Psychedelic rock originated in the second half of the sixties of the twentieth century, becoming the fruit of a general passion for Indian philosophy, oriental mysticism and transcendental practices. Famous British and American rock bands began to expand their consciousness and experiment with sound.
One of the pioneers of the genre was Donovan Philips Leitch, and his composition Season of the Witch is considered an early example of psychedelic music.
Story and meaning of Season of the Witch
According to eyewitnesses, the idea for the future song came to Donovan in the London home of folk-rock musician Bert Jansch in early 1966. The source of inspiration was a conversation with John Renbourn, who showed him a couple of new chords. Donovan wrote the riff and played it non-stop throughout the evening.
Years later, he talked about what Season of the Witch is about:
Even then, there was a feeling that not everything was perfect in the Garden of Eden. Dealers were infiltrating the bohemian world, and hard drugs were on the horizon. The song was also prophetic. It was about drug addiction, although, of course, then I could not know this.
Mojo, 2011
Shortly after the recording of Season of the Witch, Donovan was arrested for marijuana possession. In his biography he wrote:
The song proved to be prophetic in the following months. One of the lines says: “Some cat is looking at me over my shoulder” … Soon these bad cats rang at my door.
Trouble with the police caused Donovan to miss the legendary “summer of love.”
Release and achievements
Donovan recorded Season of the Witch with Mickie Most, the producer of numerous hits from the sixties and seventies. Work on the composition was in Hollywood’s Columbia Studios.
The recording was attended by bassist Bobby Ray (Bobby Ray), drummer Eddie Hou (Eddie Hoh) and Jimmy Page (Jimmy Page), who then moonlighted as a session musician.
Season of the Witch was included on the Sunshine Superman album, released on August 26, 1966 by Epic. It was not released as a single. The track became very popular among the musician’s fans, and Donovan performed it more often than any other of his many songs.
Donovan’s composition was introduced to the British public in June 1967 when Sunshine Superman was released by Pye Records.
Subsequently, the composition was performed by dozens of famous musicians, including Al Cooper (Al Kooper), Vanilla Fudge, Hole and Joan Jett.
Interesting Facts
- Members of Led Zeppelin warmed up at soundchecks playing Season of the Witch.
- The song was featured on the soundtrack of George Romero’s Season of the Witch. She also sounds in many other full-length pictures, serials and television shows.
- Many modern music lovers fell in love with the song after hearing it for the first time in an advertisement for Microsoft Windows Phone 7.
Season of the Witch lyrics
Donovan
When I look out my window
Many sights to see
And when I look in my window,
So many different people to be
That it’s strange, so strange
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
must be the season of the witch,
must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch
When I look over my shoulder
What do you think I see?
Some other cat looking over
His shoulder at me
And he’s strange, sure he’s strange
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch, yeah
Must be the season of the witch
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
The rabbits running in the ditch,
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch,
must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch
When I look out my window
What do you think I see?
And when I look in my window,
So many different people to be
It’s strange, sure is strange
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
You’ve got to pick up every stitch,
The rabbits running in the ditch,
Oh no, must be the season of the witch,
Must be the season of the witch, yeah
Must be the season of the witch
When I look, when I look
Season of the Witch lyrics
Donovan Alternative
When I look out the window
I see a lot
And when I look in my window
There are so many different people
That it’s strange, so strange
You have to pick up every stitch
You have to pick up every stitch
You must pick up every stitch
It must be witch time
It must be witch time
It must be witch time
When I look over my shoulder
What do you think I see?
Some cat is watching
over my shoulder
And he’s strange, of course he’s strange
You have to pick up every stitch
You have to pick up every stitch
The beatniks are ready to get rich
Oh no, it must be witch time
It must be witch time
It must be witch time
You have to pick up every stitch
Rabbits run in a ditch
The beatniks are ready to get rich
Oh no, it must be witch time
It must be witch time
It must be witch time
When I look out the window
What do you think I see?
And when I look out the window
There are so many different people
It’s strange, sure, strange
You have to pick up every stitch
You have to pick up every stitch
Rabbits run in a ditch
Oh no, it must be witch time
It must be witch time
It must be witch time
When I look, when I look
Song quote
Season of the Witch was kind of prophetic. She foresaw the boom [на наркотики] and therefore was a gloomy song.
Donovan
