The fact that the big day is in the title sort of goes against theme, but here Halloween acts as a metaphor for the moments where humans admit their daily dress-up routine. Jello Biafra acerbically challenges the listener to acknowledge her “mold” and asks “why not every day?” The call to meta-cognition is accompanied by a frenetic bass line that is easy to get lost in, especially if you aren’t up to Biafra’s call to confront all of your illusions.

“Spooky Mormon Hell Dream,” The Book of Mormon

Elder Price, the protagonist of the Broadway smash “The Book of Mormon,” is transported into a hellish landscape after confronting his guilt for getting his brother in trouble as a small child. The surrealistic descent into Hades, replete with bravura musical appearances from Genghis Khan, Hitler, and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as a spine-chilling full gospel choir and a fantastic guitar solo, is ideal for those looking to condemn Halloween’s paganism in good fun.

“Creep,” TLC

Although the song is clearly about choosing to “creep” around (i.e. cheat) in response to a partner’s infidelity—as opposed to anything inherently “creepy” or Halloween-centric—something about the laid-back beat and horn line is chilly and unsettling. The complete absence of malice in Left Eye’s voice, even when dealing with ostensibly upsetting subject matter, adds to the emotional distance of the track, which feels more than a little spooky especially considering the extremely creepy story of Left Eye’s premonitions of her own demise.

“Dance Cadaverous,” Wayne Shorter

Perfect for the pre or post-game to a Halloween rage, sit back with a pumpkin cocktail and spin Wayne Shorter’s meandering and foreboding track from his 1965 album “Speak No Evil.” The title evokes a skeletal polka, which is is musically mirrored by the sparse, pale Herbie Hancock piano and Freddie Hubbard trumpet. Shorter’s sax takes the cake though, with a minor, often dissonant line oozing with fear.