More Songs I Love from Scary Movies

 by Adam Riske

Some terrifying tunes to play at your Halloween party.

Song: “Zepp X”
From: Saw X
Artist: Charlie Clouser



As Saw X closed, I got legitimately excited about the theme music playing which has never happened before. It was as if I were at a Bulls game in the '90s and they were introducing the starting lineup. What is happening to me? Why isn’t this theme used as hype music during sporting events? It would be such a cool choice for the closer of a baseball team to run out to during the playoffs. Go Phillies!

Song: “Suspirium”
From: Suspiria (2018)
Artist: Thom Yorke and The London Contemporary Orchestra



Earlier in October, I revisited Suspiria (2018) for the first time since 2018 (when I had put it at #4 on my top ten list for that year which was stupid and a mistake) and unfortunately it didn’t hold up for me much on a repeat viewing. That aside, I still love this song. It’s dark, sad, and sets the tone for the movie well. The video for the song creeps me out. It’s like if you took a psychedelic and watched a Bond credits sequence. I don’t like that monster kid at the 1:00 mark. He’s up to no good. I’ll see him in my nightmares tonight. And then I’ll kill him and make me his nightmare.

Song: “Same Song”
From: Nothing but Trouble & Casper
Artist: Digital Underground



This addition (despite originally coming from the movie Nothing but Trouble) was inspired by my viewing of Casper earlier today in which it’s also featured. I love this song and it somehow makes Nothing but Trouble look amazing in the context of the music video even though I know that movie doesn’t really work. It’s also cool seeing early 2Pac during his Digital Underground days before he broke out as a solo artist. I like when Dan Aykroyd is down with Digital Underground at the 2:00 mark. A ham & cheese sandwich that man is. I feel like Nothing but Trouble would be a good haunted house double feature with The People Under the Stairs.

Song: “Modern Man”
From: House on Sorority Row
Artist: 4 Out of 5 Doctors



Patrick introduced me to House on Sorority Row during Junesploitation this year and I’ll never forget starting the movie mocking the film’s house band and then slowly realizing the joke was on me and I loved them all along. This is my favorite song from the movie. It’s been on regular rotation in my YouTube mix for the past four months. What does “the center stage of the computer age” mean? Do I have to be a Modern Man to get it? Is that enough to make Harley Jane Kozak in a football jersey love me? P.S. Get ready for the clap-a-long at the 2:20 mark. You ain’t ready, which is why I’m telling you to get ready.

Song: “Dolphin’s Cry”
From: Urban Legends: Final Cut
Artist: Live



What can I say? Live is my Creed. I appreciate how serious this all is to them; it’s like they’re completely unaware that you can’t sound urgent and dramatic while singing about dolphins crying. Roger Ebert once said in his review for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) that the movie was probably the best version of this subject you could make and that’s how I feel about Live singing a song called “Dolphin’s Cry.” It was an uphill battle. What does this have to do with urban legends btw? Do dolphins have urban legends of their own? Like don’t eat Pop Rocks and bottom-dwelling invertebrates at the same time because that’s how the dolphin on seaQuest DSV died?

Song: “Behind Blue Eyes”
From: Gothika
Artist: Limp Bizkit



I finally watched Gothika for the first time and, yeah, it’s not good. This song (that plays over the end credits) is somewhat better. Fred Durst has feelings and he’s going to tell you about them. I like that Halle Berry just won an Oscar before making Gothika and her career bump was to make googly eyes at Durst in a Limp Bizkit music video. He kissed her so good she dropped her clipboard. I did that a lot in 2003 too but 50% of the time I was cheating and knocked the clipboard out of her hands. Then I would say “still counts.”

Song: “Graveyard Shift End Credits Song”
From: Graveyard Shift
Artist: I Have No Idea



I don’t know what this is or who thought this was a good idea but it’s the most confusing choice to end a movie I have maybe ever seen. I defy you not to repeat some of these lines all day after hearing this song once within the context of the film. It’s a passport to delirium.

Song: “Why Was I Born? (Freddy’s Dead)”
From: Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
Artist: Iggy Pop



Rediscovering this song was my favorite musical moment of Scary Movie Month. It came from watching the 3D sequence (in 3D!) of Freddy’s Dead with Patrick. We then started chatting about how this is the best song on the soundtrack and how the end credits sequence it plays over (with a greatest hits of Freddy kills) is pretty awesome too. Then I dropped my “real” Nightmare on Elm Street series ranking on Patrick and he kicked me out of the studio and off F This Movie! So, I guess this is goodbye everyone.