Yes, it’s Halloween, and yes, that means that we’ve put together a Halloween-themed list. However, instead of rehashing “Thriller” and various Alice Cooper and Misfits tracks, we thought we’d go for some genuinely disturbing songs – specifically, 10 of the creepiest (as in, most genuinely unsettling) pop songs ever recorded. Obsessiveness, violence, car crashes, questionable sexual proclivities and an R&B singer with an unwanted erection… they’re all here. With deceptively pretty melodies.
The Police – “Every Breath You Take”
“Every Breath You Take” is music’s most famous tale of obsession — a fact that hip-hop übertwat P. Diddy missed entirely when he ripped off this song for his ghastly saccharine Notorious BIG tribute. Sting’s lyric here is downright frightening: “Every breath you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.” Um… people get arrested for that kind of thing.
Comments (36)
“Suzanne,” by Randy Newman, is sung in the first person from the point of view of a stalker/rapist.
LOVE that Aphex Twin video. The two fools at the begining are hilarious!
You’ve obviously never heard “Art Lover” by the Kinks. That should be #1 on your list! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnlLnkBFyno
Possession …Sarah MacLachlan. It’s about being stalked
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itydwcyywBc&ob=av2e
Stan..Eminem and Dido
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSLZFdqwh7E
Possum Kingdom by The Toadies, Last Dance with Mary Jane by Tom Petty, and Hazard by Richard Marx top my nightmare songs list. And while Runaway Train & Jeremy Spoken did have messages they were still pretty creepy to me as an elementary schooler.
Oingo Boingo’s (I Love) “Little Girls”…? Or the ghastly “Where The Wild Roses Grow” with Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave?
Honestly, the creepy goes on and on in music, you’ve barely scratched the surface. This should have been a top 50 list at least. ;)
the end – the doors
What happened to that 1962 hit Patches by Dickie Lee. Not only is Patches found floating face down in the river but the last words of the song are “It may not be right but I’m joining you tonight, Patches, I will always love you.”
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!
musicjunkie – it’s genius. “Nigga, look at your *hair*!”
ab44 – you’re right, I hadn’t heard that. It’s supremely creepy, although there are some interesting comments on the video you linked about the origin of the song, too.
Em – yep, but you have to draw the line somewhere :) For mine ‘The Kindness of Strangers’ is the creepiest song on Murder Ballads, although the whole album is kinda worrying
How Van Morrison’s 60′s hit:
“Here Comes the Night”
A little stalking of an ex girlfriend anyone?
“She’s with him He’s turning down the lights
And now he’s holding her
The way I used to do”
How about Springsteen’s “Fire”?
A song that encourages date rape:
Im driving in my car, I turn on the radio
Im pulling you close, you just say no
You say you don’t like it, but girl I know you’re a liar
`cause when we kiss, fire
And then thee is the Gilbert O’Sullivan song, “Claire”
Here you are led to believe that it is a romantic song about a woman he loves only to find out he is singing about his little daughter.
Claire. If ever a moment so rare
was captured for all to compare.
That moment is you in all that you do.
But why in spite of our age difference do I cry.
Each time I leave you I feel I could die.
Nothing means more to me than hearing you say,
“I’m going to marry you. Will you marry me? Oh hurray!”
Oh Claire. Claire …
Claire, I’ve told you before “Don’t you dare!”
“Get back into bed.”
“Can’t you see that it’s late.”
“No you can’t have a drink.”
“Oh allright then, but just just wait a minute.”
Finally,
You missed a number of pedophile songs by Gary Pucket and the Union Gap:
“Young Girl” in particular.
Ringo Starr at 0:22 in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76O6tuJPe3w
What about Dragon’s “Are You Old Enough”?
creeeeepy.
A great book on creepy love songs: http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Me-Im-Sick-Creepiest/dp/1556527535
Phil Spector’s arrangement of “He Hit Me” was lame, but the song was co-written by Carole king and was intended as a sort of subtle protest song against domestic violence. It might come off as creepy, but that wasn’t the intent.
2 more scary offerings – The Doors ‘Riders on the Storm’ always gave me the creeps and Johnny Angel !of course!
Road kill
“I’ll Kill You” (softly remix) Terry Grant feat. Jennifer Horne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arOTOAILfYg&fmt=18
“He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)” was written after producers discovered that Little Eva was regularly being beaten by her boyfriend. She said she didn’t mind it because it proved he loved her deeply – the song was written as a protest song as Miller (a few posts above) correctly says.
[...] Flavorwire: 10 of the Creepiest Pop Songs of All Time. [...]
“Into the Night” by Benny Mardones — ick. Lyrics include “She’s just 16 years old, leave her alone, they say… separated by fools who don’t know what true love meeeaaans!” Statutory rape of the aural variety.
You’re Beautiful by James Blunt…it’s like a stalkers national anthem!
You ain’t about shit and your hair ain’t neither.
PROLIFERATE APHEX
[...] of Halloween, my second favorite Arts & Culture blog, Flavorwire, released a list of the 10 creepiest songs of all time. Among them are the Police’s stalkerish “Every Breath You Take,” the [...]
I made a playlist once of the creepiest songs I could find. One is called “He’s Got the Power,” by another 60s girl group called The Exciters. Lyrics like:
“He makes me say things I don’t want to say, he makes me do things I don’t want to do, and even though I want to break away I can’t stop saying I adore him, can’t stop doing things for him, he’s got the power of love over me.”
[...] to Tom Hawking over at Flavorwire, who put together a brilliant list of creepy pop [...]
What the h3ll is that Aphex video all about?
Dang, I was so taken aback I forgot the “Twin”
Every Breath you take is creepy…. Don’t Stand So Close to Me, even creepier.
“He starts to shake and cough/just like that old man in/that book by Nabokov”
Any reference to Lolita is supremely creepy.
Way to make it on the list twice Sting.
WTF? – you should also check out the other video Chris Cunningham did with Aphex Twin… this one’s just downright scary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Az_7U0-cK0
no Death Cab for Cutie?
You mentioned “Lemon Incest” by Serge Gansbourg but didn’t include it on the list. It was the first song that can to mind.
“Tell Laura I Love Her” from the early days of Rock still barfs me out.
Nice one with Next “Too Close”. That song’s been in my list of most ridiculously creepy harassment songs since I heard it on the radio. Despite lacking the humor and bravado of R Kelly they pull off a song that’s creepier than any of his work. On the dance floor, I’d prefer “feelin on your booty” over “a little poke” any night.
All very creepy songs. I’d like to add “Trunk” by Kings of Leon. It’s about a guy driving with a girl tied up in the trunk of his car.
The headline reads 10 creepiest POP songs of all time-get Portishead off the list-they are not a POP band-and please make a new headline where you can undoubtedly post more than 10 creepy songs. I need to take over your job.
ele – Thanks!
Kendroid – duly noted :)
TruelyAmazing [sic] – no you don’t
“Little Miss Lovin’” by Chicago with The Bee Gees singing backup!
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