Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft

Subject: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Harry Rivers
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 03:20 AM

Can anyone suggest any traditional songs about Witches or Witchcraft, please?

I've searched the DigiTrad with the keyword "witch" and that brings up about 40 examples. Not all of those are traditional (eg Donovan's Season of the Witch) and some only contain the word 'witch' as a derogatory term for a woman (eg Kafoozalum).

All suggestions gratefully received.

Many thanks
Harry

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 04:06 AM

Broomfield Hill springs to mind instantly
Maid on the Shore is a fairly obvious one
The use of witchcraft, particularly by disapproving mothers to get rid of unwanted suitors for their sons include Clyde's Water and Lord Gregory
A superb example of the use of the accusation of witchcraft to break up an unwanted liason is to be found in the beautiful 'Andrew Lammie'   
Tam Lin, of course - a woman who fights to free her lover from the otherworld
The Two Magicians
The use of witchcraft in ballads and songs is not immediately obvious
For ballad references, Lowrie C Wimberly's 'Folklore in the English and Scottish Ballads is a superb reference.
Enjoy your search Harry - it's good fun
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 04:14 AM

Try a search on the forum for 'Pendle' as well.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,SteveT
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 04:32 AM

I'd second the recommendation for Wimberly's book. One of my favourite songs about the use of witchcraft is Willie's Lady (Child number 6) which I've never got round to learning - but I will one day. I also remember Dave and Toni Arthur's Hearken to the Witches Rune from 1971 and, although I haven't heard it, Kate and Corwen (Ancient Music ) have a CD out with several tracks which may be relevant)

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Susan of DT
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 09:00 AM

Bonnie Lass of Anglesey
Rolling of the Stones - some versions
Allison Gross/Cross
Wife of Usher's Well
Wild Boar - some versions

witchcraft acted on a character not herself a witch
Kemp Owyne
King Henry
Marriage of Sir Gawaine

Reynardine may be a warlock

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 09:56 AM

There Was An Old Woman Tossed Up In A Blanket

There was an old woman tossed up in a basket
Seventeen times as high as the moon.
But where she was going, I could not but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.
“Old woman, old woman, old woman,” quoth I,
“Whither, oh whither, oh whither so high?”
“To sweep the cobwebs from the sky
And I'll be with you by and by.”

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 10:54 AM

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond; lots to be going on with but please keep the suggestions coming.

All the best,
Harry

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 11:32 AM

The Witch Queen of New Orleans ... Redbone.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 11:37 AM

Not traditional, but written in the traditional idiom by Karine Polwart: "The Dreadful End of Marianna for Sorcery". On Malinky's "Last Leaves" album.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 11:44 AM

Witches and War Whoops: Early New England Ballads

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Susan of DT
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 12:51 PM

not traditional: Susanna Martin (in DT)

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Ged Fox
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 12:30 PM

Florence and Jean - a Two Magicians variant from Occitania

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Mar 18 - 01:30 PM

Do you mean specifically witchcraft as opposed to the supernatural in general? If so that cuts the field down considerably. Casting spells and shapechanging would fit but not devils and fairies. Also there are ballads of people being accused of witchcraft in earlier centuries as already mentioned.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Harry Rivers
Date: 30 Mar 18 - 03:36 AM

At present, I'm specifically interested in witches and witchcraft rather than the more general supernatural. I'm looking for songs/ballads recounting either historic events (such as the Pendle witch trials) or fictitious examples of witches using their craft.

The parameters may change with time.

Harry

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 30 Mar 18 - 01:31 PM

You might find some interesting material on some of the broadside sites

Bodleian Broadside Ballads,
National Library of Scotland
EBBA at UCSB.

Specific reference to witches is rare in oral tradition.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Norbert Knape
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 05:23 AM

Some remarks about witches in British Folk (in German):
https://norbert-knape.de/?p=848

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Aug 22 - 04:11 PM

A WITCH’S GUIDE TO ESCAPE
NP 2019
(Fits to the hymn tune ‘Marching’ "Through the night of doubt and sorrow")

Through the years you give the books out, honouring the lib’ry creed
Give the kids the books they ask for, not the ones they really need.

Slowly, try to train their reading, guide them from the primrose path,
Never heed your colleague’s tutting, never fear the witches wrath.

Ev’ry day you fight your conscience, knowing that one day you’ll lose
(and) Give a child books that will help them, not the ones the child would choose.

Out of sight are books of learning, ancient tomes of hidden lore.
Needed for that final lesson, needed then, but not before.

Then at last the child, quite ready, reads the book that sets them free.
And ‘the book’ returns to storage, drawn from Salem’s library.


Based on the 'short story' winner of the Hugo awards (Dublin 2019) Story here

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: leeneia
Date: 17 Aug 22 - 12:18 PM

Willie's Lady. An old ballad about Willie, his bride from away, and his mother, a witch for sure.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 Aug 22 - 06:00 PM

Willie's Lady by the very talented Celtic trio Triantan, the members are still singing, but alas no longer together

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 22 - 08:38 AM

"The hag is astride"
a seventeenth century poem about witches, sung to a seventeenth century tune (originally about angling.)

Subject: ADD: Twenty Shillings Each (Bill Dodds)
From: GUEST,Bill Dodds
Date: 24 Aug 22 - 11:02 PM

Harry, If you are still looking for songs featuring witches here is one I wrote last year about something that happened in my hometown of Newcastle, UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rBqwGDsEgk


TWENTY SHILLINGS EACH
(Bill Dodds)

There were two Ellenor’s, Margrit’s and Elisabeth’s
Three Jane’s, one Mary, Kattren, Aylis, Isabell and Ann
Standing together, watching and waiting
Hoping and praying that cruel men will change their minds
            
Twenty sixth of March, sixteen forty nine, madness descended
Twenty pieces of silver, twenty shillings each
That was the price they were worth

In sixteen thirty six, a third of the people
In the town of Newcastle were killed by Bubonic Plague
Sixteen forty four, an army from Scotland
Occupied the city for more than seven hundred days

Pestilence and plague, death and destruction were blamed on witches
The town became ready to give praise to the Lord
And drive the Devil from their town

In sixteen forty nine, John the bellman
Was asking people if neighbours were practicing ‘Black Arts’
Grudges and grievances, gossip and rumour
Greed and envy soon gave him a list of thirty names
         
City fathers, put them all on trial, to end this nightmare
Thirty women, and a man
Ready to face, Puritan laws

A finder of witches was brought down from Scotland
The women stripped naked, their bodies searched for Devil’s marks
Pricked with a bodkin to see if they bled
No chance at all, facing a spring loaded blade
   
Paid by results, most were found guilty, a cruel fate awaited
Death was the sentence, to be hung by the neck
Thou shalt not, suffer a witch to live

Crowds had gathered on the Town Moor of Newcastle
In front of wooden scaffolds, that frosty first day of spring
Fourteen women, victims of malice
Prejudice and fear, were hoping for reprieve

Twenty sixth of March, sixteen forty nine, madness descended
Twenty pieces of silver, twenty shillings each
That was the price that finally sealed their fate

There were two Ellenor’s, Margrit’s and Elisabeth’s
Three Jane’s, one Mary, Kattren, Aylis, Isabell and Ann
Standing together, shivering and trembling
Learning the hard way that cruel men never change their minds


Footnote
Eleanor Lownsdale, spoke up for the women (then was accused herself)

14 witches, 1 wizard, 9 moss troopers were hung on the same day on Newcastle Town Moor (half a mile from where I live).

The Scottish Witchfinder was responsible for 220 deaths (he was eventually found to be a fraud and hung)

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Aug 22 - 11:46 PM

Bill, what was the twenty shillings for? Was that a bounty paid to those who reported someone to be a witch?
I really enjoyed the song.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: rich-joy
Date: 25 Aug 22 - 02:15 AM

Though this is not songs per se, I have recently read and enjoyed 4 novels about witches and their family craft, written by Pacific NW author, musician/singer/teacher, yogini, et al LOUISA MORGAN :

https://www.louisemarley.com/written-as/louisa-morgan/

Two novels are set mainly in Brittany and England and concern a Romany family : The Great Witch of Brittany + A Secret History of Witches; two are set mainly in the US and also England : The Age of Witches + The Witch's Kind.

I can recommend all four!      I will also be checking out her many others (e.g. "The Glass Harmonica").


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Harry
Date: 25 Aug 22 - 05:23 AM

I had to put this project on hold but I still have all my research notes and I'm planning on returning to it later this year.

Thank you to all who continue to contribute with suggestions.

Harry

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Bill Dodds
Date: 28 Aug 22 - 05:33 PM

Joe, this 'witchfinder' was paid 20 shillings for each witch who was found and convicted. Obviously with a financial incentive like this it was in the witchfinders interest to find and convict as many as possible.

A suspected witch who was pricked by a blade and didn't bleed was nearly always found guilty. It was alleged that this particular witchfinder used a spring loaded blade to avoid drawing blood.

Lots of people accused neighbours and enemies of being a witch as a way to settle old scores, get rid of love rivals etc.

This was the largest single execution of 'witches' in England. Overall, up to 1,000 in England were killed for being a witch, 90% of them were women. Over 2,500 'witches' were killed in Scotland, 84% of them were women.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Harry
Date: 01 Sep 22 - 06:07 AM

Hi Bill,

Where do you get these figures?

Latest research puts the numbers for England much lower. From 1560 to 1685, when the last execution of a 'witch' took place in Devon, just over 500 (mainly older women) were put on trial which resulted in 112 executions.

Similarly for Scotland, modern research puts the number at closer to 1500 executions with a major increase in persecutions following James VI's marriage to Anne of Denmark in 1590.

If I'm wrong on this I'd be interested to read your sources.

Cheers
Harry

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 02 Sep 22 - 01:37 AM

Not traditional, but appropriate!
- The Burning Times (Charlie Murphy?)

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: SingedCat
Date: 02 Sep 22 - 12:25 PM

There's a song called Witch Margaret, apparently one of the Cild ballads? A friend just had it set to music.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Alan Day
Date: 04 Sep 22 - 06:17 PM

Sea Witch of Orkney.

A song written about this famous Orkney Story.

Al

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: mikechatty
Date: 10 Mar 24 - 05:55 PM

There's the 17th century round, "Hey/hie we to the otherworld" which has that supernatural subject.

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 12 Mar 24 - 10:26 PM

can you elaborate on this round- a source perhaps? thanks

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: Reinhard
Date: 13 Mar 24 - 03:43 AM

Pyewackett sang "Hey We to the Other World" on their 1984 album The Man in the Moon Drinks Claret. They noted:

A lunar drinking song by William Lawes. As sung in the coffee-houses of eighteenth century London...

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: The Og
Date: 16 Mar 24 - 01:16 PM

A while ago East Virginia (a Bluegrass Group wrote and recorded "The Legend of Jean Sherwood". Not traditional ...but based on fact and a good song!

Subject: RE: Trad Songs about Witches/Witchcraft
From: The Og
Date: 16 Mar 24 - 01:24 PM

Oops! Grace Sherwood NOT Jean. ...the product of an addled Brain!