Creep

We forgo our 70s spotlight today to continue with our post-Halloween theme this week. What better rock song to highlight Halloween than Creep by Radiohead. The band's most popular song ever had a rather rocky and uncertain beginning. Recorded and released in 1992 the song wasn't at all popular until it was released as part of Radiohead's first album, Pablo Honey. Indeed, as a single, the song sold only 6,000 copies in their native Britain and peaked at #72 on the British charts.

But with the release of the album and it's popularity on MTV the song became so popular in the United States it was re-released in Britain.

One thing I didn't realize is that the song borrows heavily from the Hollies tune The Air That I Breathe, so much so the Hollies shared songwriting credits in the liner notes of Pablo Honey.

The lyrics of the song describe a drunken fella following a woman around trying to get her attention. But his insecurities get the better of him and he gives up trying. And so, in his estimation, he's a creep!

Zombie

It must subconsciously have something to do with Halloween's coming and going last weekend but dufusdownbeat leaves the 60s and 70s behind this week to spotlight a song that actually has absolutely nothing to do with ghosts and goblins, Zombie by The Cranberries.

Every once in a while this song rumbles around in my head and I find myself muttering under my breath "ZAH-OM-BEE, ZAH-OM-BEE". It's just so damn catchy.

It was written by Dolores O'Riordan, the group's pixie-like lead singer - best known for her changing hair colours and styles throughout the years - and was a hit track from the 1994 album No Need To Argue. It's about the unrest in Ireland and it's written in memory of two boys killed in an IRA bombing in Warrington.

The Cranberries decided to take a rest in 2003 and O'Riordan launched a solo career. She's issued two solo albums. She joined the Cranberries in 1990 when they were known as The Cranberry Saw Us by answering an ad in the paper for a female lead singer. She showed up with a rough version of "Linger" and the rest is musical history.