One of the things that sets the genre of horror apart from other movie genres is its strong reliance on sounds to accomplish the tone and story beats. Of course, audio is important to nearly all films, but for horror movies, not finding success in the sound effects means that the movie may not find success tonally. And of course, in horror films, this is necessary to evoke fear.
Because music is such a large part of audio, and it is such a useful tool to evoke emotions, a lot of horror films incorporate songs into their storylines. While the songs are often sung by the characters, these aren’t break-out musical numbers but, rather, ominous ballads that make viewers' skin crawl.
Sometimes these come in the form of familiar jingles that have been adjusted to have a creepier sound and pace. Sometimes, the rhymes are original to the movies they come from and were written to reflect something deeper about the story or its monster. No matter what form they come in, the intention of these jingles or poems is to get across a message or emotion in a way that adds to the darkness of the story rather than making it feel corny.
A lot of the information expressed in these rhymes could probably be accomplished just as easily in dialogue, but that would take away from that strong audio reliance in the genre. Giving the audience the information in a catchy fashion not only makes it stand out more, but also makes it more likely to stick in the viewer’s mind. In fact, sometimes these creepy little poems are so effective in their goal, and so catchy, that they even stick around in our minds well after watching the movie– sometimes haunting us, in a way, more than the film did.
The “Black Phillip” Song – The VVitch
The song that the children sing in this film foreshadows a lot of the story and brings an innocent perception to the dark tale. It's a jingle that is observant of and even complimentary to the monster of the story. It gives the audience an idea of the force that’s being messed with, though it may not seem so intimidating on the surface.
“One, two, buckle my shoe” – A Nightmare On Elm Street
This jingle is usually a cheery and upbeat song, but the cadence in which it’s sung in this horror film turns it on its head. The song suggests the impending threat of Freddy, in a taunting fashion. Further, it tells the viewer what Freddy’s process is, building suspense and fear for his attack.
“Samara’s Song” – The Ring
This song is continually used throughout the film and gives insight into the story behind the monster of the movie. Beyond what it contributes to viewers' understanding of the story, the lyrics on their own are very creepy. It certainly reminds viewers of their mortality, which alone is enough to scare some people.
Three Little Pigs – The Shining
The Shining seems to feature a lot of child-like rhymes and phrases, but among them all, the creepiest is the reciting of the “Three Little Pigs.” A familiar fable among most people in the audience, this movie puts a twist on it, using it to illustrate a power dynamic. Clearly, the predator is saying it to his victims, so it perfectly shadows what is happening in the scene it’s used in.
The Poem – The Woman in Black
This movie was kind of poetic overall, but the rhymes that it uses to explain the story and emphasize the tone gave it an additional haunting layer. Again, the audience is getting important information to thoroughly understand the threat that the characters face, but in an entertaining and memorable form.
If these rhymes on their own aren’t enough to send shivers down spines, they definitely make it clear that the music in horror is a substantial part of how the worlds and characters within the genre are received. These particular examples are familiar to many, and will likely be getting stuck in the heads of unfortunate horror movie fans for years to come.