13 Bad Luck Songs
As a continuing tribute to the upcoming Halloween festivities, I thought I'd do a 13 song playlist as an offering to all the evil ready to befall us. This one features songs about bad luck.
It’s an eclectic list, but has a blues-heavy foundation. Although most intellectual types believe bad luck superstitions are for the weak-minded, or fans of American Idol, there are very real phobias associated with bad luck, like triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13.
Seriously.
This may explain the reason behind tall buildings not having a 13th floor. Some people think the number is unlucky because there are 13 full moons in a year, which spurs fears of a lycanthrope-form Ozzy Osbourne lurking about for blood, or lycanthrozzophobia. However, most humans just accept centuries old folk tales, and could never explain “why” the number is bad.
In addition to the number 13, some other interesting “bad luck” superstitions include a black cat crossing your path, breaking a mirror (which bestows 7 years bad luck), spilling salt, picking up a penny showing tails, seeing a bird fly into a window, killing a ladybug or an albatross, or seeing a solitary mockingbird.
Just for kicks, I once spilled salt on an albatross, killed it with a broken mirror shard and threw it into a lone mockingbird.
Two days later I developed a strange attraction to the music and hair of Michael Bolton.
Coincidence? I think not!
If you’re not as daring as I, just click that juicy little play button and you’ll be living vicariously through the bad luck of 13 depressed songwriters.
The Playlist:
1. Bad Luck - Social Distortion
2. Old Mr. Bad Luck - Earl King
3. Bad Luck - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
4. I'm A Bad Luck Woman - Memphis Minnie
5. Bad Luck - Dinah Washington
6. Bad Luck Monkey Rap - R.L. Burnside
8. Bad Luck Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
10. Bad Luck Man - Big Bill Broonzy
11. Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School - Warren Zevon
