with electric guitar and drum arrangements began in England around 1969. “Alison Gross,” from the band’s 1973 release Parcel Of Rogues, spins the tale of a witch trying to win a man’s heart through a mix of magic and bribery. She offers him a series of riches, starting with a red mantle with golden flowers and fine fringe. Nothing she conjures can change his low opinion of her appearance, though.

“Away, away, you ugly witch/Go far away and let me be,” he responds. “I never would kiss your ugly mouth/For all of the gifts that you give to me.” Infuriated, Alison Gross whips out her magic wand and turns him into a worm. According to Wikipedia, Steeleye Span added its own chorus and left off the original ballad’s happy ending, which had the man being restored to his proper shape on Halloween by a passing fairy.

Also, he may not have been transformed into an earthworm, since the original lyrics used the word wyrm, which meant dragon. Unlike some of the ancient ballads, which can be slow and gloomy, “Alison Gross” feels like a rowdy Halloween party song villagers might have sung while swinging steins of mead.

Along with Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention helped revitalize folk rock in England by electrifying traditional ballads with modern arrangements. “Tam Lin,” from Fairport Convention’s 1969 album, Liege And Lief, features a strong-willed heroine in a hair-raising tale of lust, evil curses, and redemption. It’s based on Scottish folklore although variations have surfaced in other cultures as well.

The tale warn maidens to steer clear of a wooded area called Carter Hall because a creepy elf named Tam Lin dwells there. A maiden named Janet ignores the warning, believing she has a right to pick roses at Carter Hall since it’s part of her family’s property. “When up there came young Tam Lin says, ‘Lady, pull no more./And why come you to Carter Hall without command from me?’/‘I’ll come and go,’ young Janet said, ‘and ask no leave of thee.”

Fairport Convention breaks up the narrative with energetic instrumental passages driven by electric guitar and fiddle. Although it’s not stated explicitly, Janet’s encounter with Tam Lin includes him seducing her, and later there are consequences. “Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild/‘Oh, and alas, Janet,’ he said, ‘I think you go with child.” By then, she’s fallen in love with the guy. “For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey/I’d not change my own true love for any knight you have.”

Janet goes back to Carter Hall to see if Tam Lin wants to trade the woods for her castle. He’s game, especially since his only other option is being offered up as a human sacrifice. “The Queen of Faeries caught me when from my horse I fell/And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell.” The magic of Halloween offers Tam Lin a means to escape through Janet’s love, and can also transform him back into the handsome knight he was before the Queen of Faeries cast a spell on him.

Janet carries out the elaborate ritual Tam Lin prescribes, and wins his freedom. The Queen of Faeries is furious with the outcome. There are several more sinister variations on the original ballad than Fairport Convention’s version, but there is one that depicts The Queen Of  Faeries expressing a grudging admiration for Janet’s pluck.

Halloween Song: “Vampires”

Back in 2005, vocalist-guitarist Scott Windsor gathered a secretive collection of musicians together under the name Umbrellas. Aside from a Wikipedia listing and a handful of songs (showing the above logo) available on YouTube, the band seems to have vanished. Which is a shame since that self-titled CD offered gorgeous shoegazer music with an occasional dash of energetic techno rock. “Vampires” is an impossibly catchy tune with a shuffling drumbeat amidst a hypnotic swirl of keyboards and guitars.

Windsor’s androgynous vocals ooze sophistication as he sets the scene of his arrival at a high-society bash. “Last night we went to a party./There were a bunch of big names there.” The protagonist immediately senses danger. “So I’ve got one hand on my neck to keep all the vampires out./I’m gonna finish this stiff drink and I’ll be on my way.”

Windsor shifts to a more poetic tone as he describes the car ride back home. “I think the entire existence is asleep it’s so quiet./My headlights dance pictures on the treeline.” Although it’s not explicitly described in the song, somehow he must have given in to the vampires’ lure. “Now they’re back at my neck and they’re thirsty.”

Alone in his bedroom, he reflects on what he has done. “This apple in my hand, I just took one bite.” Of course, it’s possible Windsor intended all this as a metaphor aimed at the blood-sucking entertainment industry, but taken literally, it’s a fun and seductive Halloween treat.