It’s that day again… Time for a few Friday the 13th songs!
Whenever the 13th day of the month happens to fall on a Friday, a lot of people become superstitious. This week, we not only had Friday the 13th, we also had the twelfth anniversary of September 11th. I happened to schedule a last minute dentist appointment that day because one of my molars was doing odd things. I found out the molar is cracked and now, at the very least, needs a crown. Darn the luck!
Having grown up in the 1970s and 80s, I always thought Friday the 13th superstitions started with the string of horror movies bearing the same name and featuring a chainsaw toting masked man named Jason. As it turns out, superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th have been around at least since the 19th century. In fact, there are even people out there who have a phobia of Friday the 13th; paraskevidekatriaphobics have an irrational fear of the unluckiest date. In fact, in 2013, there are two incidences of Friday the 13th exactly 13 weeks apart. How’s that for creepy?
I thought it would be fun to have a look at a few songs that fit in with Friday the 13th. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find a few good ones.
Stevie Wonder and “Superstition”
Here’s Stevie Wonder singing his classic hit on Sesame Street. I couldn’t resist this clip because it’s so old school. What a great song to hear first thing in the morning.
Here’s Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughan (RIP) playing a super funkified version of “Superstition”. Note Jody Watley jamming along with the two Stevies!
And here is Stevie in Paris, playing his iconic song with Prince!
And here, Stevie Wonder plays with guitar wizard, Jeff Beck. I think “Superstition” is the ultimate Friday the 13th song, which is why I added four versions to this post. Stevie Wonder is the kind of guy who can collaborate with everyone.
Ray Charles and Jimmy Lewis “If It Wasn’t For Bad Luck”
Blues songs really lend themselves to songs that are perfect for Friday the 13th. Here’s a song about two guys one upping each other with stories about how if they didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. I suspect these two would do well to stay home on Friday the 13th.
Albert King and “Born Under a Bad Sign”
Albert King sings a classic song about being born under a “bad sign”. I couldn’t resist posting another clip with Stevie Ray Vaughan playing. Maybe Albert King is unlucky, but we’re lucky to have videos with him jamming. It makes Friday the 13th a little less daunting.
Paul Thorn and “It’s a Great Day to Whup Somebody’s Ass
This may not be the ultimate Friday the 13th song, but it’s definitely a song about bad luck. If you have a day like this on Friday the 13th, you might develop a phobia.
Magic Slim & The Teardrops “Hard Luck Blues”
Here’s a cover of “Hard Luck Blues” by Magic Slim & The Teardrops. If you’re feeling unlucky today, this is a song that you can relate to.
Weird Wilbur and “Fucked Up, Fucked Over, and Hungry”
This is a song about a man’s bad luck trying to get into the music business. It’s obviously not work or kid safe, but it’s definitely a hard luck song.
I’ve never felt particularly unlucky on Friday the 13th, though as I sit here worrying about my tooth and what will be done to it next week, I’m not feeling particularly fortunate today. On the other hand, things could be worse. I could be sitting out in the middle of the desert with no way to get to a dentist and no money to pay for one even if I could. I don’t enjoy dental treatment, but it’s better than not having it, right?
I hope you have a good Friday the 13th and an even better weekend!
