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Friday, September 2, 2011

Musical Stories 9: Horror

Today in Musical Stories we're moving onto the horror genre. I think this is one of the most subjective genres I've tackled. After all, everyone gets scared by different things. I hope there's at least one in this week's choices that sends a little chill up your spine :-)

The first one is a demonstration that horror doesn't have to be set in a dark forbidding building or a creepy forest, and it doesn't have to be a stormy night. The tune to this song is pure and sweet, like visiting a beach or a park on a sunny day. It's only when you get closer that you see the dark underbelly. In this case, the lyrics. Words and music, total contrast.

I promised something a little heavier this week, at least by my standards (it's no secret I'm the ballad queen), and the second choice is it. Sometimes what you see is what you get. Presentation, subject matter, narrator, it all screams horror.

Finally, an example that proves that you don't have to bite someone's neck or rip their heart out to be scary. Imagining what's coming next can be just as chilling. My tongue may be in my cheek a bit with this one, but I do think the ending is genuinely creepy. Don't forget to check the toy box before you go to sleep tonight!

(In case anyone is wondering, this last video is made using in game footage from World of Warcraft.)

I hope you find something amongst this lot to enjoy.






30 comments:

  1. OK, now you're scarin' me :)
    Nice selection. I'd never heard Creepy Doll.

    I've never tried to write scary. I think I'm such an optimist, that all the victims would survive :)

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  2. I love this season--so looking forward to horror movies of all kinds. And I agree, sometimes the best dark things come disguised in the light!

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  3. Okay, these were all creepy and in different ways. Truth is... I'm not even going to watch the last one cause that stuff just creeps me out! LOL. Marilyn Manson is creepy enough without all this so with it, he was just intensified. Good horror choices. I may still have nightmares about killer dolls.

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  4. Manson grew up about an hour north of me, basically a straight shot up a lonely highway to his one-time lair in Ohio...creepy fella.

    EL

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  5. I am soooo easily scared...not kidding. Now I lay me down to sleep...

    Oh boy...

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  6. Excellent choices! I LOVED the first one, just the contrast between the SUPER creepy lyrics and the sorta gentler music... Brrr! And I'm a fan of metal and vampires, so of course I loved the Manson one. The Creepy Doll song immediately made me think of Chucky!

    OK, I should probably point out here that I really like the classic horror movies and the macabre generally doesn't bother me. Nothing wrong with a good shiver up the spine every now and again! ;-)

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  7. Thanks for sharing! LOVE the first one!

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  8. So true! The best horror, I think, is the least predictable.

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  9. Excellent choices :D I think horror can be done pretty damn well in music form. Here's a couple you could also look at:

    Avenged Sevenfold - Little piece of heaven
    Alice Cooper - Steven

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  10. I'm not a horror fan, I get scared too easily!

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  11. I'm not ashamed to tell you I haven't looked at the videos. I don't watch horror movies or read in that genre. Too much of a nervous Nelly. :D

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  12. Oh. My. God. That first one is so creepy. Is it wrong that I also see how psychotically romantic it is? It reminds me of Angelus/Buffy

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  13. Oh, I'd also suggest a song called "Nymphetamine" by "Cradle of Filth".

    I don't normally like really hard metal songs, but Nymphetamine is strangely beautiful-- and incredibly creepy.

    There's also Marilyn Manson's "Running to the Edge of the World"

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  14. Very clever use of the game for the last footage! Themed music like this is great for when you want to get into the right mood for writing the genre.
    Campaigner visit :)
    Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

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  15. horror gives me nightmares!!! I'm such a contemporary nerd! LOL

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  16. Only watched the first one - laughed all the way thru it. Is it supposed to be a joke? I seriously hope so. It could be the Green River Killer's theme song.

    Either way, it definitely proved there's a fine line between horror and appearing ridiculous.

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  17. I took a class at a writer's conference where the presenter said that one of the easiest ways to scare people is to have an inanimate object so something it's not supposed to do, especially if it's subtle . . .

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  18. Something was wrong with my connection and my computer ground to a halt trying to play the music :(
    I do like your points about horror though.

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  19. Horror is my all time favorite genre... Love music clips that play on it... great picks:)

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  20. Must admit I'm not a massive fan of horror... just because I'm such a wimp!

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  21. I'm rubbish with horror - a complete scaredy-cat, but I definitely find that music without lyrics has a scarier effect on me... there's always something about the singing that gives me the giggles :)
    Lx

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  22. Marilyn Manson was the first one I thought of when you said Horror! Glad to see you agreed!!

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  23. Ok, I applaud you. I'm officially creeped out! LOL
    I just the Blair Witch Project for the first time last night too!

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  24. Rick - I think you'd get done under the Trades Descriptions Act :-)

    Julie - Indeed, nasty things can be hiding in plain sight!

    Abby - You'll be fine - but if I were you, I'd check under the bed!

    RaShelle - What, you don't think scaring yourself to death is fun? ;-)

    Elliot - Just your usual friendly neighbour then? :-)

    Claudia - That doesn't surprise me. You are definitely child of the light :-)

    Patsy - Not even through your fingers, or from behind the sofa?

    Sush - So am I. Yet I do it to myself, over and over...

    Crystal - This was a good week for you then!

    Liz - I do too. The contrast is great.

    Liz F - I agree. There can be terror even in the mundane.

    Jamie - Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check them out for next time round.

    Paula - Not a good week for you then. Hope next week will be more to your liking :-)

    J.L. Campbell - A wise move not to put yourself through it if horror isn't your thing :-)

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  25. S.J. Kincaid - 'psychotically romantic' is a good description, and yes, very Angelus; though not, of course, the sainted Angel! I'll check your suggestions out, thank you.

    Charmaine - Welcome to you. The guy who made the last video has made quite a few WoW videos to Jonathan Coulton songs, I love the partnership.

    Michelle - The world needs contemporary nerds every bit as much as horror freaks :-)

    Melodie - I suspect the band weren't taking it seriously, (it's to be hoped!), but the lyrics definitely reminded me of a horror story :-)

    Jolene - Good tip. Although if my kettle started making tea by itself...

    Lynda - That's a shame. Maybe it was trying to warn you...

    Tania - I'm glad you enjoyed them. I think I've scared a few people this week :-)

    Talli - You don't have to be a wimp to not like horror...but it helps :-)

    Laura - There are some film scores that still freak me out, no matter where I hear them. 'The Exorcist' for one.

    Jen - See, we're twins - born 20 years apart ;-)

    Jennifer - Then my work here is done :-)

    And I still haven't seen that film!

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  26. ohmygoodness! i'm so glad sommer leigh linked to this post! while i can't listen to manson (did too much of that in jr.high) the first one was absolutely genius. the last lasted a little to long, imo. but was extremely clever, and very creepy in its seemingly benign way.

    but that first one... i could see it too. there were some lines in there that were pure poetry. also, i couldn't get craft out of my head. and i kept thinking. wow! this writer did such an amazing job at first person voice- getting inside the head of a whackjob!
    have a great weekend!

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  27. Vic - Welcome to you. The first one is my favourite, I'm so glad you got something out of it :-)

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