It’s always great to get a new Halloween song by a massive mainstream band. Last year we had “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” by Muse, and this year pop megastars Duran Duran grace us not just with a song, but a whole album of Halloween songs!
I wish more bands would do this – everyone has a Christmas album, why not explore some other holidays? Anxiously awaiting the Imagine Dragons tribute to National Hot Dog Day.
The song is great too, has a really weird vibe to it right away. The “Africa” drums give way to a synth-horn blast then a synth-bass line. Simon Le Bon’s first word is “Halloween”, so we know exactly what this is about. Then there’s some British-isms about foghorns, cat’s pajamas, and an AC Cobra. The video is quite terrifying, a mix of Nightmare Before Christmas and my dreams after taking a Vicodin.

Then Simon says “If you don’t mind” about 300 times. He really wants to make sure we don’t mind.
If you don’t mind, if you don’t mind
If you don’t mind, if you don’t mind
If you don’t mind, if you don’t mind
If you don’t mind diggin down the gold mine
“Danse macabre” is French for “Dance of Death”! This was an event at funeral services where people would enact the dead dancing with the Pope, kids, leaders of town, whatever. Sounds like a party!

You’ve heard the “Danse Macabre” song before, and I’m kind of surprised Duran Duran didn’t work the motif into this song at all. Oh well!
Duran Duran’s album Danse Macabre comes out October 27, 2023… a little too close to Halloween for my liking; I’d rather have all of October to enjoy it. But, it’s definitely gonna be one to pull out annually.