Haunted House Music and Creepy Sounds

A haunted house or a Halloween party would not be enjoyable without appropriate music and sound effects. One of our favorite G rated Halloween songs (besides the Monster Mash) is Gene Simmons, Haunted House. This story song is a fun sing along for kids and adults.

Besides songs, scary screams, moans, creeks, howls and other sound effects are a must for Halloween. There are also some really cool motion activated devices that can be set up on the front porch and around the house to make your haunted house decorations even more effective.

I wish some of these had been available when I was in charge of the "Haunted Library" at the Halloween Carnival years ago.

The Haunted House song was recorded by rock-a-billy singer Gene Simmons in 1964 after Sam the Sham turned the record deal with Hi records down. It was one of Simmons' few records to reach the charts. Adults and kids alike still enjoy it today.

Reference: Gene Simmons, Still Haunting the House

Here's what one of the creators of a Gene Simmons YouTube video (Nocaro) had to say about the artist and the song:

"With an assist from fellow Tupelo, Mississippian, Elvis Presley, Gene got an audition with Sun Records in Memphis and a recording contract. Unfortunately, Sam Phillips, the head of Sun, didn't promote Gene in the fashion he wished so Gene moved to another recording company called "Hi Records" where he cut this song which had been part of his live performances for some time. Known as "Jumpin" Gene Simmons for his antics on stage, the rockabilly artist took "Haunted House" all the way to #11 in the nation in August, 1964 right in the middle of the British invasion of American pop charts."

I just moved in my new house today

Moving was hard but I got squared away

Bells started ringing and chains rattled loud

Knew I'd moved in a haunted house

Still I made up my mind to stay

Nothing was gonna drive me away

When I seen something that give me the creeps

Had a one big eye and two big feet

I stood right still and I did the freeze

He did the stroll right up to me

Made a noise with his feet that sound like a drum

Say you be here when the mornin comes?

Say yes I'll be here when the mornin comes

I'll be right here and I ain't gonna run

I bought this house so you know I'm boss

Ain't no haint gonna run me off

In my kitchen my stove was a blazing hot

The coffee was a boiling in the pot

The grease had melted in my pan

I had a hunk of meat in my hand

From out of space there sat a man

On the hot stove with the pots and pans

Say that's hot, I began to shout

He drank the hot coffee right from the spout

He ate the raw meat right from my hand

Drank the hot grease from the frying pan

Looked at me, said you better run

Don't be here when the morning comes

Say yes I'll be here when the morning comes

I'll be right here and I ain't gonna run

I bought this house so you know I'm boss....

Children enjoy acting out this song. It might be fun to have a little "theater" set up in your kitchen or with a child size stove on the front porch at your Halloween party and have the kids dressed up as the characters with the props. Just don't let them sit on the stove! They could act out the song before they went off to bed sort of like the scene in the Sound of Music, only creepier.

Long ago, when I was an elementary school librarian, back when there used to be "Halloween" Carnivals, not "Harvest" Carnivals, the guidance counselor and I were in charge of the Haunted Library. My husband would come and dress as a werewolf or a ghoul and jump out from a dark corner to scare the teachers.

Here's a short list of some of the other things we did.

The library was dark and was decorated with spider webs and hanging spiders, skeletons, fluorescent posters, illustrations and a black light and strobe light. There was creepy music and sound effects.

We would put tumbling mats at the entrance to make it bumpy and squishy to walk. There the evil witch of the library and one of her assistants would lead them on the tour.

While reciting Double Double, toil and trouble, the witch would mix a bubbling "potion". Ingredients of the potion were vinegar with red food coloring and baking soda (which we called ground bones). They make a great chemical reaction. Actually, you could probably use bone meal, too. This would give it a stinky smell when mixed with the vinegar. Other dried herbs were strewn on the table just like in a witches kitchen.

One of my assistants would pretend to drink the potion and would fall to the floor under the table. While down there, they would put on a skeleton or zombie mask. I would say some magic words and throw some baking soda on them and they would jump up and pretend to be the living dead.

Another assistant would come from a back room dressed as a vampire and would help to herd the participants toward the exit door where my husband would jump out from behind a table to chase them out the door.

The ultimate in spooky to complete your haunted house.

Here are some of the kinds of sound effects and decorations similar to the ones we used and some really neat ones that I wish we could have used.