6 Songs About Witches That Will Leave You Spellbound This Halloween

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. Witches have become a fixture in pop culture, especially during Halloween, so it’s no surprise that plenty of songs have been written about them, from the bewitching qualities of a woman to the dark history of the Salem witch trials.

“Season Of The Witch” by Donovan

Donovan recorded the psychedelic “Season Of The Witch” for his third album, Sunshine Superman. Its power is in its simplicity—the lyrics evoke a sense of paranoia, as Donovan describes being watched. It’s also a popular choice of cover song, with Lana Del Rey, Robert Plant, Joan Jett, and more all recording their own versions.

“Witchy Woman” by The Eagles

The Eagles’ “Witchy Woman” explores the alluring side of witches, describing a woman who is a “restless spirit on an endless flight” and has “raven hair and ruby lips.” Don Henley was inspired to write the lyrics while reading a biography of Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

“American Witch” by Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie released “American Witch” as the second single from his third album, Educated Horses. While most other songs about witches present them as mysterious, alluring, and even sensual, “American Witch” is a dark song about the Salem witch trials of 1692, in which women suspected of being witches were burned alive.

“Black Magic Woman” by Santana

Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green wrote “Black Magic Woman” about a former girlfriend, and two years later, Santana put their own spin on it, with masterful guitar work and a sultry Latin flair fitting for the subject matter. Their version became a chart-topping hit, making it more well-known than the original.

“Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac

The “white witch” herself, Stevie Nicks, wrote Fleetwood Mac hit “Rhiannon” after reading the novel Triad: A Novel of the Supernatural by Mary Leader. Nicks has always described “Rhiannon” as “a song about an old Welsh witch.” And although it’s not obvious in the lyrics, they do describe her as “a cat in the dark.”


“Witch Queen Of New Orleans” by Redbone

Redbone’s 1971 track “Witch Queen Of New Orleans” is about real-life voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau, who lived in New Orleans during the 1800s. The song describes her as someone who “lived in a world of magic” and could “put a spell on you.” She also stirred a “witch’s brew” and was “possessed by the devil’s skew.”

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