Witchy Woman by Eagles

Album: Eagles (1972)

Charted: 9

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Songfacts®:

Eagles guitarist Bernie Leadon started writing this song when he was a member of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Once he joined the Eagles, he and Don Henley finished the song in Eagles fashion. It was one of the first songs Henley wrote.
Leadon and Henley wrote this about a number of women they had met. It is not meant to portray the woman as devilish, but as more of a seductress.
"Witchy Woman" was the group's second single, following "Take It Easy." It was part of their first album, which was produced by Glyn Johns, an Englishman who had previously worked with The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. They recorded it at Olympic Studios in London in just three weeks; the group became far less efficient over time - their 1979 album The Long Run took more than two years to make.
According to the liner notes for The Very Best of the Eagles, the song originated with guitarist Bernie Leadon playing a "strange, minor-key riff that sounded sort of like a Hollywood movie version of Indian music." The song's lyrics didn't develop until Henley went down with a flu and high fever while he was reading a book about Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of the author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Zelda had to deal with her husband's alcoholism and her own mental health issues; she ended up spending a lot of time in psychiatric hospitals. "I think that figured into the mix somehow - along with amorphous images of girls I had met at the Whisky [a Go Go] and the Troubadour," he recalled.
One of the girls who formed the "Witchy Woman" composite was the roommate of a girl Don Henley was dating in the early '70s. She practiced "white witchcraft," dabbling in the paranormal with good intentions. "I thought it was charming and seductive," Henley told Rolling Stone, "but I never took any of it seriously."

A few years later, Henley dated perhaps the most famous white witch of the era: Stevie Nicks.
Yet another influence Don Henley cites for the lyric is the author Carlos Castaneda, who at the time was studying at UCLA. Castaneda often wrote about enchantment and altered states of consciousness.

Comments: 45

Snow from Usasilver spoon-cocaine. Remember seeing little, silver spoons worn on a silver chain or leather strip as a necklace?
From Somewhere In from TexasActually everyone here has it wrong lol. The silver spoon definitely refers to the woman’s husband who was brought up in privilege. And sleeping in the devil’s bed is about him too as he liked to imply he was Illuminati. They eventually divorced over it….Henley had involvement but the woman is not someone anyone would know and to protect offspring they shall not be named. I knew that silver spoon.
Howard from AustraliaLong live the Eagles
Austin James from Phoenix, AzRaven hair(heroin is black)

ruby lips(after you inject heroin you lips go blue)

Sparks fly from her finger tips(lighting a lighter to cook heroin in a spoon)

Echoed voices in the night(after you inject heroin your eardrums buzz, echoing)

She's a restless spirit on an endless flight(heroin addiction never ends)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(heroin loves as a woman)

See how high she flies(chasing that black majic)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(I'd do anything for heroin)

She got the moon in her eye(high into the night)

She held me spellbound in the night(withdrawals bring desperation)

Dancing shadows and firelight(pins and needles)

Crazy laughter in another room(echoes from a shot.buzz buzz buzz)

And she drove herself to madness with a silver spoon(the fear of withdrawals will make you do mad things)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(heroin loves as a woman)

See how high she flies(chasing that black majic)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(I'd do anything for heroin)

She got the moon in her eye(high into the night)

She held me spellbound in the night(withdrawals bring desperation)

Well, I know you want a lover(if only you could keep a healthy relationship with heroin)

Let me tell you, brother(it ain't gonna happen)

She's been sleeping in the devil's bed(she will never love you like your hoping)

And there's some rumours going round, (she a cheating bitches, morning brings sickness)

someone's underground(all junkies ever)

She can rock you in the night-time 'til your skin turns red(she leads you to death, but or prison)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(heroin loves as a woman)

See how high she flies(chasing that black majic)

Woo hoo, witchy woman(I'd do anything for heroin)

She got the moon in her eye(high into the night)

She held me spellbound in the night(withdrawals bring desperation)
Britt from Upland "SHE'S GOT THE MOON IN HER EYES" .... not that I’ve done it butttt when someone spikes out of a meth pipe and you are looking at it it could look like a moon reflection in the persons eye who is smoking it ..... just sayin
Humberto Veras from Recife - BrazilHumberto Veras - Brazil
I think that this music is on the hallucinogenic effects of the Absinthe, the green fairy, that in the case it would be Witchy Woman, and the reference of the silver spoon with a holed is exactly for the sugar to be put and dripped him with water to stimulate the green fairy of the abscinto ( in this case a Witchy Woman) to take the hallucinogenic trip of the effect of the Absinthe. This is a song about drugs.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaSara Mac. have you not ever heard the saying about Rich kids being born with a Silver Spoon in their mouth. It means someone who was born into a family where they had the best of everything and never had to work to get the necessities of life, like the common people.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaFor some reason the drums sound better in concert. Have read that the lyrics came from a book about Zelda Fitzgerald Don was reading while sick with the flu.
Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music lovers,

I think that the idea of the lyrics of the song came from the song called 'Black Magic Woman' covered and played by rock band 'Santana' in 1970. Because Santana's version became a big hit in 1970 after releasing. So everyone knew this version more than the original version by 'Fleetwood Mac' in 1968. Let's take a look at both lyrics of the songs. They are very similar. On the lyrics of 'Black Magic Woman', there were some lines that show us that 'Black' was the song that influenced the writing of 'Witchy Woman'. For example, this line, 'Got me so blind I can't see', led this line 'witchy woman, see how high she flies'. Another one is 'She is trying to make a devil out of me' that led to this line 'She's sleeping in the devil's bed'. And more, 'Stop messing around with your tricks' led this,'She drove herself to madness with a silver spoon'. I think that 'Black Magic Woman' was the inspiration of writing the song 'Wichy Woman'. There is more, also I think that the music of 'Witchy Woman' came from the same song 'Black' because both music of the songs are minor. Hope it makes sense and helps you understand the songs more !
Barbara from Toledo, OhThe silver spoon is either referring to wealth or drugs, Zelda Fitzgerald, who the song is about,was born rich, however in the early 70's drugs like heroin and LSD were commonly used. However Zelda is not the only woman that the song was inspired by. It is quite possible that it may be partially about Stevie Nicks, but not her alone.
Sheryl from Boston, MaI think the "silver spoon" is a reference to heroin. This song came out in the early 70's, when the drugs of choice were pot, psychedelics and heroin (melted down and burned on a spoon, as an earlier poster stated). Coke was around, but didn't become popular until the late 70's and early 80's (and then was replaced by crack in the mid 80's, as the drug of choice). I don't really buy all this stuff about Zelda Fitzgerald, either. Maybe they were reading a book about her life at the time when the song was written, but, if the book was, indeed, an influence, I think that it was just one of many. I think that there was a more personal reason for writing a song like this. (And it kind of cracks me up when I read, at the top of this page, that the "witchy woman" is supposed to be seductive, rather than devilish. ""I know you want a lover, let me tell you, brother, she's been sleeping in the devil's bed..."
Judy Lee from Riverside, CaThe silver spoon refers to a slotted silver spoon used to dissolve sugar cubes with Absinthe.
Ken from Louisville, KyWhen rehearsing material for their debut album, Bernie Leadon played the basic riff and guitar solo for this song. But there were no lyrics. When asked by the rest of the band what he called it, Bernie said the first thing that came to mind: "Witchy Woman". Don Henley liked the riff and the title, so he took a cassette tape of Leadon's riff home and the next day came into the rehearsals with the lyrics complete.
Camille from Toronto, OhFirst, it's not just Eagles lyrics that people seem to think are about drugs. It's almost every single song, even the most innocent sounding ones, that someone comments that there is a drug reference. My son and I laugh about that all the time. Secondly, some songs are referring to drugs! Then I crack up at comments like this: "A slotted silver spoon is used to dissolve a sugar cube with absenthe. An alcoholic beverage distilled from the wormwood tree.It is also called "the green fairy" as it is said to induce hallucinations." Okay, we are talking rock musicians writing lyrics. They are not scholars. When people pull out a "Cliff Claven" sentence and act like these dudes were well-versed in all kinds of random knowledge that they used to write song lyrics, I simply cannot believe there is any merit to it. Witchy Woman is a good song.
Brian from Boston, MaThe line about silver spoon is clearly a reference to the Ricky Schroder sitcom from the 80's.Who amongst us has not gone mad while watching that?
Brian from Boston, MaI tend to think of Stevie Nicks when I hear this.I don't know why maybe because she to has a song about a witch Rhiannon
Mayank from Ranchi, IndiaClassic Blues hit by the Eagles. Love its lyrics (have used it on women very often to tease them if they wore jazzy nailpaint), and the vocals. "Witchy Woman aur koi nahi ga sakta", meaning "Nobody else can sing Witchy Woman", as a friend of mine once said.
Joel from New Orleans, LaThis is a good tune. It would be cool to play it at a Halloween party especially because of the title and some of the lyrical content.
John from Chicago, Il"She drove herself to madness with the silver spoon" is a referance to Zelda Fitzgeralds commitment to a mental institution. A slotted silver spoon is used to disolve a sugar cube with absenthe. An alcoholic beverage distilled from the wormwood tree.It is also called "the green fairy" as it is said to induce hallucinations.It is illegal in the U.S.
Jesse from San Antoino, TxShe can rock you in the night time till your skin turns red
Jim from Long Beach, CaThis is about the excess of women and drugs, never a good thing when using them in one sentence..
Robert from Denver, CoThe silver spoon is probably a coke spoon, but keep in mind that Heroine can also be snorted. No track marks that way.
Eric from Camas, WaThe opening riff always makes me think of Indians in headdress, prepared for battle, riding on horseback, rising over yonder ridge in some old Western movie.
Peterm from Coventry, United KingdomDefinitely about cocaine, and "How high she flies" is a pun between a trip on a broomstick and a trip on coke.
Exterminans from Louisville, KyI'd always heard that the song was loosely based on Susan Atkins, one of Manson's girls. If you listen to the lyrics it's plausible.
Elizabeth from Ithaca, Nyby the way, this song isn't about Stevie Nicks...first of all she has blonde hair not "Raven" hair and second of all this was way before Don Henley even met her...so yeah...
Liz from Smallville, Ksokay for the record, Silver Spoon means Cocaine!Cocaine,Cocaine, Cocaine!!! Not Heroin but Cocaine... Cus the silver spoon is what they use to snort it...

anyway, I love this song. I don't really think it's about Stevie Nicks though. I think it's just about a group of girls that the band met at a local bar in California. But I wouldn't be surprised if it were about Stevie Nicks.
Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesI always assumed the song was about Stevie Nicks, who along with her friend Mr Henley (and nearly everyone else in that time period) was very fond of cocaine and used it to excess. "She drove herself to madness with a silver spoon" sounds fairly obvious -- unlike some of the lyrics which have been cited on songfacts as indicating "totally a heroin song" or what have you.
Ameer from La, CaDoes anyone else feel like this song is about Stevie Nicks? I know Don Henley and her dated in the seventies and it seems like he might have written it with her in mind.
Joel from Columbia, ScActually, Rachel, they were talking about cocaine
Mike from Hueytown , AlThis cool song stands the test of time. We've all met a woman like this somewhere down the line....
Rachel from Okie, OkYeah they were talking about Herion. And it's "rock" you in the nighttime ?til your skin turns red. The big rock. And it's probably so twisted because he was delusional from being sick...
Sara Mackenzie from Middle Of Nowhere, Flhow does the silver spoon symbol wealth? parallel to this song: if anyone also listened to "gold dust woman" by fleetwood mac, stevie nicks refers to digging her grave with a silver spoon...drugs and death anyone?
Brad from Kalamazoo, MiI think that the "silver spoon" is refering to wealth.. not heroin
Bob from Rio Vista, CaI notice that every Eagles songs have drug references to you people.
Why is that?
Kevin from Quebec, Canadathis was on a seinfeld episode with the karl fardman dressers!
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaThere are probably drug references in there. Interesting comments from john from jacksonville and like from manchester. Bernie Leadon is very underrated.
Luke from Manchester, EnglandHeroin is burnt on a spoon over an open flame... I don't take heroin but I know about it... Incidentally, on the show Darmha and Greg, Darmha's mum reckon's she was Witchy Woman after she met Don Henly in the 60's.
Mary from San Francisco, CaHenley has stated that the song was inspired by a biography of Zelda Fitzgerald.
John from Millersville, MdAwesome song. I dunno about the drugs bit, but it could be. There seem to be some really abstract lines..."she'll hang you in the nighttime till your skin turns red"
Dick from Arcata, CaCharlotte - I think the silver spoon is probably a coke spoon.
Charlotte from Bluffton, ScIt sounds like it is about heroin. "She drove herself to madness with the silver spoon".....
Meagan from Baton Rouge, Lai also prefer desperado but its still a great song and i love it
Pete from Nowra, Australia The song title was also used as a conversation piece in a Seinfeld episode, it was suppose to be Elaine and her new boyfriend's song but he preferred Desperado, thats Seinfeld for ya.
John from Jacksonville, FlThe legend has it that Henley sang his lead while leaning into a toilet in the studio bathroom to achieve the vocal effect they were looking for.

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