BWW Blog: Top 12 Spooky Szn Musical Numbers
Check out my top 12 spooky szn numbers!
By: Student Blogger: Maeve Reilly Sep. 25, 2020
Usually, I have a hard time actually ranking things, and I much prefer to just give a laundry list of all my thoughts. For these top 12 spooky szn numbers though, I was able to rank. These are by no means all of the spooky songs out there, but these are the ones that give me those shivers of creepiness (Patrick Page, I'm looking at you).
1. Phantom of the Opera - The Phantom of the Opera
Do I need to justify why this is #1? I sure hope not.
2. The Ballad of Sweeney Todd - Sweeney Todd
It's really hard to put aside your own biases in theatre rankings. Yes, I was in Sweeney Todd in high school. And yes, I had a solo in this song because our director decided to switch up gender roles. It was kinda epic. I had friends and family alike telling me after the show how that! dang! whistle! Was just so loud! It may or may not be my morning alarm several years later...works like a charm.
I remember the first time I heard this one. It was right as I was being introduced to Phantom, and my Phantom fan friends were playing this in the car. They kept saying "This is one of the best songs!" and "Just wait for it!" I had no idea what was coming, and I immediately had a harsh reaction when those infamous chords were played at the end of "Masquerade." Genius, ALW, genius. (And yes, I like the movie version of this better. Sue me.)
4. Last Midnight - Into the Woods
When (the Meryl Streep version because that's the type of person I am) the witch says "it's the boom, squish," I felt that.
I can admit that this was one of the songs from Wicked that I neglected to listen to while listening to the whole soundtrack (I know, that shouldn't even be a thing). But once I finally did, game changer. I went through a heavy Wicked phase my freshman year (aren't all phases Wicked phases, though? Answer: yes) and listening to this one again now truly transports me back straight into April 2019. How does music have the power to do that?. Anytime Idina says "Fiyero," or anything honestly, it's about to get good.
Stick me in a fun house and call me Lydia. I'll be completely honest with you, BroadwayWorld.com. This is the only Beetlejuice song I've ever heard, oops! But any song that can pull off a jazzy interlude has a place on any of my lists.
7. The Dark I Know Well - Spring Awakening
Maybe this isn't a traditional "scary" or "creepy" musical, but it's just the vibes on this one, you know?
You're telling me that if you were in a dark room or dark alley or dark street or something dark and scary and Patrick Page's voice came over you that you wouldn't move faster than you've ever moved? Honorable mention here is "Hello, Little Girl" (again, Johnny Depp version) as it's similarly stalkerish.
9. Why We Build the Wall - Hadestown
Patrick Page just really has that affect on people, huh? When I was lucky enough to see Hadestown in December, the only thing I can remember from this song was that it was a stark contrast to "Wait for Me" right before it, and I was so busy sobbing because of Reeve Carney's performance that this ominous song right before intermission snapped me right out of it.
When that plunky music kicks in right away, YES! Is it just me, or does Ariel's surrender of her voice add to how creepy this is even though it's so beautiful?
11. When You're An Addams
Thank you to my junior year Thescon in Denver and the Discovery Canyon Campus who performed this gem for their mainstage performance. Again, I hadn't ever been exposed to the show, and when Gomez and Morticia came out... fixation. Although the song is upbeat and comical, I can't count it out for it's spooky undertones.
12. Spooky Mormon Hell Dream
It has "spooky" in the name! And hitting that "night" note? Not sure how they were able to pull off a kickline-esque transition at the end, but it's The Book of Mormon, what can't they do?
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