Ghosts, Witches, and Vampires ( #BOTB )

         It's October!  Time for Halloween and all the scary stuff that comes with that day of the year.  Are you ready for all the ghouls and other assorted characters who will be soon be tap tap tapping at your door in search of handouts?  But before that happens, are you ready for another Battle of the Bands?

Battle of the Bands

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Halloween Inspired Battle

         Being as such that Halloween is such a popular time of each year--one of the biggest retail events of the year--why don't we have Halloween anthems and songs like we do at Christmas?   There are the traditional favorites like "Monster Mash" or "Thriller" but nothing that seems to equal the huge quantity of songs we get inundated with during the Christmas season.  And I can't think of any scary songs we sing as a group.  Isn't it time for some seasonal songs of Halloween?  With that in mind, I've decided to make this Battle about spooky songs that fit well into a Halloween theme. 

        Every year new innovations in costumes or character themes enter the marketplace.  Possibilities for dress-up run the gamut of every kind of superhero imaginable to all sorts of horror creations to career depictions like medical or law enforcement personnel.  You name it and someone probably will be dressing like it.

         Then there are those perennial favorites that have been around since the earliest times of dressing up for Halloween.  In this Battle I will focus on three of the biggies in costumes:  ghosts, witches, and vampires. I offer you one song for each character and you pick your favorite song and favorite costume.  Will they be the same choices or different?  It's up to you, so just have some fun and play along.  And even if you don't like any of the songs, hopefully you'll like one at least a little bit better than the others.

         Are you ready?  Let's go!

Rebecca & the Sunnybrook Farmers   "Ghost"  (1969)

Jim Stafford   "Swamp Witch"  (1973)

Roky Erickson   "Night of the Vampire"  (1981)

Time to Vote!

         You can be scared of these songs, but don't be afraid to vote!   Which scary song do you prefer?   Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Streampebbles (Diedre Knight)



Winner of this Battle Announced on Saturday October 8

         

           Are you ready for Halloween?   Will you be dressing up this year?   What has been your favorite costume that you have dressed up as in the past?  

What Are You Gonna Be For Halloween?

          Halloween is the time when you can be something other than who you normally are.  Of course, many of you will, like me, not dress up and just be your usual self.  On the other hand, many adults will be dressing up just like the kids will.  Halloween is a great time to live out your fantasy, blow off some steam, and have a good time.  If you are one of those who will be donning costume for Halloween, who or what are you going to be?

           According to many industry prognosticators, the most popular costumes will be witches and vampires.  Well, duh, who needs to tell us this?  These have always been the most popular.  Especially with the huge popularity of the "Twilight" series and all of the many books, movies, and TV shows about vampires and witchcraft.  These costumes can be done quite simply and inexpensively and don't require a mask or head covering.  I think that most people don't like the claustrophobic effect of enclosing the head and face.

           Yesterday the Michael Jackson movie opened after a huge publicity build-up. The reviews so far have rave with the word "Oscar" being mentioned by some reviewers.  This will cinch the Michael Jackson character as a costume choice for many.  Michael Jackson has been high on the list for costume choices in any case seeing as how half the year has seen Michael in the news.  The official "Michael Jackson" costumes have been listed in advertised in Halloween store circulars and internet sites since the end of August.  The Party City chain of stores has a very slick TV ad that features the Jackson Zombie character boogieing to the song  "Thriller".

        Actually Michael Jackson has been a popular Halloween figure for many years.  Ever since the "Thriller" album became one of the top selling albums of all time and the extended "Thriller" music video amazed his fans while garnering a whole legion of new fans, the Michael Jackson zombie has been very popular.  Everytime Michael would appear before the cameras he would be wearing some new costume.  The many faces of Michael Jackson were a wealth of inspiration for a whole array of costumes.  Over the past 20 years the Michael Jackson glove, sunglasses, and fedora have been accessory staples in costume shops everywhere.  Michael Jackson will be missed, but he may be around in spirit for years to come.

        The Saturday trick-or-treat crowd will surely be represented by the usual cast of charaters including pirates and princesses, clowns and caped heroes, ghosts and ghouls, and of course the witches and vampires.  There will be the licensed costumes from Disney, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, Sesame Street, and many other characters from comics, movies, and TV.   The adult crowd will more than likely stick with the standards and this years variants on the things that have come before.  Many women will continue to purchase the sexy costumes that have become so popular over the past several years.  There probably won't be a whole lot of costumed polical commentary-- that usually is seen more in election years.  Of course there could be something related to the issues of  health care reform.

        I like being myself.  And I would rather be at home than at some Halloween party. That's what I'll be doing this year.  I'll dole out some candy to the strangers at my door and then maybe close shop at 7:30 or so.  I'll douse the lights and my wife and I will sequester ourselves in our bedroom with a horror DVD from Netflix.  Hey, at least I'll be observing Halloween to some extent.  So what are you going to be doing Saturday night?  What kind of costume are you going to wear?