The genre of horror and music have always been an inseparable duo. Since the birth of sound in movies, music has always played a very important role in the development of the most intense and tense scenes, signaling to us with a few sustained notes that something terrible is coming.
In the American Horror Story series, the music is provided by Charlie Clouser (former member of Nine Inch Nails ). Since his inception, he has composed a different theme song for each season that incorporates experimental sounds from musician César Davila-Irizarry . Along with incidental music, the soundtrack includes horror elements as well as new versions of themes from the pop and rock genres in musical segments that break with the classic narrative of the genre.
Following the introduction of musical numbers in the second season with American Horror Story: Asylum , the show has made very clever use of its soundtrack, be it with covers of songs like Life On Mars? by David Bowie , crafting clever montages that use themes like The Eagles ‘ Hotel California in remarkable sequences that are essential plot points in the episodes, or inviting legendary figures like Stevie Nicks to become part of the story.
Here is a selection of six of the best musical moments from the American Horror Story series :
6. The unforgettable Dominique from American Horror Story: Asylum
In sixth place, one of the favorite songs of all American Horror Story fans : the unforgettable Dominique , originally performed by the Belgian sister Jeannine Deckers in 1963. In the second season of the show we can hear it in almost every episode after the Strict Sister Jude plays it in the Briarcliff Insane Asylum in the entertainment room as the inmates bang their heads against the walls, scream and masturbate uncontrollably. For Sister Jude, the song is a way to calm the inmates, when in reality what she does is torture them.
5. Jimmy Darling singing Come As You Are in American Horror Story: Freakshow
In one of the scenes from the season of Freakshow, Evan Peters plays the man with lobster hands Jimmy Darling. In a moment of rebellion and acceptance, he picks up the guitar and begins to sing the classic Nirvana theme, inviting all the freaks and weirdos that lived under the tent to accept themselves and live their lives like him. Although the season was set in the 50s, many more contemporary songs were used that were relevant, since they were performed by artists who were always outside the norms, and who better to represent a freak show than Kurt Cobain ?
4. The interpretation of The Name Game in American Horror Story: Asylum
The first season of American Horror Story was pretty average in terms of horror narratives, ending with a demonic baby and all. With the arrival of American Horror Story: Asylum , producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk ventured to introduce some musical segments that broke with the classic narrative of the show. The first musical number was in charge of Jessica Lange. After her character is removed from her position of power, Sister Jude hallucinates that she is in the mental hospital’s daily room, from where she performs The Name Game . by Sherry Ellis with the help of staff and patients with the euphoria that only comes from being on the brink of madness.
3. Tear You Apart of She Wants Revenge in American Horror Story: Hotel
In one of the most impressive sequences of the show so far, Donovan ( Matt Bomer ) and The Countess ( Lady Gaga ) prepare to go out into the street with a ritual full of details that almost reach fetishism while we listen to the song Tear You Apart. of the band She Wants Revenge in the background. Dressed as if they were going to the red carpet, the characters embark on an adventure of seduction and drugs that ends in a riotous orgy full of pleasure, blood, and of course, some corpses.
2. Jessica Lange singing Life On Mars? in American Horror Story: Freakshow
Elsa Mars ( Jessica Lange ) is the owner of a traveling circus full of human “freaks” in the fourth season of the series, titled Freakshow . What nobody knows is that Mars herself is the queen of all her freaks after losing both her legs in a tragic accident, and her basic wooden prosthetics are hidden under the outfits she wears every night when she presents the circus of her. In the season four premiere, Lange showcases her vocal abilities with several songs, but none are as beautiful and moving as her fragile rendition of Life on Mars? by David Bowie, which seems to sing to itself.
1. Stevie Nicks in American Horror Story: Coven
One of the best narratives of all seasons of the series was the inclusion of the legendary Stevie Nicks in American Horror Story: Coven , who is always named after the witch Misty Day ( Lily Rabe ), as she is obsessed with her and thinks that has always belonged to some coven. Nicks appears in the tenth episode The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks as a guest of The Reigning Supreme ( Jessica Lange ), and she teaches Misty Day how to move her scarf the right way while she plays the Rhiannon theme on the piano. The season finale opens with Nicks singing her hit De Ella Seven Wonders., which is also the name of the series of tests witches must pass to become the next Supreme. Although after that opening sequence, we felt that Stevie should have been the winner.
