Top 10 Creepy & Dark Songs from Animated Kids' Shows
These animated shows are marketed to kids, but these songs give all ages the creeps. For this list, we’ll be looking at small-screen tunes with a sinister edge, giving younger viewers an animated dose of darkness.
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00:00 [Singing]
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10
00:11 creepy dark songs from animated kid shows.
00:14 [Singing]
00:21 For this list, we'll be looking at small screen tunes with a sinister edge,
00:25 giving younger viewers an animated dose of darkness.
00:28 What song gives you the creeps? Let us know in the comments.
00:32 Number 10. Stalker Song. The Amazing World of Gumball.
00:38 The upbeat melody suggests otherwise, but the lyrics scream fatal attraction.
00:43 [Singing]
00:48 This song peels back Sarah's sick obsession with Gumball and Darwin,
00:52 partaking in extracurricular activities like sneaking into their room,
00:56 wearing their clothes, and chronicling their daily lives.
01:00 The sequence cleverly contains several callbacks to past episodes,
01:04 suggesting that Sarah was hiding from a distance the whole time.
01:08 [Singing]
01:11 Of course, even longtime viewers might be too disturbed to catch this.
01:15 Although it's played for laughs, Sarah's M.O. isn't much different
01:19 than a real-life stalker's conduct. It ends on an especially depraved note,
01:24 with Sarah vowing one of the two will eventually be her husband,
01:28 drawing a heart with her own ice cream.
01:30 [Singing]
01:37 For a sentient ice cream cone, that's like a blood oath.
01:40 Number 9. Ghosts Ain't Real. The Cuphead Show.
01:45 Even though our cup-headed hero has already crossed paths with the devil,
01:49 he has a hard time believing that ghosts are real.
01:52 "If we're gonna make it home before dark,
01:53 we better take a shortcut through the old creepy cemetery."
01:56 [Screaming]
01:59 "Nothing scary about that."
02:01 Wandering through a graveyard, Cuphead and Mugman are reminded that
02:05 anything can be real in their surreal world, ghosts included.
02:10 A ghoulish trio makes the brothers believe with an eerie song
02:13 set to a paranormal parade.
02:15 "Don't believe what you heard, 'cause here is the deal."
02:20 "There is no need to panic, 'cause..."
02:22 "GHOSTS AIN'T REAL!"
02:25 Being Cuphead, the song naturally draws inspiration from several classic works,
02:30 most notably Disney's Lonesome Ghosts, The Skeleton Dance,
02:34 and Snow White's spooky Forest Misadventure.
02:38 It's also reminiscent of Fleischer shorts like 1930's Swing You Sinners.
02:43 Yet the song still remains a distinct Cuphead signature with off-the-wall comedy.
02:48 "I'd like to live in any place that comedy once unites."
02:52 If you're not running for the hills,
02:54 the song will have you merrily marching along to the happy haunt.
02:57 Number 8. Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Adventure Time
03:02 In the early 1910s, Leo Friedman and Beth Slater Whitson
03:07 wrote a cheerful tune called "Let Me Call You Sweetheart."
03:10 "I am dreaming dear of you, day by day."
03:20 Since being popularized by the Peerless Quartet,
03:22 the song has been covered by numerous artists,
03:25 including Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, and Princess Bubblegum.
03:29 "Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you."
03:39 In one of Adventure Time's strangest yet most oddly fitting song choices,
03:44 a possessed Princess Bubblegum is driven to turn all of Ooo's residence into candy.
03:49 She does so while putting a demented spin on what seemed like a sincere love ballad.
03:54 Bubblegum's newfound "sweethearts" are turned into candy zombies,
03:58 joining in her cavity of a chorus.
04:01 "Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you."
04:08 Much like a stranger who offers candy,
04:10 the bright colors and sweet taste might draw you in,
04:13 but there's something foreboding behind the rapper.
04:16 7. What's the Use of Feeling Blue?
04:27 Steven Universe
04:28 After almost 40 years after Patti LuPone first sang "Don't Cry For Me Argentina,"
04:34 she'd ask Blue Diamond to stop crying over Pink.
04:38 Where Blue can't turn off the waterworks,
04:40 Yellow is constantly composed, unable to see the point of holding onto grief.
04:45 "Why would you wanna be here? What do you ever see here?"
04:52 With two pearls providing a hypnotic chorus,
04:55 Yellow delivers a cold and calculating song questioning the very nature of sadness.
05:00 "What's the use of feeling blue? An army has a use, they can go and fight a war."
05:08 Behind the lyrics is denial though, as Yellow hasn't moved on from Pink either.
05:13 The song is wrought with emotional torment,
05:16 worming its way into your soul with a haunting sentiment.
05:19 "Yes of course we still love her, and we're always thinking of her.
05:25 Don't you know I miss her too?"
05:29 All the while, LuPone strikes an unnerving balance as Yellow attempts to keep her
05:34 feelings bottled up, yet can't help but let a little blueness shine through.
05:38 Number 6. You Got Tricked - The Loud House
05:42 Whether or not you're on the receiving end of the trick,
05:45 this song is sure to put you in the Halloween spirit.
05:48 "It's really dark in here. Bam up bro! I want that candy."
05:52 Getting revenge on Hank and Hawk,
05:54 the Louds lure the candy-stealing hooligans into their haunted maze.
05:58 "When darkness falls on the house of Loud, around every turn new terror abounds."
06:05 While the decorations and costumes are spooky,
06:08 it's Luna's musical contributions that make this trick such a treat.
06:12 Luna appropriately sets the mood on a pipe organ,
06:15 as the rest of the Louds get in on the frights and delights.
06:19 "Every corner, every door, watch out they ain't herbivores,
06:22 ghastly ghouls, all for blood, sorry boy, you got tricked!"
06:25 Composed by Loud House regulars Doug Rockwell and Michelle Lewis,
06:29 the song is elevated by a sick rock and roll beat that keeps your heart racing throughout.
06:34 "Billing guards on the floor, clean up on aisle four,
06:37 why you running off so soon, sorry dude, you got tricked!"
06:40 It all builds to a Carrie homage.
06:43 Granted, it's not real blood, but that's the idea. They got tricked.
06:47 Number 5. You Will Remember - Danny Phantom
06:51 Ember McClain is a fan favorite of this Nick tune,
06:55 and that can be partially attributed to this unforgettable banger.
06:58 "Tell me who you are!"
07:00 "Ember McClain! Ember McClain!"
07:03 "You Will Remember" is designed to get stuck in the listener's head,
07:07 with Ember plotting to hypnotize unsuspecting souls.
07:10 Everything about the song, from the ominous lyrics to the moody melody,
07:14 shines a direct spotlight on Ember's nefarious nature.
07:18 "Oh Ember, no more man-tender, you will remember me!"
07:30 And yet, her clear motivations are in the back of our minds because the tune is just that intoxicating.
07:36 Composed by Guy Moon with lyrics from creator Butch Hartman,
07:40 the song burns its way into our subconscious,
07:42 making us surrender to singer Robin Kirmse's fiery vocals.
07:47 It's an arresting power ballad that leaves us powerless to its charms,
07:51 which is both unsettling and irresistible.
07:54 "Oh Ember, you will remember, Ember, one day remain!"
08:04 Number 4. Come Wayward Souls - Over the Garden Wall
08:08 This chilling tune is like the Bizarro version of "Oh Holy Night."
08:13 "There is a height for the lost and the need."
08:21 Both share almost identical melodies, but where one is about a birth,
08:26 the other is about someone's soul being stripped away.
08:29 Come Wayward Souls serves as a ghastly theme for the mystery beast,
08:33 who lurks through the woods on the prowl for wandering souls.
08:37 "When you submit to the soil of the earth."
08:46 Samuel Raimi brings his operatic base to the menacing song,
08:50 which makes the listener feel as if they're sinking into a river of despair.
08:54 As baleful as the beast's voice is, we're perhaps even more distraught by
08:59 the children's choir that chimes in as the song continues.
09:02 "He will burn nicely in the lantern."
09:05 "No, I won't do this."
09:07 "You've been grinding up lost souls for years."
09:10 Although nothing is spelled out, we wouldn't be surprised if the choir
09:14 is composed of souls that the beast has already collected.
09:17 "She would not wish this. Let's get you free."
09:21 Number 3. Nothing Left to Lose - Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
09:26 Cassandra and Varian started on the side of good before traversing down a devious path.
09:31 The difference is that even during his darkest hour, Varian understood that he had descended into villainy.
09:38 "The path of hate is a dangerous track. You take one step and it's hard to turn back."
09:44 In Cassandra's eyes, she's the hero of this story, and everyone has wronged her.
09:50 Having lost her friends, family, and ability to see clearly,
09:54 Cassandra sees no going back as she executes her master plan.
09:58 "The path I'm on is a path paved in black. I'm taking that road and I'm not looking back."
10:04 This daunting duet, written by the great Alan Menken and Glenn Slater,
10:09 showcases two sides at odds, one driven by reason and the other by revenge.
10:15 "You have so much to hold on to."
10:18 "I only want my rightful due."
10:24 The reformed Varian attempts to help Cassandra see the light,
10:27 but it's no use. Cassandra is ready to take what she believes is rightfully hers,
10:33 ironically losing everything else in the process.
10:35 "I choose no tears and lose no sleep. What I want I'll take and keep."
10:43 Number 2. This Day, Aria.
10:45 My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic.
10:48 For anyone who thinks that voice acting isn't real acting,
10:52 we implore you to listen to This Day, Aria.
10:55 "This day is going to be perfect. The kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small."
11:02 Here's the setup. Changeling Queen Chrysalis has stolen Princess Cadence's identity,
11:08 plotting to walk down the aisle with her beloved.
11:10 Brit McKillip voices both characters for this show-stopping duet.
11:15 While she doesn't change her voice, her delivery paints a portrait of two polar opposites.
11:20 "But I still want him to be mine."
11:27 "We must escape before it's too late. Find a way to save the day."
11:31 One is a kindly soul hanging on to hope as she races against the clock.
11:35 The other is overflowing with cackling evil,
11:38 savoring every moment leading up to the I Do's.
11:41 Cadence provides but a small glimmer of light in an otherwise hair-raising number
11:46 that leaves us invested with every step.
11:49 "Finally the moment has arrived for me to be one lucky bride."
11:56 Shifting between sincere and sinister, McKillip demonstrates impeccable range in one song.
12:02 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
12:06 One Good Scare, Phineas and Ferb, All That's Missing is Frankenstein's Brain,
12:12 "Come let's tiptoe into the dark. One good scare out of Juliet."
12:18 "You'll find our fight much worse than our bar."
12:22 Grinch is Gonna Get You, Halloween is Grinch Night,
12:25 and you thought he was a mean one at Christmas.
12:28 "Dum-dum-riya, dum-dum-riya. Grinch is it, grinch is it. Grinch is gonna get ya, Grinch is gonna get ya."
12:37 Crossing the Line, Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure,
12:40 Cas takes a wicked turn.
12:43 "I'm crossing the line, and I'm done holding back. So look out clear the track, it's my turn."
12:52 I'm the Bad Guy, Wander Over Yonder, Lord Dominator shows her true colors.
12:58 "I'm not the damsel in distress. I'm not your girlfriend or the frightened princess."
13:07 The Pixie Rap, The Fairly OddParents, Who Knew Method Man and Red Man Could Be So Cunning?
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13:37 Number 1. Kill the Wabbit. What's opera, doc? Premiering theatrically before making it to the
13:43 small screen, Chuck Jones' magnum opus sneaks up on the audience with its dark nature. When we first
13:50 hear Elmer Fudd sing the lyrics "Kill the Wabbit", it's hard not to giggle.
13:54 "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit."
13:59 By the short's climax, though, the song takes on a genuinely operatic tone with Fudd
14:04 summoning the forces of nature to finally do in his longtime rival.
14:08 "A wise storm, north winds blow, south winds blow, typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes."
14:17 Bugs Bunny can survive virtually anything,
14:20 but even he can't challenge the notion that operas must end in tragedy.
14:25 "I've killed the Wabbit, poor little Bunny."
14:31 Fudd immediately regrets his actions, carrying the fallen Wabbit into a heavenly light.
14:36 Philip DeGarde's striking backgrounds, Maurice Noble's imposing layouts, and the timeless music
14:43 culminate in a finale that's light on the looniness, but heavy with tension and drama.
14:48 "Well, what did you expect in an opera? A happy ending?"
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15:01 [Music]