Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell on You)

Album: Aqualung (2002)
Charted: 7
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Many of the lyrics appear to reference A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare: "I'll put a spell on you, you'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you, and when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see, and you'll realize that you love me" is what happens to the characters in the play - a spell is cast on a few to make them fall in love with the first person they see after waking up. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Laura - Mamaroneck, NY
  • This was popularized in 2002 when it was used in a commercial for the Volkswagen Beetle. It started out as a 30-second snippet, but when radio stations and record stores started getting calls about "that VW Beetle song" and its unknown creator, Hales fleshed it out into a full-fledged song and released it as his debut single.
  • Matt Hales, who records under the moniker of Aqualung, explained his songwriting process to CMU:

    A) Get the weird feeling.

    B) Find a piano.

    C) Play and sing and get lost in it.

    D) Find a bit that I can't live without.

    E) Play that bit 1000 times.

    F) Do something else for a while (between 1 hour and 2 years).

    G) Get the weird feeling again.

    H) Turn the bit into a song. decipher the singing and write some words.

    I) See (f) but be always thinking about it.

    J) Suddenly need to hear it all finished. NOW!

    K) Get some friends around and record it. Make it sound great with whatever is lying around. DO IT QUICKLY.

    L) Listen to it 1000 times.
  • This was used in the movies The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants 2 (2008) and Wicker Park (2004). It was also featured in the TV shows The O.C. ("The Perfect Couple" - 2003) and Smallville ("Exodus" - 2003).

Comments: 2

  • Sasha from Winston, MsIt's not what I'm going through... because the spell worked for me. ;)
    This song reminds me of my boyfriend a lot.
  • Richel from Santa Ana, Cathis song is amazing...exactly what i'm going through, word for word
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.