Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Various Artists, Moochin’ About 2021.
I’ve come across the ultimate selection of spooky tunes for Halloween on Bandcamp.
Minnie The Moocher at The Morgue is a collection of songs from various genres and artists, all of which relate to things macabre.
It’s been released by an English record label called Moochin’ About and there are reputedly 130 songs in the file though I could only find 129.
It is without a doubt the largest compilation of songs on a theme that I’ve ever found.
The selection includes songs that were minor hits such as The Monster Mash and Graveyard Shift by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett; Sheb Wooley doing The Purple People Eater; and also Bing Crosby & Boris Karloff doing The Halloween Song.
Other well-known performers who are represented are Bo Diddley (Bo Meets The Monster); Bobby Mcfadden (Frankie and Igor at the Rock and Roll Party); Spike Jones (Everything Happens To Me); The Coasters (The Shadow Knows); Billie Holiday (Ghost of Yesterday); The Crystals (Frankenstein Twist); Sheb Wooley (The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor); Gene Vincent (Race With The Devil); Glenn Miller (The Little Man Who Wasn’t There)… and so it goes on.
Most people associate Halloween with American consumerism but it’s actually a very old custom which is celebrated in many countries of the world.
The celebration of All Hallows Eve, where the veil between life and death is said to be at its thinnest, is an ancient Irish tradition and was probably taken with them when they emigrated in large numbers to America after the great famine of 1845-1849.
In America it was transformed into what we now know as Halloween.
In Mexico the same day is known as The Day Of The Dead.
On the Bandcamp site there wasn’t a price given for the entire 130 (129) song collection. You are encouraged to ‘name your price.’
It’s a massive digital album and individual tracks can be purchased for one English pound per track (about A$2) so if you want the lot, you’d probably be up for about $260.00.
The album really is ideal if your household is into Halloween and all things spooky.
I listened to about 30 songs and they were great.
