Romanticize the darkening days with some tunes to match.
By: Melanie Nava Urribarri
Instead of the groans and moans of the city, listen to some spectral, spinning music (Nalyn Tindall/CanCulture)
You feel the temperature around you drop, a cool wind slipping through the threads of your clothes and tickling the skin underneath, sending shivers down your spine. The sun is blocked by grey clouds, and you swear you hear a taunting laughter carried by the breeze. Even the few rays of sun the clouds let escape are not enough to warm you. Looking straight ahead, city streets dark and barely lit by flickering lamp posts, all that’s left to transform this scene into an episode of blissful escapism is a song.
Luckily, we’ve composed a list of six Canadian songs to add to your playlist this spooky season.
This Hollow World by Johnny Hollow
Starting with “This Hollow World” by Johnny Hollow from Guelph, Ontario. The band, formed in 2001, holds their own brand of avant-garde pop achieved through blending organic instruments with electro-industrial sounds. Their sound is accompanied by intricate dark art by digital artist Vincent Marcone in their videos. Their niche touches steampunk and goth genres, and this song from their album Dirty Hands’ would be a unique addition to your Halloween playlist, adding a haunting cello from cellist Kitty Thompson, eerie riffs from guitarist Steve Heihn and spine-chilling vocals from singer Janine White.
Tales of the Phantom Ship by Lennie Gallant
Released in 1988, this next song is from Canadian Folk singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant’s debut album Breakwater. With the use of mandolin, harmonica, violin and mandocello, Gallant tells a ghost story in “Tales of the Phantom Ship” inspired by the legend of a ghost ship in Northumberland Strait, the southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Eastern Canada. The legend dates back over 250 years, and the ship in the ghost story is typically depicted as a schooner with three or four masts and pure white sails, which are said to become completely engulfed in flames as onlookers watch. Take note of the lyrics and immerse yourself in the ghostly scene set before you.
Chasse-Galerie by Claude Dubois
A song with a devilish tale, “Le Chasse Galerie,” also known as “The Bewitched Canoe,” is a popular French-Canadian legend about lumberjacks working around the Gatineau River who make a deal with the devil. The tale has origins dating all the way back to when French Settlers arrived in Canada and swapped stories with Indigenous people. It is said to be a mix of the tale of a French nobleman named Gallery who loved to hunt so much he missed Sunday mass and was punished to fly forever chased by horses and wolves, and an Indigenous legend about a flying canoe. The hair-raising song sung by Claude Dubois was released in 1978. It utilizes a beautiful, sorrowful piano melody along with string instruments to tell this soul-stirring story.
Lost Jimmy Whelan by Clary Croft
“Lost Jimmy Whelan” is another Canadian folk song inspired by traditional ghost stories originating in Canada. This tale is one of grief, a ballad written about a young man who died while working on what was likely a river drive. The ghost appears to his lover as she wanders along a river bank, and many have claimed the ghost to be Ontario lumberman James Phalen, who, in actuality, died on a tributary of the Ottawa River around 1878. The song itself has been circulating since at least 1886. Clary Croft is a folklorist, writer, and entertainer from Nova Scotia, and his version of the song was released in 2021.
The Comeback Kid by Lindi Ortega
Released in 2018, this song is an alternative/indie, country song by Canadian singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega. Born in Toronto, she spent some time in Nashville, Tennessee before moving to Western Canada. “The Comeback Kid” is a fast-paced, haunting song about the revenge of a character who was shot but didn’t die; a ghost who comes back to life for relentless vengeance. Ortega’s vocals are scary-good and will certainly send another set of chills through you, along with the beat of the drums which will keep you dancing all Hallow’s Eve night.
Ghost by Fefe Dobson
Finally, the list would not be complete without this hit Canadian pop song from 2010. While not necessarily a “spooky” song, “Ghost” by Toronto-born artist Fefe Dobson continues to be a Canadian favourite with a thrilling tune and relatable lyrics. This song tells a story of a heartbreaking betrayal that would certainly “spook” anyone who has lived it. Adding this one to your Halloween party playlist will have you seeing a flash of recognition on almost every Canadian’s face and will surely get the party going.
Finished reading? Start listening! Now you can be sure to get lost in the ghostly whispers of time and the blood-curdling tales told in these Canadian songs this season.