Associate lifestyle editor, Clare Fonstein, ‘22, shares her favorite fall and Halloween songs. Listen along on The Brown and White’s Spotify playlist.
It’s fall in Bethlehem! The leaves are changing, the air is becoming cooler and Vanessa Hudgens is back to her black and white Instagram theme. It’s in your coffee and in the air. Time is flying by, and the best way to slow it down is to truly sink yourself into the season. This is a hand crafted playlist to match the energy and this moment in time.
Song Title: “Rhiannon”
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Album: Life Becoming A Landslide
Released: Feb. 4, 1976
Most Fleetwood Mac songs hold a special quality that cannot be replicated by another artist or group. “Rhiannon” has an indescribable quality and a mystical feel. It incorporates magic and witches, making it perfect for Halloween. This song also appears in American Horror Story season Coven, adding onto the Halloween energy.
This song never gets old, and you will never get tired of listening to it. Stevie Nicks radiates October energy. The hats, the shawls and the witchiness is something we could all use a little more of this time of year.
Song Title: “The Lakes”
Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Folklore
Released: Aug. 18, 2020
Taylor Swift has played a significant role in many lives over the last decade, and the release of her latest album, Folklore, was a defining moment during quarantine. Folklore as a whole is an emotional journey, but “The Lakes” particularly is perfect for a fall playlist. The sound, the lyrics and the energy draws the listener in perfectly.
Some might be quick to judge this album, thinking they have outgrown Taylor Swift and that she was a thing of the past, but those people are wrong. She was relevant when she wrote “Teardrops on my Guitar” and she is still just as relevant now.
Song Title: “Anything”
Artist: SZA
Album: Ctrl
Released: June 9, 2017
This album has been popping up on TikTok and Twitter feeds recently. The album generally has a somber mood, but “Anything” is more upbeat than other songs on the album. It is an album you can both study to or listen to casually. At the end of a few of the songs throughout the album there are audio clips from what sounds like phone calls with people giving advice. Maternal advice is always helpful, even if it’s coming from people in SZA’s life and not your own.
Song Title: “My Say So”
Artist: Chela & Gus Dapperton
Album: Orca
Released: Sept. 18, 2020
Gus Dapperton recently released his album Orca, made up of entirely fantastic songs. “My Say So” feels like a pick-me-up and features Australian singer Chela. Oftentimes, the songs are more abstract and hard to understand lyrically, but they still sound great nonetheless. Gus Dapperton is the perfect artist for this time of year if you are looking for something new. By now, we have grown into our COVID-19 routines that have less stimulation than ever, so it can be exciting to listen to a new artist.
Song Title: “Drunk on Halloween”
Artist: Wallows
Album: single
Released: Oct. 12, 2018
Since it is October, this song has to be on here. The entire month revolves around Halloween. You might remember the character Clay Jensen from the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why. The actor himself, Dylan Minnette, is the lead singer of Wallows. He is more interesting and cooler than the show would lead you to believe after watching him wear practically the same outfit for four seasons.
It’s a heartbreak song that takes place on Halloween, and, since no one should be going to big Halloween parties this year, it fits with a 2020 COVID-19 Halloween theme.
Song Title: “Kill V. Maim”
Artist: Grimes
Album: Artangels
Released: Jan. 19, 2016
You may have heard of her and Elon Musk’s child, X Æ A-Xii, being born this summer. Much like her baby’s name, there’s a lot that is just confusing about Grimes, but she does know how to make solid music. Her theatrical and unique look incorporates a lot of fantasy and supernatural elements, which is perfect for Halloween. This specific song is upbeat and energetic, and Grimes definitely steps outside the box to make music that no one else would be able to come up with.
Song Title: “Calling All the Monsters”
Artist: China Anne McClain
Album: A.N.T. Farm
Released: September 20, 2011
This song, sung by China Anne McClain, was part of Disney Channel’s 2011 Halloween celebration. It encapsulates a simpler time of sitting on the couch watching Ant Farm, the show McClain starred in. It is upbeat and fun to listen to. The music video that goes along with it is a must-watch if you intend to take in everything the song has to offer. It has the late 2000s fashion that you may have forgotten about and the type of basic story arc that today’s music videos seem to have lost.
This is a feel good song for Halloween that should make an annual reappearance every October.
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