TRACK #421:
The Witch by The Sonics
When we did our classic monster run last year we not only left out a classic icon of monsterdom, but also a classic icon of Halloween itself – The Witch.
But that was OK, cause I was teeing up that Hallo-Women block and I could surely drop a Witch in there somewhere. And initially, I did. But I opted to put her off simply because I had too many Witch songs to cram in at the end of the season. So rather than do that, I decided to hold off until this year and just take everyone out of that Hallo-Women block and into Hallo-Witch Week!
So, we’re gonna kick off the new season with a whole block of Witch tunes. Sorry Graham. But hey! Who knows, maybe you’ll like a couple of these. I’d argue they’re all better than Witches’ Brew, but of course (just like everything of this nature) that’s all pretty subjective.
As we talked about last year, when speaking on Mr. Hyde’s The Witch, there’s a good number of songs about Witches that simply appear to be songs about regular women that the singer just doesn’t seem to like too much. Cool story bro.
Similarly, there’s a bunch of songs about Witches that aren’t really about Witches at all (especially in the late 60’s and early 70’s) but are rather about bohemian free spirits with a generically mystical vibe. You see these fuckers pop up all over Halloween playlists too. Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac comes to mind here. And certainly no disrespect, I love that song and I know she used to introduce it as a song about a Welsh Witch, but not only do you not need to hear that song anymore than you already do, but you certainly don’t need its vaguely adjacent renfaire vibery stinkin’ up your Halloween.
Same goes for other woo-woo offenders like The Eagles Witchy Woman or Santana’s Black Magic Woman (incidentally, also a Fleetwood Mac song) which are all Halloween staples for some reason. You look up any random Halloween playlist and you’ll probably find one, if not all of these songs, represented. Not only are they overplayed rock standards that possess a decidedly unspooky vibe that you’re just as likely to hear on any old afternoon in April, but their Witchery is of a metaphoric and non-Halloween variety. What are we doing here? Kick this shit to the curb. At least that’s what I’m doing anyway. Of course, feel free to listen to these songs at Halloween or deposit them on your own Halloween playlists, but you ain’t gonna find ‘em here, and that’s why.
Now, I say all this to preface tonight song, not only our first of the season but the first of Witch Week, because it’s a song you could potentially level the same exact criticism toward. I don’t, but one could.
Firstly, The Witch by The Sonics doesn’t really possess a terribly spooky vibe, I’ll give you that. But it’s also not a standard that’s getting smeared around all over the place. You’re not liable to hear this on some random summer evening. In fact, you’re not liable to hear it being played at all, which is why it’s being played here. So, there’s that.
Secondly, I think it’s a bit less vague about its Witchery. Now sure, is this some
green-faced, cauldron stirring, cackling concubine or the night? No, but she’s definitely not some radiant nymph in a paisley shawl, twirling in the midsummer sun and delighting your senses with her free spirit. Nope. She’s evil. She’s got long black hair. She’s got a black car. And she’ll make you itch and that’s good enough for me.
Is there a less literal read here? Is this itch of a seductive nature? Is this basically another case of “Oh singer’s got a boner so the woman is bad?” Yeah, maybe. That’s why I said one could level this exact criticism here. But I won’t, because I think it’s direct enough to be taken at face value and c’mon this song rips.
From 1964, this was The Sonic’s debut single, and it probably hits harder than anything else 1964 was serving up. In fact, this 5 piece outfit from Tacoma could be considered some of Punk’s earliest forebearers, with even Proto-Punk forefather himself, Iggy Pop, claiming the group to be the originators of the very sound of Garage Rock. That’s not to mention the countless artist over the years who have held them up as influences.
And when the legends consider you a legend, the argument is over. And you know how The Shindig feels about adding legends to the ranks.
So it gives us great joy to not only include The Sonics on The Shindig, but to have them jumpstart the 2026 season with their game-changing classic…The Witch.