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Kathleen P., California

I personally have experienced the power of a casual question, like “Did you write any music this week?” Last week one of my students casually asked me, “Are we going to have any songs for Halloween?” When I started looking for songs, I didn’t come up with much, so I got busy this past weekend composing, changing lyrics and having lots of fun. I have come up with 4 songs, three using Simply Music Level 1 songs and another song from Level 3. Hope you have as much fun with them as I did and plan on having with my students this month.

Halloween Songs 

Lyrics by SM Mom and Student Loren Phin

Variations by Kathleen Petryshyn 

Fly, Fly Witchey 

Sung to She’ll Be Comin’ Round The Mountain

C C C C

Fly, Fly Witchey Witchey Fly.

C C G G

Fly, Fly Witchey Witchey Fly.

C C F F

Fly your broom up high, way up in the sky.

C G F C

Fly, Fly Witchey Witchey Fly

Mark M., New York

Here’s someone who was profiled a year ago in Keyboard Magazine for her specializing in Halloween Carols:

http://halloweencarols.com/

Melinda P., Michigan

I wrote these lyrics for one of my students who needed a little Halloween to spice up his lesson – to the tune of Dog? in d minor 

Witches in the air

flying here and there

swooping over porches

gives a scare

trick or treat at night

can be such a fright

getting all the candy

is a pure delight!

Halloween is great

trick or treat till eight

love to see the costumes

we create

candies in our bag

on a sugar jag

mom says time to go home

oh that’s such a drag

Now we have arrived

started out at five

tired feet and bodies

but we all survived (tailpiece two)

Stephen R., California

I think Chester Chills Out has a great Halloween sound! Does anybody have some spooky lyrics to go along w it? Also, if anybody has any ideas for some spooky sounding improv I would appreciate it! 

Cheryl W., Pennsylvania

There are my Chester Halloween lyrics:

Scary witches fly on Halloween, tonight

Ghosts and goblins try to make you scream, a fright

Pumpkin faces shine by candlelight, so bright

Halloween is coming here tonight, all right.

Jy G., California

Stormy Night sung to “Chester Chills Out”

Lyrics by Dennis McCue 

Walking in the forest on a stormy night.

Could not see the moon or stars. 

Oh, what a fright! 

Everywhere I looked I saw 

a scary sight!

Then I woke up in my bed and sighed, “All’s Right.”

Dodie B., Washington

A few years ago, one of my students wrote lyrics to Chester Chills out.

CHESTER’S HALLOWEEN

Late one night I heard a crashing sound

Ran outside and this is what I found

Ghosts and Goblins flying all around

Found my keester planted on the ground

Oh no!

Giant pumpkins flying in the air

Witches on their brooms gave me a scare

Spiders crawling up and down my stairs

Thirteen bats got tangled in my hair

Oh no!

Tried to be as quiet as a mouse

Frankenstein was headed for my house

Twenty black cats chasing me with “Meows”

Tried to run but something grabbed my blouse

Oh no!

Things were really getting out of hand

Dancing Gremlins playing in a band

Then the witches all began to land

Heard my Mother’s voice shriek a demand

“Wake up!”

Marina G., New Jersey

There is a great Halloween piece; I don’t remember the source, “The Ghost Next Door.” R.H. is playing a “spooky” melody in C-minor position, while L.H. holds C-D-E-flat-F-G two octaves below depressed throughout the whole piece. These 5 tones resonate when the same notes are played by RH two octaves above, and “ghostly” sound is obvious. The first thought is that damper pedal is pressed, and listeners are puzzled that it is not. It seems that sound is really coming from nowhere. This effect can be used with any “made-up” song in any 5 finger position.

Claire C., Pennsylvania

I’ve been teaching “Scary Mary” this week. It uses the Night Storm position of FSS on A. I’ve attached it to this email. I hope it is clear to understand. I don’t use this paper to teach it though, in fact just did this so I wouldn’t forget it for next year. I’ve been teaching it by rote with the positions. I use the words “Mary had a ghosty lamb”. My students have enjoyed this. It should be played very slow with pedal. 

Scary Mary 

Night Storm position – FSS A to E 

LH Same as Night Storm but an octave lower 

RH 5434555 444 555 5434555 54321 1 2#(G#)(short) 1 

LH EFEFEFEF EFEF EFEF EFEFEFEF EFEFE F E 

LH pinky always plays A 

RH the _ means to hold last note of sentence comes with the (LH) E and the (LH) F plays alone 

The Tail piece is equivalent to a dotted quarter note with the G# as an eighth note played alone

Leisa B., Georgia

My students renamed it Chester Thrills Out & Halloween Night. 

They play Chester on the lowest C position on the piano. NS sounds spooky way down there too- played slowly like Monsters stomping on the keys. 

I encourage/assign them to write lyrics for each. One a week. Night storm is super easy. We brainstorm their favorite words and suggest one or two changes, ” one night I was walking down my street- felt my toes start melting/ tingling off / on my feet”

My kids came back this week with some very witty words. I encouraged them to rework or change/edit any words they wanted. It was a part of Composition. 

Kathleen P., California

Halloween Songs 

Lyrics and Variations by Kathleen Petryshyn 

I Like Halloween 

Sung to Minor Dreams (play Eb instead of E)

I like Halloween

Cause I get to scream.

Witches, monsters, ghosts,

They scare me the most.

Halloween’s begun.

Now I have to run.

Trick or Treat is so much fun.

Trick or Treat Tonight

Sung to Night Storm

(Variation of original lyrics submitted by Sheri Reingold)

Halloween is here upon us.

Step into the night.

Vampires rising from their coffins,

Looking for a bite.

Ghosts and goblins,

Witches, monsters

Eager for a fright.

Halloween is here upon us.

Trick or Treat Tonight!

Halloween Surprise

Sung to Chester Chills Out

One night I was walking down the street,

Spooky ghosts and goblins I did meet.

Scared me right down to my stocking feet.

OH….. (Spoken with surprise then relief, no music)

Halloween! It’s time for Trick or Treat!