Just as people are lovers of hip-hop, R&B, and rock songs, so too you would find those who find solace in creepy songs. This article is for you if you find shrill, high-pitched, and chaotic songs satisfying albeit weird.
To some people, these creepy songs that would be listed below may send waves of discomforting sounds down their spine. For others like me and you who would go through the entire article, we could binge-watch every single video attached and even seek more.
Sake of enlightenment, creepy songs are meant to cause an unpleasant feeling of fear and unease. With this said, do not expect anything less than uncomfortable sounds and images.
Some of the pioneers of this genre of music, according to this article are Nick Cave and Eminem.
Here Are Some Creepy Songs That Would Leave A Lasting Impression
1. I Love the Dead by Alice Cooper
In this song, we hear about Cooper’s weird liking for fresh dead bodies. This song was written alongside Bob Ezrin and it wasn’t released as a single due to the nature of the lyrics.
Asides from the lyrics of the song, the band members also showed their unique prowess as musicians by bringing to life the creepiness of their sounds.
Lyrics:
I love the dead before they’re cold
They’re bluing flesh for me to hold
Cadaver eyes upon me see nothing
I love the dead before they rise
No farewells, no goodbyes
I never knew your rotting face
While friends and lovers mourn your silly grave
I have other uses for you, Darling
We love the dead
We love the dead, yeah
2. Frankie Teardrop by Suicide
This song, Suicide told a story of a factory worker in his 20s who struggled to support his family. Through his struggles, he ends up killing his family and even commits suicide.
The song does not stop here as it is over 10 minutes long and towards the end, you could hear that Frankie Teardrop still suffering in the afterlife. However, the representation of hell in the song is a modernized version of eternal damnation.
Lyrics:
Frankie is so desperate
He’s gonna kill his wife and kids
Frankie’s gonna kill his kid
Frankie picked up a gun
Pointed at the six month old in the crib
Oh Frankie
Frankie looked at his wife
Shot her
‘Oh what have I done?’
Let’s hear it for Frankie
Frankie teardrop
Frankie put the gun to his head
Frankie’s dead…
3. Dead Joe by The Birthday Party
This song was written by Nick Cave and his then-girlfriend Anita Lane. This song combines American Southern Gothic and roiling, cartoonish art-rock. It ultimately birthed the rock genre known as ‘gothic rock’.
Dead Joe is about a car wreck assumed to have happened during the Christmas holiday.
Lyrics:
Dead Joe Joe … Joe Joe
Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho Dead Joe
Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho Dead Joe
Welcome to the car smash…
4. Songs of Joy by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
In this song, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds band tells a story of a man whose wife and family were killed. The husband traveled far from the scene of the murder and was accompanied by a stranger with whom he told the story.
Many people believe that the murderer in this story is the husband himself. However, a part of the song was inspired by John Milton’s prose ‘Blood’.
Lyrics:
Have mercy on me, sir
Allow me to impose on you
I have no place to stay
And my bones are cold right through
I will tell you a story
Of a man and his family
And I swear that it is true
Ten years ago, I met a girl named Joy
She was a sweet and happy thing
Her eyes were bright blue jewels
And we were married in the spring
I had no idea what happiness a little love could bring
Or what life had in store
But all things move toward their end
All things move toward their end
On that, you can be sure…
5. Kim by Eminem
Named after his wife, the song ‘Kim’ tells the tale of lovers whose love story went sour. The King of Rap sets us on a journey of how his lover cheated on him and his response to it. The response was to make her suffer while he eventually killed her, leaving their baby at home.
Lyrics:
Em: How could you let in our bed? Look it, Kim
Look at your husband now! (No) I said, look at him!
He ain’t so hot now, is he, little p*nk?
Kim: (Why are you doing this?) Shut the f*ck up!
You’re drunk! You’re never gonna get away with this!
Em: You think I give a f*ck? Come on! We’re going for a ride, b*tch (No!)
Sit up front!
Kim: (We can’t just leave Hailie alone, what if she wakes up?
Em: We’ll be right back… well, I will. You’ll be in the trunk!…
6. Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
Geezer Butler was inspired to write this song from a personal experience he had from his occultic obsession.
With the shrill lyrics, chiming bell, and inverted tritone which is mostly associated with the devil, this song sounds overly terrifying.
Lyrics:
What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn around quick, and start to rin
Find out I’m the chosen one
Oh no…
7. Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin
The lyrics and video of this song are creepy enough to send chills down every spine. There was a fusion of distorted drum breaks with cringy lyrics and synths.
Known to be one of the top creepy and bizarre songwriters, Aphex Twin’s ‘Come to Daddy’ is known to be one of his craziest works ever.
Lyrics:
I want your soul
I will eat your soul
I want your soul
I will eat your soul…
8. Mr. Krinkle by Primus
The funk-metal band known as Primus is a group of musicians who have made their mark in the dark tunes genre. Most of their songs from the 90s were twisted and sinister and Mr. Krinkle takes the lead as their topmost creepy sounds from that time.
Lyrics:
Hello Mr. Krinkle
How are you today?
Seems the rumors are about your team might move away
Now, me I’m sentimental
But I’m not one to cry
Say there Mr. Krinkle let’s cruise the Bast*rd boat
Damn then sonsab*tches with their gill-nets set afloat
I flip on my tele and I watch the waters die
See’mpon Mr. Krinkle tell me why…
9. Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite by The Beatles
This song gives the vibe and image of a deranged circus show. With sounds such as descending bassline, jarring harpsichord, and harmonies that are in dissonance, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite gives off a very creepy feeling.
Lyrics:
For the benefit of Mr. Kite
There will be a show tonight
On trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there.
Late of Pablo Fanque’s Fair.
What a scene!…
10. Threnody For The Victims of Hiroshima by Krzysztof Penderecki
If this article was in a particular order, this song would most likely be placed in the top spot. It is one of the most cringe-worthy creepy songs of all time because of the instrumental and presentation of the song.
Mostly called ‘avant garde’, this song was written for the Japanese people as a result of the United States’ attack during World War II.
The song isn’t one to be called regular as it is composed of 52 stringed instruments and is 9 minutes long. Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima may have no lyrics but listening to the sound alone depicts a lot of shrill images.
11. Climbing Up The Walls by Radiohead
This song is characterized by lots of sinister and dark sounds that increased in creepiness with each passing minute. It starts with a cold sound at the beginning and goes ahead to build suspense as it progressed.
Lyrics:
I am the keys to the lock in your house
That keeps your toys in the basement
And if you get too far inside
You’ll only see my reflection
It’s always best when the covers up
I am the Pick in the ice
Do not cry out or hit the alarm
You know we’re friends till we die…
12. Bottled Up Inside by Korn
When you hear ‘Bottled up Inside’ you will hear the sounds of aggression, fear, and sadness. It is quite deep and obviously as diabolic and dark as a creepy song can be.
Lyrics:
It ain’t fading
Man I gotta let it out
Am I crazy?
Screaming nothing ever comes out.
I keep feeling lost.
I’ll never find my way out.
I’m not thanking them.
Unless the truth can pour out…
13. Deep In The Woods by The Birthday Party
Yet another song where Nick Cave showcases his talent and knack for dark, creepy lyrics is ‘Deep in the Woods’. There was a blend of the creepy lyrics and sounds especially of Rowland Howard’s guitar that gave the song the ultimate creepy title.
From the first lyrics to the last sound in this song, one is left scared and for the faint-hearted, scarred.
Lyrics:
The woods eat the woman
And dumps her honey-body in the mud
Her dress floats down the well
And it assumes the shape of the body of a little girl…
14. The Becoming by Nine Inch Nails
‘The Becoming’ is a song about a man who slowly but unwaveringly falls into deeper stages of depression. With each sound and vocal performance, you feel said man’s situation worsening even to the point of depression.
Lyrics:
All pain disappears
It’s the nature of…
Of my circuitry
Drowns out all I hear
No escape from this
My new consciousness
The me that you know
He used to have feelings
But the blood has stopped pumping and he is left to decay
The me that you know is now made up of wires
And even when I’m right with you I’m so far away…
15. Angel of Death by Slayer
In this song, we learn about a Nazi scientist’s crazy experiment with captives in Auschwitz. It begins with 20 seconds of cold scream that eventually ushers in a musical piece of dark lyrics and a frightening soundtrack. It will interest you to know that the scare did not ease off as the song progressed, on the contrary, each new minute came with its fresh creep.
Lyrics:
Auschwitz, the meaning of pain
The way that I want you to die
Slow death, immense decay
Showers that cleanse you of your life…
SEE ALSO: 15 Songs About Not Being Good Enough For Moments Of Struggles And Insecurities
16. Hamburger Lady by Throbbing Gristle
Fusing prose and music into this particular creepy song made matters worse. The inspiration for this particular 1977 release was a letter written about the tragic case of a car accident victim. The narration of the situation is terrifying enough to cause nightmares in some people.
Lyrics:
By far worse is the hamburger lady.
We must heal them for the qualified technicians,
Worse,
Alternating nights are automatic,
She’s lying there…
17. Dance With The Devil by Immortal Technique
This song is a weird hip-hop song because it falls into the category of creepy and sinister. It could be categorized as a rap song but it shifts further into the dark side of hip-hop. It isn’t the regular gun-battling, beef-inspired, drug-riddled rap songs this generation is used to.
Dance with the Devil is a tale about a gangster who gets involved in immorality. It is characterized by sounds created by horrorcore instrumentals and ends with an unimaginable plot twist.
Lyrics:
A hardcore n*gga is all he ever wanted to be
And so he met them Friday night at a quarter to three
Everyone trying to be trife never face the consequences
You probably only did a month for minor offenses
Ask a n*gga doing life if he had another chance
But then again there’s always the wicked that knew in advance
Dance forever with the devil on a cold cell block…
18. Psycho Killer by Talking Heads
This release of this song coincided with the arrest of David Berkowitz, the notorious son of Sam killer. In the wake of this, a lot of people in New York in 1977 went about believing that there was a psycho killer in town and made everyone look over their shoulders now and again.
Lyrics:
I can’t seem to face up to the facts
I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax
I can’t sleep ‘cause my bed’s on firee
Don’t touch me, I’m a real live wire…
19. Bela Lugosi’s Dead by Bauhaus
Considered the first goth song in the history of rock, ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ is a 9-minute long frightening song with a sinister soundtrack. Throughout the song, there was the repetition of “Bela Lugosi’s dead” which is quite disturbing.
Lyrics:
White on white translucent black capes
Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi’s dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box…
20. I Put a Spell on You by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Despite being covered a couple of times over the years, the original by Jay Hawkins can never be underrated. The song was initially written to be a love song but eventually turned out to be one of the creepiest songs of all time.
Lyrics:
I put a spell on you because you’re mine
I can’t stand the things that you do
No, no, no I ain’t lyin’
No I don’t care if you don’t want me
‘Cause I’m yours, yours, yours anyhow…
21. Jaws (Theme Song) by John Williams
This is the soundtrack for the movie Jaws which was composed by John Williams. It has also been used in a number of other movies including Star Wars. In this piece, there was the use of a two-note repeating musical motif as well as an ostinato.
If you have watched Jaws from start to end, then you will understand why this made the list. Interestingly, in the movie, the notes weren’t played and this made it even creepier.
22. The End by The Doors
This song is as scary and creepy as they come. It tells the story of a bad journey that ultimately ends at a shocking place. When the goodbye to his friend part reached, one would think that was the end. However, the song takes a deeper ride. The end of the song is even more crazy and creepy and you will only understand when you listen or watch.
Lyrics:
It hurts to set you free
But you’ll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die…
23. Creep by Radiohead
Like the title of the song states, ‘Creep’ is a creepy song about a self-destructive s*xual attraction. The chorus has Jonny Greenwood’s guitar play that gives off the vibe of 1974’s ‘The Air That I Breathe’ song.
Lyrics:
But I’m a creep
I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doin’ here?
I don’t belong here…
24. Little Ghost by White Stripes
What more screams creepy than having a relationship with a ghost? This song by the couple band known as White Stripes details a secret romance between a human and a ghost lover.
Lyrics:
The first moment I met her
I did not expect a specter
When I shook her hand, I really shook a glove
She looked into me so sweetly
And we left the room discreetly
No one else could know the secret of our love…
25. Careful with that Axe by Pink Floyd
This song has elements of fright from the cold screams, whispers, and sounds in its lyrics. The guitar and other instrumentals do not make matters better anyway nor does the progression from one state of horror to another, ease the scare.
Lyrics:
Down, down. Down, down. The star is screaming
Beneath the lies. Lie, lie. Tschay, tschay, tschay
Careful, careful, careful with that axe, Eugene…
26. Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It is quite difficult to tell if the song or its video is more terrifying but they’re both creepy. The lyrics of the song talks about dancing into the afterlife. The video however shows a band’s performance before an audience and then a werewolf-performer murders the audience with confetti.
Lyrics:
Off with your head
Dance till you’re dead
Heads will roll (3x)
On the floor
Glitter on the wet streets
Silver over everything
The river’s all wet
You’re all chrome…
27. Iowa by Slipknot
This song was created by a group of band members who had grown immense hatred for themselves. The stories accompanying the making of this song are quite disheartening and scary.
From the hatred to cutting yourself with a piece of glass while recording the song, it was obvious Slipknot band was on a different level of the dark when creating ‘Iowa’.
Lyrics:
Relax, it’s over
You belong to me, I fill your mouth with dirt
(Hahaha)
Relax, it’s over
You can never leave
I take your second digit with me, love…
SEE ALSO: 30 Best Fuck You Songs For Very Difficult Moments
28. Bonny and Clyde by Eminem
Here, Eminem details how he took his daughter out to the pier while talking to her and secretly intended to throw his wife Kim into the sea. The dark undertone to this song is the fact that unknowingly to the daughter, her mother’s corpse lay in the trunk of his car.
Just like the song Kim, this one is about the same woman and has the same car scene and baby in the background. Another similarity is the fact that it is a creepy song and would make anyone cringe.
Lyrics:
Come on Hai-Hai, we goin’ to the beach
Grab a couple of toys and let dad strap you in the car seat
Oh, where’s mama? She’s taking a little nap in the trunk
Oh, that smell? Dada must’ve runned over a skunk
Now I know what you’re thinkin’, it’s kinda late to go swimmin’
But you know your mama, she’s one of those type of women
That do crazy things, and if she don’t get her way, she’ll throw a fit…
29. D.O.A by Bloodrock
This song is 8 minutes long and scary! It is a narration of the death of the narrator and the sounds of sirens and ambulances don’t help. The tale is of a gruesome plane crash and being tended to by EMT. The song even ends with the sounds of sirens and eventually got banned from being played in the year the 2000s.
Lyrics:
Laying here looking at the ceiling
Someone lays a sheet across my chest
Something warm is flowing down my fingers
Pain is flowing through my back…
30. Knoxville Girl by Louvin Brothers
The tale in this song is about an unrepentant murderer who killed his girlfriend during a walk. In jail, rotting, he is as relaxed and unfazed as he was after the act as he returned home.
‘Knoxville Girl’ however opens up the mind of a lot of people that there most likely is a killer boyfriend lurking around different locations.
Lyrics:
I met a little girl in Knoxville, a town we all know well
And every Sunday evening, out in her home, I’d dwell
We went to take an evening walk about a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground and knocked that fair girl down…
