By Brian Washburn

It’s that time of year again. Time for kids to jump with joy as they stuff themselves, time for movies of a particular theme to park themselves on almost every channel possible and time for young and old adults alike to put on their face and mingle with friends until the drinks are all gone.

No, it’s not Christmas. (Unfortunately, that so-over-the-top-it’s-annoying holiday is on its way into town, as well.) But it’s Halloween time.

But while Halloween is usually noted for its horror movies, candy and good, bad and just plain costumes alike, it also has a unique history with music (and no, I will not mention Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” in this column …except for that reference).

Halloween music ranges from the creepy, satanic-esque death metal our mothers always warned us about back in the day to the always fun (if you hear it once every three years) Ghostbuster’s theme song. But Halloween needs a soundtrack, and it just so happens the Halloween soundtrack comes from a movie – probably the greatest non-horror Halloween movie of all time: The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

While the movie is creepy, bizarre and an iconic cult classic, it’s the music that really makes any Halloween experience a fun one. The musical numbers begin with “Science Fiction/Double Feature” then on to “Dammit Janet” before moving on to “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” where the movie’s protagonists finally reach the castle where the entire movie will take place (don’t worry, I won’t give away any specific details or spoilers for those who have not seen the movie).

This is where the musical numbers kick it up a notch, and it begins with the most popular song of the entire movie – “The Time Warp.” No matter if you’ve seen the movie or not, you have probably heard of “The Time Warp.” It’s a fun little dance number enjoyed by all those who know the dance moves, which is not hard because they are cemented into the song’s lyrics.

“The Time Warp” should be up there with the “Monster Mash,” “Ghostbusters,” and that other unmentionable song on the perfect Halloween soundtrack through the years. Hell, the premise is people at a costume ball dancing in a creepy castle while awaiting a doctor in drag and his monster creation (who may or may not be Hulk Hogan with hair and no mustache).

Though “The Time Warp” is one of the high points for Rocky Horror’s musical numbers, “Sweet Transvestite” has Time Curry in drag like he is the star of his own burlesque show in Vegas. While it’s the most bizarre song on the entire soundtrack, it’s really genius when you think of the creativity writer/lyricist/star Richard O’Brien put into the music. The way the music numbers tell backstories and move the plot forward is a classic musical trick, but O’Brien wrote it so you would think you’re listening to a pop music song and not reliving past events and foreshadowing these character’s lives.

Other songs throughout the movie can be deemed hit or miss, but they do work well with the tone and mood of the movie, as well as the movie’s theatrical timing in the mid-’70s. And just when you think the drag, the creation and party guests are going to live it up throughout the night (without a clue as to what their next plans might be), Meat Loaf shows up. Yes, that Meat Loaf (but in a good way, like the Bat Out Of Hell one and not the thousands of sequels he tried to release afterward).

Meat Loaf’s rendition of “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” is another musical high point in this group of songs, with a jazzy rock ‘n’ roll melody along with a pretty bitchin’ saxophone solo (of course, the solo does come right before he is brutally mur… Oh, sorry, nevermind).

The rest of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is laden with up-tempo numbers featuring pop sensibilities during Britain in the ‘70s (“Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch me’), as well as tunes you would most likely find on a Vegas stage (“I Can Make You A Man”) and a few confounding melodies (“Eddie”).

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” might not be the perfect Halloween movie because of its lack of excessive gore and frightening moments. But for music lovers on this joyous of holidays, it offers a good time to relax and listen to party-goers in costumes wanting to get down and have a good time in a gigantic, creepy castle.