[Showa × Halloween] A roundup of chilling songs with scary lyrics and an unsettling atmosphere!

Gloomy SundayAwaya Noriko

Noriko Awaya – Gloomy Sunday

This is a chanson born in Hungary, known worldwide as a frightening song.

In Japan, it’s known through performances by artists such as Noriko Awaya, who was called the “Queen of Blues.” That bleak melody inevitably sends chills down your spine, doesn’t it? This Japanese version was recorded once around 1936, but there’s an anecdote that its release was banned because the overly pessimistic atmosphere was deemed problematic.

With a noble yet weighty vocal tone that highlights quiet madness and sorrow, this chilling piece seems perfect for a ghostly Halloween gathering.

BalletYellow Magic Orchestra

YMO – Ballet HD

It’s a fantastical, mysterious electronic tune that feels like wandering through a fog-shrouded old European city.

The lyrics, depicting mist-veiled scenes of Warsaw and introspective inner landscapes, create a beautiful yet subtly unsettling world.

The locomotive-inspired sound effects and whispers in French fit perfectly, sending shivers down your spine as you listen.

This piece is a track from YMO’s album “BGM,” released in March 1981, and the album is also known as one of the first works to fully incorporate the groundbreaking TR-808 drum machine.

It might be just right for a Halloween night when you want to evoke a slightly mature, dark, and decadent mood.

kaleidoscopeIwasaki Hiromi

kaleidoscope

It’s a song by Hiromi Iwasaki that portrays a woman’s obsession as she appears like a phantom before the ex-lover who can’t forget her, trying to burn herself into his sight.

Despite its beautiful melody, the lyrics evoke a chilling, curse-like atmosphere.

Released as a single in September 1979, it was also used in a Subaru Leone commercial.

There’s a rumor that a male voice can be heard in the outro of the recording, which led to its reputation as a ghostly, occult song.

The prevailing explanation is that a chorus part slated to be cut accidentally remained.

How about enjoying this unsettling anecdote hidden within a beautiful classic on an adult Halloween night?

a grievance songKaji Meiko

Meiko Kaji - Urami Bushi (Lament of Resentment) | Meiko Kaji

This is a dark number in which the protagonist—pushed down to rock bottom—seethes with unfathomable resentment.

Meiko Kaji’s low, menacing, almost spat-out vocals are its hallmark; just listening sends a chill down your spine.

The lyrics vividly convey the indelible thirst for vengeance of a woman who’s been betrayed and stripped of everything.

Released as a single in December 1972, the song became a hit, peaking at No.

6 on the Oricon chart.

It also served as the theme song for the Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, in which Meiko Kaji herself played the protagonist, Nami.

Unlike ghosts or witches, it’s the terrifying passion hidden within human beings that might make Halloween night all the more profound.

Prince of HellSeikima II

THE PRINCE OF JIGOKU (Prince of Hell)

If you want to bask in a solemn, ominous atmosphere, Seikima-II’s early signature track is perfect! The lyrics, depicting a ritual in which a prince of the demon realm is born into this world, feel like a single dark fantasy film.

Demon Kakka’s commanding vocals dramatize the epic story to stunning effect.

Layered, hefty guitars and choral parts reminiscent of church music ride over a leisurely rhythm—this weighty sound is irresistible.

The song was included on their debut album, “Seikima-II: Akuma ga Kitarite Heavy Metal,” released in September 1985.

Play it to kick off Halloween night, and you’ll be drawn into a world that’s both eerie and majestic.

I bear a grudge.Nakajima Miyuki

Urimi/masu by Miyuki Nakajima (with lyrics) covered by t. yukimi

This song, sung by Miyuki Nakajima, portrays the deep resentment and sorrow of a woman after a broken heart.

It was included on the album “Is It OK If I’m Alive?” released in 1980.

The weighty melody and Nakajima’s powerful vocals resonate deeply.

This work doesn’t only express the harsh sadness of heartbreak; it also sings of the immense resentment within it, like a voiceless scream.

It’s a song I especially want people to hear if they carry the pain of heartbreak that borders on anger.

On Halloween night, it might be worthwhile to listen to this song and confront the “resentment” within yourself…

Say that you’re alive.Tomokawa Kazuki

Kazuki Tomokawa / Say You're Alive

This is a number by Kazuki Tomokawa, also known as the “shouting philosopher.” With a voice that sounds wrung out from the very bottom, he repeatedly interrogates the meaning of being alive—truly a cry from the soul.

It evokes a primal fear that wells up from within the human psyche, different from ghosts or witches.

The single first appeared in 1974, performed by the Down Town Boogie-Woogie Band, and it’s also known for being re-recorded in September 1986 as the theme song for the drama ‘Ikka Danran Monogatari.’ If you’re tired of conventional horror, this is a sure bet.

Listen to that fiercely intense voice and feel the chills.