Does Minor = Spooky?

10/28/26

What’s the spookiest song you remember from your childhood? Mine is “Go Tell Aunt Rhody.” (Do you remember this very sad song about a dead goose?) I can hear my mom singing it, and remember how sad and strange it felt, and how much I liked it.

It turns out the traditional version of “Rhody” isn’t even in a minor key, the keys we often associate (in Western culture) with the darker, more mournful side of music—which goes to show how much context matters. While certain note relationships in a minor key can create a sense of expectation or uncertainty, a minor key song can just as easily be a playful invitation to dance as it can be Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565.” And a major key song could be Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” or a song about a dead goose.

A fun thing about little kids is that they may not have fully absorbed cultural biases about music, and it’s exciting to share a wide variety of music with them and see what they respond to.

Here’s an unscientific experiment: We recorded a version of “Halfway Down” in melodic C minor for Halloween week! We also just happen to have it in a major key. We’d love it if you and your kids took a listen and let us know which version most haunts you.

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻
Anne
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