While “The Monster Mash‰” and “Thriller‰” undoubtedly top the charts for most popular Halloween-themed music, Halloween-themed jazz surprisingly raises the bar for intense and dark tunes that are sure to make your Halloween as frightening and fun as possible.

“I Put a Spell on You‰” by Nina Simone

Nina Simone‰’s “I Put a Spell on You‰” is a great introduction to Halloween-themed jazz, a subgenre that might otherwise sound unappealing to a listener. The song has a consistent, “James Bond-esque‰” feel to it. The swarming string section and steady drum beat in the background set up Nina‰’s robust and powerful vocals perfectly, allowing for the first line, “I put a spell on you,‰” to establish the haunting, yet sexy jazz sound of the piece. While the lyrics on paper seem conventional, and to be frank, a little dull, Nina awakens an evocative spirit in the words through her deep and gruff tone. The piece is comprised of opposing musical forces: the high, bluesy piano riffs against the deepness of her voice, the whiny saxophone against the smooth brass choir and the fragmented improvisational vocals of Nina‰’s voice at the end of the piece with her rehearsed singing at the beginning of the song. Together, they create the chilling, goose bump inducing feel of Halloween-themed music.

“Nightmare” by Artie Shaw

For an even more dramatic, lyric-less pick, Artie Shaw‰’s “Nightmare‰” does the trick. The piece sounds similar to “I Put a Spell on You,‰” in that it gives off a frightening mood through musical poles: low tones in the saxophones and trombones versus high tones in the trumpets and clarinets. The sharp harmonies and constant bass drum beat make the piece sound as if it were the background of a 1940s crime drama and is intensified even further by Artie‰’s solo clarinet parts that, when played in the higher octaves, shrill and pierce through the other instruments‰’ parts. The ending of the piece, which slows and becomes louder and louder, sums up the tune as a whole: an extremely dark and grim musical drama.

“Mack the Knife” by Louis Armstrong

The final piece, and my personal favorite is Louis Armstrong‰’s, “Mack the Knife‰Û. The reason for its appeal is not in a haunting melody or distinct vocals, but rather, in the irony of the arrangement. At first listen, the tune sounds like most other Louis Armstrong pieces: upbeat and swinging. However, when paying close attention, you realize that the bright sounds of the trumpets and cheery beat of the drums are accompanied by a disturbing set of lyrics. The piece covers all the bases of horror: murder, robbery and rape. “On the sidewalk, Sunday mornin’, baby/Lies a body, oozin’ life‰” is followed by “A cement bag’s drooppin’ down/Yeah, the cement’s just for the weight, dear/Bet you Mack, he’s back in town.‰” Perhaps the most alarming verse, however, is “Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver/Lotte Lenya, Sweet Lucy Brown/Oh, the line forms on the right, dears.‰” Louis Armstrong‰’s “Mack the Knife‰” takes the gold for its horrific and disturbing eccentricity, the ultimate characteristics of Halloween-themed jazz and Halloween-themed music.