Quiz: We Bet You Can’t Finish These Halloween Song Lyrics

October marks the time to grab the pumpkin spice and head to Spirit Halloween, but that’s not the only way to celebrate spooky season. This is also the time of year to put on your favorite Halloween tunes, whether it’s soundtracks of your favorite ‘90s movies or the songs played at Halloween dances at school. How well do you remember the songs? We’ve got a quiz that will put your memory to the test.

Did you get all eight right? If you did, you’re a Halloween music expert. It’s not always easy to figure out the lyrics, especially when we give you a few tricky options to pick from! Send this to your friends and see how well they remember these songs of Halloween past.

More Halloween Quizzes:

The Distinct Sounds of Halloween-Fueled Music

Halloween playlists bring a distinct, magical sound unlike other music. While Christmas songs rely on carols and wintry themes, Halloween music thrives on campy humor, dark romance, and even synth-heavy paranoia. There are stories of monsters and ghosts told through decades of pop, rock, and novelty hits.

Halloween songs have a unique quality and ability to cross generational boundaries. The songs of the ‘50s and ‘60s bring their own tracks, whether it’s “Monster Mash” or “I Put a Spell on You.” It’s easy to forget that they come from the middle of the previous century, feeling like they belong with the modern-day tracks. The beauty of the tracks wasn’t to make you scared. They played with horror tropes in entertaining ways, whether it was stories of graveyards or mad scientists.

The ‘80s brought a more cinematic feel to the tracks, and it’s all thanks to the move to music videos. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” remains a cultural phenomenon, with a dance that everyone learned the moves to. It opened the door for future boy bands and girl groups as teens would start to join together at school to show off what they learned.

“Ghostbusters” and “Somebody’s Watching Me” brought movie theme songs to life. They tapped into an era of upbeat dance rhythms and supernatural hijinks. “This Is Halloween” and the Bette Midler version of “I Put a Spell on You” remain fan-favorite classics that are played every year.

Listening to these tracks every October provides a comforting ritual. They bring back childhood memories of sorting through the trick-or-treat buckets and getting ready for the next Halloween party. There’s no better way than to spend the month with friends singing along.

If you love to test your music knowledge, make sure you bookmark the Mental Floss quiz page for more challenges.