22 Songs About Witches, from Witchy Woman to Defying Gravity

What is the most famous song about witches?

"Witchy Woman" by Eagles and "Season of the Witch" by Donovan are the classic rock songs about witches, and "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac is the most mysterious. For Halloween, "I Put a Spell on You" is the favorite, especially Bette Midler's version from Hocus Pocus.

Classic songs about witches and spells

1. "I Put a Spell on You", Screamin' Jay Hawkins: the wild 1956 original.
2. "Witchcraft", Frank Sinatra: a swinging song about being enchanted.
3. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", Ella Fitzgerald: a Rodgers and Hart standard.
4. "Witch Doctor", David Seville: the sped-up novelty hit of 1958.
5. "Love Potion No. 9", The Searchers: a potion with unexpected results.
6. "The Witch", The Sonics: a raw garage rock classic.
7. "Season of the Witch", Donovan: a moody 60s song.
8. "Black Magic Woman", Santana: a Latin rock classic first recorded by Fleetwood Mac.
9. "Witch Queen of New Orleans", Redbone: about the voodoo queen Marie Laveau.

Rock songs about witches

10. "Witchy Woman", Eagles: a mysterious woman with a spell of her own.
11. "Rhiannon", Fleetwood Mac: named for a figure from Welsh legend.
12. "Sisters of the Moon", Fleetwood Mac: a dark Stevie Nicks song from Tusk.
13. "Hocus Pocus", Focus: a wild instrumental with yodeling.
14. "Spellbound", Siouxsie and the Banshees: a post-punk classic.
15. "Witch Hunt", Rush: about fear and mob anger.
16. "Marie Laveau", Bobby Bare: a country story song about a bayou witch.
17. "Burn the Witch", Radiohead: about witch hunts, old and new.

Witch songs from movies, TV and musicals

18. "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", from The Wizard of Oz: the Munchkins celebrate.
19. "Defying Gravity", from Wicked: Elphaba's big moment.
20. "Popular", from Wicked: Glinda's comic makeover song.
21. "I Put a Spell on You", Bette Midler: the Sanderson sisters' showstopper in Hocus Pocus.
22. "Agatha All Along", from WandaVision: the catchy villain reveal.

Why are there so many songs about witches?

Witches stand for mystery, power and a little danger, which makes them perfect for songs about love and attraction. Many of these songs, like "Witchcraft" and "Witchy Woman", use witches as a metaphor for someone irresistible, while others, like "Witch Hunt" and "Burn the Witch", use the old trials as a warning about fear and blame.

The story behind I Put a Spell on You

Screamin' Jay Hawkins first imagined "I Put a Spell on You" as a love ballad. At the 1956 recording session things got rowdy, and the result was a wild performance of screams and growls that made the song a classic. He leaned into it, opening his shows by rising out of a coffin, and the song has been covered by Nina Simone, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many others since.

The legend of Marie Laveau

Two songs on this list are about Marie Laveau, a real woman known as the voodoo queen of 19th-century New Orleans. "Witch Queen of New Orleans" by Redbone and "Marie Laveau" by Bobby Bare turned her legend into music, and her tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is still visited by people leaving offerings.

Songs about witches for Halloween

For a Halloween party, start with "Witch Doctor" and "Love Potion No. 9" while guests arrive, play "I Put a Spell on You" for a costume contest and save "Season of the Witch" and "Bela Lugosi's Dead" for when the lights go down. See our songs about vampires and songs about the devil for more spooky picks.

Witch songs for a Wicked fan

For a Wicked fan, "Defying Gravity" and "Popular" are the essentials, and "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" makes a funny pairing from the original Wizard of Oz. A playlist of both makes a fun gift before seeing the show or the movie, especially for a friend who already knows every word.

Witchy songs for a full moon

For a quiet night under the full moon, "Rhiannon", "Sisters of the Moon" and "Season of the Witch" set a dreamy, mysterious mood. See our songs about the moon for more.

A witch movie night

Pair these songs with a witch movie marathon: The Wizard of Oz for the classics, Hocus Pocus for Halloween fun and Practical Magic for something more grown-up. Play the songs from each film between movies, and finish the night with "Season of the Witch" as the credits roll.

Witch songs for kids

For younger children, "Witch Doctor" and "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" are silly rather than scary (see our songs about magic for gentler picks), and the songs from Wicked are fun to sing along to. A witch hat and a broom are all they need for a living room dance party.

A song for the witchiest person you know

For the friend who loves Halloween, crystals and full moons, a personalized song can be spooky, funny and sweet at once: their name, their favorite rituals and their best costume stories, in a rock or pop style.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, pop, folk and more.
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3. Share three things that make them magical.
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The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Cast a spell with a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.