Happy Hallowe’en folks! And nothing says Hallowe’en like a Northern Soul banger with a spooky title.

I was a big fan of R Dean Taylor’s twangy tune when it came out in 1974, four years after the equally fantastic (and significantly darker) Indiana Wants Me, and seven years after his first hit.

What I didn’t know til now was that Taylor recorded this before either of those, way back in 1966, having written the song with Motown’s masterful songwriting team of Holland – Dozier – Holland, but it was a flop on its initial release.

But over the next few years it became a dancefloor favourite at Northern Soul nightclubs like Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca prompting Motown to re-release it eight years after its initial recording. And it went to No.3 in the UK singles chart.

The Canadian was initially signed to Motown – one of their few white artists – as much for his songwriting as his singing, and he co-composed hits for The Four Tops (I’ll Turn To Stone) and The Temptations (All I Need) before Gotta See Jane gave him his own first hit in 1967.

There’s A Ghost In My House  also been covered by Yachts and Graham Parker and became a hit all over again in 1987 when it was covered by The Fall.