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

Back in the Showa era, when Halloween hadn’t yet really caught on in Japan—even though it’s now a huge annual celebration—there were actually plenty of songs that perfectly fit the spooky vibe of ghosts, witches, and skeletons dancing about, even if they didn’t directly use Halloween as a theme! In this article, we’ve gathered Showa-era songs that are perfect for Halloween.

Enjoy tracks that capture the distinct “Showa feel,” from anime theme songs featuring witches and yokai to tunes whose lyrics and atmosphere are delightfully eerie.

Playlist

[Showa × Halloween] A roundup of chilling songs with scary lyrics and an unsettling atmosphere!
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Gloomy SundayAwaya Noriko		A chillingly scary song; the Japanese version is banned from release.
2	BalletYellow Magic Orchestra		A mysterious piece that wanders through a mist-shrouded ancient city
3	kaleidoscopeIwasaki Hiromi		Hiromi Iwasaki’s ghost-story-like single “Song of Obsession”
4	a grievance songKaji Meiko		Revenge and sorrow of a betrayed woman
5	Prince of HellSeikima II		A signature song of Seikima-II, inviting you into a majestic world
6	I bear a grudge.Nakajima Miyuki		A song of heartbreak’s pain and deep resentment
7	Say that you’re alive.Tomokawa Kazuki		A soul’s cry that feels a primordial terror
8	The Woman of MetamorphosisTogawa Jun		Mad love, a devotion like a curse
9	Demon-Counting SongKarashima Midori		A masterpiece that resonates with Midori Karashima’s cold despair
10	witchKoizumi Kyoko		A woman's earnest wish portrayed in a witch's song
11	GeGeGe no KitaroKumakura Kazuo		A classic Halloween tune: the theme song of GeGeGe no Kitaro.
12	Yokai Human Bemhanī naitsu		A moving song that sings of a yokai’s sorrow and wishes
13	The Song of Karan KoronKato Midori to Misuzu Jido Gasshodan		Kitaro’s theme song that sings of the world of yokai
14	curseYamazaki Hako		Yamazaki Hako’s cursed song expresses the darkness of the heart.
15	Delightful and Cheerful Kaibutsu-kunkaibutsukun (Nozawa Masako)		The bright and fun worldview of the Kaibutsu-kun song
16	Wax MuseumSeikima II		Demon Kogure and Seikima-II’s terrifying classic, perfect for Halloween
17	Message of RougeArai Yumi		A classic by Yumi Arai, an iconic song of love and growth
18	Ghost RockGō Hiromi, Kigeki Kirin		A ghost’s heartrending love: the classic hit by Hiromi Go and Kiki Kirin
19	Town of TerrorZa Buressun Fō		Theme song of a horror drama, eerie music
20	A person hurrying into the nightchiaki naomi		An iconic, eerie ghost-story-style song from the Showa era
21	It’s the person we met at the museum, right?P-MODEL		Madness of cold synths and aggressive guitars
22	I am the wind.Karumen Maki & OZ		A witch-like singing voice shakes the heart
23	A Closed TownKarumen Maki & OZ		A closed-off town painted by the tones of an organ
24	What should I do?murahachibu		The dangerous and unsettling musical world of mura-hachibu (ostracism)
25	Adam’s appleSeikima II		A decadent song themed around the forbidden fruit
26	Night, night of the assassinHadaka no Rarīzu		The terror of ominous music lurking in the darkness
27	Grab the gun.zunou keisatsu		Sharp-edged Japanese rock that overturns common sense
28	I’ll eat you up!Gachapin		A 1975 song that scolds children out of fear
29	The ghost is coming!Yoshi Ikuzo		Gegege no Kitaro ending theme
30	Little Meg the Witch GirlMaekawa Yōko		A Showa-era classic that depicts the growth of a magical girl