Wade Denning And Kay Lande :: Halloween

HALLOWEEN_1977

Halloween isn’t that tough to spell. But anytime I write or type the word, I find myself subconsciously singing Wade Denning and Kay Lande’s “Halloween.” Released on Golden Records in 1969 as part of a record titled Halloween: Games, Songs and Stories, it’s one of many songs on the album aimed at kids and their natural love of this most glorious of holidays.

I was exposed to this song in the mid to late 80s via my elementary music teacher, Ms. Bracey. I vividly remember her Halloween lesson plans. (Especially her lecture on the French Romantic composer Charles Camille Saint-Saens and his piece “Danse Macabre.”) She seemed to take great care to cater to all manners of the Halloween spectrum, but this record always lodged in my brain. In addition to this somewhat ‘spooky’ and ridiculously catchy song teaching me forever how to spell Halloween, there were also game songs like the Green Acres-gone-gothic sounds of “Guess What I Am?” (Hint: the answers are Halloween related.)

When I was lucky enough to run across a complete vinyl rip of this out of print record over at the now sadly largely-defunct Scar Stuff blog, I almost fell out of my chair. So, were any of you reading you ever exposed to this particular album by your elementary school music teachers? If not, what things did they play for you? Leave your thoughts in the comments. | j neas

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7 thoughts on “Wade Denning And Kay Lande :: Halloween

  1. Grew up white, upper0middle class but desegregation had my ass bused to an elementary school in the ‘hood. East Denver. Not my music teacher, but my badass bus drivers turned me on to Kool and the Gang and Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall” on those rides back and forth. Donuts on Friday, too. Formative to say the least.

  2. Oh my god I haven’t heard this record since I was in kindergarten! We listened to it all year round. I’ve been thinking about the song “Halloween”my entire life. Actually thought of it this year, thinking I’d never hear it again. OMG thank you!!

  3. I have been looking for this for years in my household “stuff” un recently found the album “HALLOWEEN” by Kaye Lynde and Wade Denning. His birthday is Sept.24, 1969. and I don’t have the equipment to download the MP3. I would like him to have the whole record. I am going to send him your email and hope he will go there but he is a doubtful guy and I love him so much. I would like to give this if possible for his birthday. You have my email if you can help me.
    Thank you so much.
    Sully723 Pat/Mom

  4. OMG this brings me directly back to Mrs. James’ music class in elementary school (I also have the exact same thing happen when I need to spell “Halloween”all these years later). Thanks so much for posting. I have been cruising around online looking for this song and some others to make a spooky playlist for my kids. Do you know of anyplace to download the entire album now? Thanks.

  5. I grew up in northern Indiana I believe my father bought me this album and I’ve been listening to it probably since I was born 1975. My mother still has the record in the Attic although it is Warped I cherish it it may be the number one item I could take away from my childhood I keep that song Halloween forever in my heart and it was only a couple years ago where I could actually find on the internet who wrote it and sang it as my mom lives on the east coast and I am the West Coast thank you for this delightful article

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