The Misfits

Halloween (1981)

Julie River

“Halloween” remains one of the most covered Misfits songs to date, having been covered by Alkaline Trio, Dropkick Murphys, and the best cover being by AFI during the brief period where they were good, not to mention that it’s pretty much a legal requirement for any local band playing on Halloween night to cover “Halloween.” Taken from some of the recording sessions that would later be re-compiled as 12 Hits from Hell (before being recalled), “Halloween” and its b-side on the single, “Halloween II” are perfect songs for The Misfits because they encompass what The Misfits were really about in the Danzig era: not dark satanism, but Halloween-style gothic camp (well, okay, a lot of people die in this song, but it still sounds lighthearted).

The two songs on the single sound like the same song as heard through a fun house mirror. “Halloween” is a pretty standard punk song with Danzig’s beautiful crooning singing about Halloween. “Halloween II” has some of the same chords and the same chorus, but with eerie sound effects and spoken lyrics in Latin, making for a much creepier song.

“Halloween” remains immortal because of its festive association with a beloved holiday, and because of Danzig’s usual beautiful dark poetry.