Updated October 30, 2019 7.0K votes 1.8K voters 84.1K views
Voting Rules
Vote up the songs that felt innocent until proven creepy by cinema.
While certain songs serve to enhance a movie scene, there also exist innocent songs ruined by creepy movies. Though plenty of songs about murder exist for movies to take advantage of, thrillers and horror films alike love to use cutesy, benign songs in juxtaposition with a movie's own macabre scenarios. Scary movies that ruined your favorite songs forever know exactly what they're doing when they play show tunes during a home invasion or new wave anthems during an axe murder. On one hand, yes, the songs provide a feeling of uneasiness which enhances a scene's dramatic tension, the sign of a good film. However, films often do so at the expense of songs you would rather turn to for positivity.
Movies that made popular songs creepy like the ones below managed to turn these guiltless tracks into accomplices just as responsible for scaring you as the film itself. Sure, some of these songs mean something different than you expect, but the large majority of them never asked to soundtrack scenes of murder or torture.
Insidious uses Tiny Tim's high pitched voice and ukulele skills to evoke an even greater sense of unease by using "Tiptoe Through The Tulips." Although the artist was already considered a weird guy, the song exudes a feeling of benevolence and peace, in sharp contrast to the demon that plays the ong. Even though the song appears several times, it never ceases to terrify, a constant reminder of the demon's presence.
905 votes
2
565 VOTES
John Cusack Is Scared To Death Of 'We've Only Just Begun' In '1408'
John Cusack's stay in a haunted hotel room in 1408 gets extra creepy as soon as the clock radio begins to mysteriously play the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun." The song intensifies the experience when it arrives in the voice of a woman who died of an eating disorder; the now-dated sound possesses an eerie sentimental quality that's quite freaky.
In addition, Cusack's skeptical stay begins literally at this moment, taunting the audience as to whether or not he will survive the room's torments.
After Michael Myers supposedly dies in a fiery blaze, Laurie Strode gets carried away from the scene in an ambulance as "Mr. Sandman" by the Chordettes begins to play. The song adds to the film's creep factor by following horrific with a cutesy, innocent song, completely changing the mood in an unnerving way.
If you really think about it, it also compares sleep to death and movies to dreams, further adding to the scene's disturbing dichotomy.
553 votes
4
728 VOTES
"Singing In The Rain' Is Associated With Assault In "A Clockwork Orange"
In A Clockwork Orange, the group of protagonists claims to witness an accident to gain access to a private home; they then proceeds to beat up and assault the homeowners. The gratuitous violence of the scene becomes even more horrific as Malcolm McDowell begins singing a cheery version of "Singing in the Rain," a song associated with a feel-good, family-friendly musical.
That the song basically describes making the most of what life gives you fails to make the scene appear any less gruesome.
Most audience members never hear Stealers Wheel's "Stuck In The Middle With You" the same way again after watching Reservoir Dogs. As the song plays on a radio, it inspires Michael Madsen to torture a police officer, cutting off his ear and turning what was originally a catchy, upbeat tune into a soundtrack to gore.
702 votes
6
559 VOTES
Jared Leto Gets Ax Murdered To 'Hip To Be Square' In 'American Psycho'
American Psycho follows perfectionist Patrick Bateman, whose neuroses push him to commit murder. The full extent of Bateman's madness comes as he explains in great detail the brilliance of Huey Lewis and the News' "Hip To Be Square" to his associate Paul Allen. Delving deep into the song's meaning, Bateman remarks on its themes of conformity and friendship, which eerily parallel Bateman's struggles with both.
As he gets to his final point, Bateman then proceeds to attack Allen with an axe while the song continues to play in the background. In addition to its morbidity, the song also gives the audience a chance to see Christian Bale dancing in a raincoat and who doesn't want that?
