Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween - The Ultimate Ska Halloween Playlist


John from HPSKA, who is comrade in all things ska, has developed an extensive play list of 300+ ska songs appropriate for a night of Halloween listening. I was pleased and a bit surprised to see that my band's semi-serious take on The Archies 'Sugar Sugar' made the list at #22.

The reason we recorded the song is pretty interesting. Our original guitarist Steve Parker's father Ron Parker was a well known studio musician who played guitar on a number of popular radio hits from the late 1960's including 'Hooked On A Feeling' by B.J. Thomas and 'Sugar Sugar' by The Archies.



We decided to perform 'Sugar Sugar' to honor him and we developed a unique ska and reggae take on the song. At one point during the mid-90's, the song was a mainstay of our set list. Below is a download of our version.

Bigger Thomas - Sugar Sugar

Below is the Top 25 list of Halloween ska songs that John from HPSKA created:

1. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Witching Hour
2. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Howlin’ Wolves
3. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Vampire
4. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Skull Collector
5. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Monster Rock
6. Eskalator - Monster Mash
7. Skazoo - Monster Mosh
8. Bad Manners - Monster Mash
9. Bad Manners - Do The Creep
10. Splitters - Monsters in my Mind
11. SkaDows - (Do the) Monster Reggae
12. Flashlight - Monster
13. Beverley's All Stars - The Monster
14. Voodoo Glow Skulls - Closet Monster
15. MU330 - Curse
16. Tantra Monsters - Curse of Boto
17. Deal's Gone Bad - Curse of the Cur
18. Skatalites - Skandy
19. The Busters - Candy
20. Lee Perry - Sugar Bag
21. Jah Berry - Daughter Whole Lotta Sugar Down Deh!
22. Bigger Thomas - Sugar Sugar
23. Mr. Symarip - Sugar Dumpline
24. Desmond Dekker - Sugar Dumpling
25. Babyshakers - Sugarlover

You can see the whole playlist at HPSKA.

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