\n<\/p>\n
Welcome to October. As the leaves begin to change colors and drop away from branches, candy gets\u00a0stockpiled for trick-or-treaters and jack-o’-lanterns are lit from within, its time for a seasonal playlist.<\/p>\n
In the below list, we’ve rounded up 35 songs for exactly that. Not all of them explicitly mention October in their titles or lyrics, but they’re still deserving of a spot here.<\/p>\n
So while you’re making squash soup, raking the yard or designing your Halloween costume, here are some tunes to listen to.<\/p>\n
1. “Sekret October,” Duran Duran<\/a><\/strong> “Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over \/ Wise or naked in secret Oktober.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2. “October’s Song,” Skid Row<\/a><\/strong> “Mother change in the seasons I see \/ Winter’s on the rise \/ Autumn still in my eyes \/ Reborn as daylight dies.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3. “October the Twelfth,” Roy Harper<\/strong> The lyrics to this song don’t actually mention October, much less a specific date, but for those that don’t know: Roy Harper is an English folk musician who heavily influenced Led Zeppelin<\/a>, hence their song “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 4. “August October,” Robin Gibb<\/a><\/strong> “In August October the grass grew \/ The sky was blue and I want you \/ Now as I look out my window \/ I see the world carry on.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5. “October,” U2<\/a><\/strong> “October and the trees are striped bare \/ From all they wear \/ What do I care?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 6. “Harvest Moon,” Neil Young<\/a><\/strong> Technically, this song doesn’t reference October but we felt it necessary to include as this year’s real life harvest supermoon will take place on Oct. 6, 2025.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 7. “When October Goes,” Barry Manilow<\/strong> “And when October goes \/ The snow begins to fly \/ Above the smokey roofs \/ I watch the planes go by.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 8. “October Road,” James Taylor<\/a><\/strong> “Well I’m-a going back down maybe one more time \/ Deep down home, October road \/ And I might like to see that little friend of mine \/ That I left behind once upon a time.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 9. “Summer Soft,” Stevie Wonder<\/a><\/strong> “And so you wait to see what she’ll do \/ Is it sun or rain for you \/ But it breaks your heart in two \/ When you find it’s October \/ And she’s gone.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 10. “Moondance,” Van Morrison<\/a><\/strong> “Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance \/ With the stars up above in your eyes \/ A fantabulous night to make romance \/ ‘Neath the cover of October skies.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 11. “Portland Town,” The Kingston Trio<\/strong> “I was born in Portland town \/ Yes, I was \/ Oooh, yes, I was \/ October third, I’m on my way.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 12. “All This Time,” Sting<\/a><\/strong> “Saw the sad shire horses walking home \/ In the sodium light \/ Two priests on a ferry \/ October geese on a cold winter’s night.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 13. “Peaceful Waters,” Gordon Lightfoot<\/a><\/strong> “The dead leaves of autumn \/ That cling so desperately \/ Must fly before the cold October wind \/ Their simple life is ended \/ Must they be born to die again?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 14. “Leningrad,” Billy Joel<\/a><\/strong> “And in that bright October sun \/ We knew our childhood days were done \/ And I watched my friends go off to war \/ What do they keep on fighting for?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 15. “Tears in the Holston River,” Johnny Cash<\/a>\u00a0With the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band<\/a><\/strong> “On October 23rd, 1978 \/ I lost a loved one and I confess, I cried \/ In the joyous celebration of the lady and her music \/ There were tears in the Holston River.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 16. “Rock Cradle Rock,” Chuck Berry<\/a><\/strong> “I was born under the sign of Libra \/ October, eighteen, seven o’clock \/ I must have had it bad, because in the cradle I had \/ My mother said, before noon I was trying to rock.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 17. “Do You,” Spoon<\/strong> “Someone get Popsicles \/ Someone do something ’bout this heat \/ ‘Cause it’s late in October \/ And tar’s still melting in the streets.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 18. “Heavy Horses,” Jethro Tull<\/a><\/strong> “Iron-clad feather-feet pounding the dust \/ An October’s day, towards evening \/ Sweat embossed veins standing proud to the plough \/ Salt on a deep chest seasoning.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 19. “Bitters End,” Roxy Music<\/a><\/strong> “You were the raven of October (bizarre) \/ I knew the sign you flew around (bizarre) \/ Up in the air so high above me \/ Never needed to look down.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 20. “Sinking of the Reuben James,” Pete Seeger<\/a><\/strong> “Well, a hundred men went down in that dark watery grave \/ When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved. \/ ‘Twas the last day of October we saved the forty-four \/ From the cold ocean waters and the cold icy shore.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 21. “Here on Earth,” Prince<\/a><\/strong> “Imagine a young woman \/ Running for her very life \/ Tr-tr-trying to get away from the one who loves her \/ This young woman, ha, your wife \/ Into an alley, cold and rainy \/ October, just before dawn.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 22. “Adios Hermanos,” Paul Simon<\/a><\/strong> “It was the morning of October 6th, 1960 \/ I was wearing my brown suit \/ Preparing to leave the House of D \/ Shook some hands, then adios, Brooklyn amigos.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 23. “Last Chance Train,” Bon Jovi<\/a><\/strong> “October leaves are falling, so am I \/ A harvest moon is calling me and I know why \/ The traffic’s like a symphony in blue.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 24. “Old Tennessee,” Dan Fogelberg<\/strong> “End of October \/ The sleepy brown woods seem to \/ Nod down their heads to the winter \/ Yellows and grays \/ Paint the sad skies today \/ And I wonder when you’re coming home.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 25. “Poet’s Justice,” Uriah Heep<\/a><\/strong> “Shine hard October moon \/ Eagle take me to her soon \/ Run swiftly silver stream \/ Find my love or let me dream.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 26. “Feel the Thunder,” Blue Oyster Cult<\/a><\/strong> “On October 31st many years ago \/ Three friends went out for a ride \/ For it was a famous party night \/ And to party was to get high.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 27. “Home,” Tom Petty<\/a><\/strong> “I was born in October \/ Turned the hourglass over \/ My hair was dripping \/ My shirt was stained \/ Hit the ground running \/ Shackled and chained.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 28. “Minerva,” The Smashing Pumpkins<\/a><\/strong> “October loves you \/ Strawberries love you \/ Who wouldn’t love you?”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 29. “The Fugitive,” Iron Maiden<\/a><\/strong> “On a cold October morning \/ As frost lay on the ground \/ Waiting to make my move \/ I make no sound \/ Waiting for the mist to cover all around \/ I carefully picked my time \/ Then took the wall.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 30. “He Don’t Live Here Anymore,” Robert Cray<\/a><\/strong> “A chilled wind was blowin’ \/ A cold October rain \/ And, as I stood before the house \/ It was silently saying: \/ ‘Sorry about your father’ \/ ‘He don’t live here, no more.'”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 31. “Ulalume,” Jeff Buckley<\/strong> “The skies were ashen and sober \/ The leaves they were crisped and sere \/ The leaves they were withering and sere \/ It was night in the lonesome October.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 32. “After Halloween,”\u00a0Fairport Convention<\/a><\/strong> “October has gone and left me with a song \/ That I will sing to you although the moment may be wrong \/ Could it be the sea’s as real as you and I? \/ I often wonder why I always have to say.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 33. “Copenhagen,” Lucinda Williams<\/strong> “It’s late October in Copenhagen \/ The skies are grey \/ The snow is falling \/ I see my breath outside, I’m freezing.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 34. “Back in the Good Old World (Gypsy),” Tom Waits<\/a><\/strong> “On October’s last, I’ll fly back home rolling down winding way \/ And all I’ve got’s a pocket full of flowers from my grave \/ But now summer is gone I remember it best.”<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0 1983 B-side to “Union of the Snake\u201d<\/p>\n
From: The Gang’s All Here<\/em><\/a> (2022)<\/p>\n
From: Sophisticated Beggar<\/em> (1966)<\/p>\n
From: Robin’s Reign<\/em> (1970)<\/p>\n
From: October<\/em> <\/a>(1981)<\/p>\n
From: Harvest Moon<\/em> <\/a>(1992)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a02:00 AM Paradise Cafe<\/em> (1984)<\/p>\n
From: October Road<\/em> (2002)<\/p>\n
From: Songs in the Key of Life<\/em> <\/a>(1976)<\/p>\n
From: Moondance<\/em><\/a> (1970)<\/p>\n
From: Something Special<\/em> (1962)<\/p>\n
From: The Soul Cages<\/em> <\/a>(1991)<\/p>\n
From: Lightfoot!<\/em> (1996)<\/p>\n
From: Storm Front<\/em> <\/a>(1989)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III<\/em> (2002)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0From St. Louie to Frisco<\/em> (1968)
<\/strong><\/p>\n
From: They Want My Soul<\/em> (2014)<\/p>\n
From: Heavy Horses<\/em><\/a> (1978)<\/p>\n
From: Roxy Music<\/em> (1972)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Waist Deep in the Big Muddy and Other Love Songs<\/em> (1967)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0One Nite Alone…<\/em><\/a> (2002)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Songs From The Capeman<\/em><\/a> (1997)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong<\/em> <\/a>(2004)<\/p>\n
From: Captured Angel<\/em> (1975)<\/p>\n
From: Demons and Wizards<\/em><\/a> (1972)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0The Revolution by Night<\/em> (1983)<\/p>\n
From: Expanded Edition of Highway Companion<\/em><\/a> (2007)<\/p>\n
From: Cyr<\/em> (2020)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Fear of the Dark<\/em><\/a> (1992)<\/p>\n
From: I Was Warned<\/em> (1992)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Closed on Account of Rabies<\/em> (1997)<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0Rising for the Moon<\/em> (1975)<\/p>\n
From: Blessed<\/em> (2011)<\/p>\n
From: Night on Earth<\/em> (1992)<\/p>\n