October is the month of Halloween, which is a time for fun with costumes, bobbing for apples and trick-or-treating.

It also is a time of haunted attractions, ghost walks and other eerie events.

Many of Hollywood’s scariest films came out during the Halloween season — films like “Ghostbusters,” “Scream,” Stephen King’s “Carrie,” and, of course, “Halloween.”

It doesn’t have to be Halloween to have scary movies. “The Exorcist” was originally released in December and “The Amityville Horror” was a summer movie.

Songwriters also love good Halloween songs.

“Ghostbusters” and “The Monster Mash” have become traditional Halloween favorites.

Many fatalistic stories have been told in other songs that hinted of ghosts.

Since it’s close to Halloween when such thoughts are fresh in many people’s minds, we’ll share some of those top stories in music:

• “Laurie (Strange Things Happen)” – This was a song by Dickie Lee about a boy who goes on a date, realizes he gave his girlfriend his sweater when he dropped her off, then goes to her house for it. Her shaken father answers the door and says, “You weren’t with my daughter. How can you be so cruel. … My Laurie left this world on her birthday. She died a year ago today.”

The protagonist then finds his sweater on her tombstone.

• “Phantom 309” — One of the great storytellers in song was the late Red Sovine. His signature song is “Giddy Up Go.” The song “Phantom 309” tells about a hitchhiker picked up by a trucker. After being dropped off at a diner, he’s told he was riding in a ghost truck. The trucker had swerved his rig to avoid hitting a school bus and was killed.

• “Riding Alone With Private Malone” — Country singer David Ball sings about buying a car from the widow of a soldier, only to have that soldier save his life in an accident.

• “Ghost Riders in the Sky” — A hit by Johnny Cash about cowboys confronting hell.

• “Don’t Fear the Reaper” — This is a song by Blue Oyster Cult. The tune isn’t spooky at all until you consider the lyrics told from the point of view of some death-friendly dude trying to induce his gal to join him and not “fear the reaper.”

• “Thriller” — Michael’s Jackson’s hit is the most downloaded Halloween song of all time.

• “Hotel California” — The Eagles recorded this number. The lyrics tell the tale of a tired traveler who checks into “Hotel California” and his adventures within. Although the hotel initially seems inviting and pleasant, he soon realizes it’s a haunted, nightmarish place and tries his best to escape only to realize that you can “Check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” Beautiful song, haunting lyrics, and an overall gripping story.

• “The Streets of Laredo” — This was a country hit by both Eddy Arnold and Marty Robbins. It’s about encountering a ghost cowboy who had been shot in the chest.

Ghost stories can be fun. They also can be scary, especially if you take them too seriously.

Virtually everybody, including children, have talked about ghosts, and not just on Halloween.

Remember the old scouting days, when you sat around the campfire and the wind made strange sounds behind you as it rustled the leaves. “One dark and stormy night …”