Once summer is over, it’s all about spooky vibes. Nothing’s better than getting into the season by reading a horror-themed book or listening to scary music. And it’s not all cumbia anthems, either. There are plenty of genres that embrace their horror side – even corridos.
It’s no surprise música mexicana has leveled up in popularity this year. Thanks to Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola,” the genre has been pushed to the mainstream consciousness. The track not only made history in late-night shows but it was also crowned as Spotify’s most-streamed song of the summer globally. However, they’re not the only ones leading the movement. Another act also leaving his mark is Carin León, who just earned a spot in the lineup of the massive country festival Stagecoach. And let us not forget that he’s also advocating for música mexicana to be recognized for its various genres and not under only one generic umbrella term.
With all of this in mind, the genre has gotten so popular that on the eve of October, we’re craving corridos with a spooky twist. Like any other genre, there are corridos that talk about thriller tales or paint a picture of a deadly scene. And we’re not talking about gruesome narcocorridos about drug lords. We’re talking about horror-themed songs that will have you hooked from beginning to end. For example, did you know that the story of Freddy vs. Jason has its own corrido? While we know how that film goes, hearing the plot told in a corrido-style tune is exciting.
To ring in this year’s spooky season, here are six corridos that embrace a darker side of life. Whether the corrido is about a traditional horror tale or more realistic scenarios like facing death, here are tracks to listen to when you want to get chills down your spine.
Lalothing – “El Corrido de Freddy VS Jason”
The corrido starts by explaining both antagonists’ stories. The artist sings about how Freddy decides to bring Jason back to life because he’s not feared anymore, which is the plot of the popular crossover film Freddy vs. Jason (2003). The narrator sings in Freddy’s POV, saying how he isn’t feared anymore and he’s looking for an alliance with someone who is also a “demon” like him to remind people to stay on their toes — cue in, Jason. When Freddy wakes Jason up, Freddy impersonates Jason’s mother, convincing him to kill for his benefit. Through Freddy’s malicious acts, Jason starts killing again, and we all know how that turns out. Overall, it’s interesting to hear the two singers bring the inhumane characters to life through a different medium.
Fuerza Regida & Marca Registrada - “Modo Maldito”
Fuerza Regida and Marca Registrada teamed up on a joint corrido about death. With lyrics like, “A todos se lleva, mejor no se duerma, pónganse más vivos / Llega la calaca, fuerte los atrasa, escuchen lo que digo,” they warn others to stay alert when death approaches them. The artists go on to give people tips on how to stay alive, based on their experience. The spooky plot twist? At the end of the song, they reveal that they’re killers themselves: “Si quieren conocerme, pregunte a su gente, les maté a su equipo / Se la pegan de bravos, pero, en el infierno, están todos juntitos.”
El Gavilan De Durango - “El Corrido de la Llorona”
We all know this one. At one point or another in our childhoods, we were all a little afraid of la Llorona, or as some may know her, “the weeping woman.” With a sharp accordion and hard-hitting vocals, El Gavilan De Durango tells the horror tale of la Llorona in a norteño corrido fashion. The singer narrates how every time she cried, a new deceased victim would appear. He sings about how the woman would go after children who are growing, feeding off their brains and killing them with just one scream. He also describes the crosses around the town that people would notice — all from the deaths caused by the weeping woman. Chills.
Nekroza 666 - “Poema no 20”
Did you know that gothic corridos tumbados are a thing? Nekroza 666 covered the Mexican band Anabantha’s “Poema 20,” which tells the story of Pablo Neruda’s same-titled poem. In this cover, she implements traditional corrido tumbado strings with her high-pitched voice, creating a haunting vibe. Her expressive vocals create a spooky ambiance while she wails about an ex-lover. She narrates the story of an unrequited love. The way she sings, “Yo lo quise, yo lo quise y a veces él me quiso, me quiso [I loved him, I loved him and sometimes he loved me, he loved me],” creates a distinctive sting some of us can relate to. What can we say? Unrequited love could be one of the most horrorifying tales of them all.
Danny Felix - “Zombie”
There’s a reason why zombies are so popular and trendy during the Halloween season, right? In Danny Felix’s “Zombie,” the Mexican songwriter describes how he knew he was different since he was a kid. Though it’s a corrido about someone influenced by living fast-life vices like drugs and violence, he compares himself to a zombie since he’s never asleep and always up to something. The visuals show the vocalist with heavily black circles, immersing himself in wrongdoing. Throughout the video, he’s shown with piercing eyes that give you the creeps. At the end of the video, he stares at the camera wide-eyed and alert, portraying his version of a zombie.
Gerardo Ortiz - “Cara A La Muerte”
Have you ever thought about death? In Gerardo Ortiz’s “Cara A La Muerte,” he sings about being face-to-face with death and what goes on in his head before dying. With lyrics like: “Todo era blanco / Agonizaba en mi llanto / Solo minutos se aproximaban / Y venía el eterno descanso [Everything was white / I was in agony in my weeping / Only minutes were approximated /And the eternal rest was coming],” the Mexican-American artist puts himself in the mindset of someone who has been fatally shot over a deal gone bad. The result? An eerie song that gets you wondering about your last-minute thoughts before the Grim Reaper comes.