Some songs capture their time. Others seem to slip outside it entirely. Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” has managed both. First released in 1966, the song combines a hypnotic groove with an uneasy atmosphere that still feels remarkably fresh. Now, a new recording by Alanis Morissette is introducing its strange charms to another generation.
From Folk Singer to Psychedelic Pioneer
“Season of the Witch” originally appeared on the Scottish singer-songwriter’s Sunshine Superman album, released in the United States in August 1966. Produced by Mickie Most, the album helped mark Donovan’s transformation from the gentle folk singer behind “Catch the Wind” into one of the defining voices of early psychedelic pop.
While much of Donovan’s music offered warmth, whimsy, and colorful imagery, “Season of the Witch” explored a darker mood. Its repeating guitar pattern, steady rhythm, and simmering organ create the feeling that something is lurking just beyond the ordinary.
The song is officially credited to Donovan, although his collaborator Shawn Phillips has also claimed a role in its creation. Recorded in Hollywood, it featured Donovan playing electric guitar—a significant step in his expanding musical palette.
What Is the Song About?
Despite its title, “Season of the Witch” does not tell a straightforward story about witchcraft. Its lyrics move through shifting identities, unusual observations, and a growing sense of suspicion.
One way to hear it is as a portrait of the uncertainty beneath the excitement of the 1960s counterculture. Freedom and experimentation could be exhilarating, but they could also leave people wondering whom to trust and what was real.
That ambiguity is part of its appeal. The song suggests more than it explains, allowing listeners to hear supernatural danger, social unease, or personal transformation in the same recording. It opens a door and leaves you to decide what might be standing on the other side.
A Classic Other Artists Keep Revisiting
Its spacious arrangement has made “Season of the Witch” particularly inviting to other musicians. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity recorded it in 1967, while Al Kooper and Stephen Stills stretched it into an extended performance on the 1968 album Super Session.
Decades later, Lana Del Rey recorded a version for the 2019 film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, bringing the song’s unsettling atmosphere into a modern horror setting.
These interpretations demonstrate how adaptable the composition is. It can accommodate blues, psychedelic rock, and cinematic mystery without losing its identity.
Alanis Morissette’s New Version
Alanis Morissette released her cover on September 25, 2026, sixty years after Donovan’s original. Her recording also appears in the trailer for the mystery thriller series Yaga, whose story draws on the folklore surrounding Baba Yaga.
Morissette’s interpretation emphasizes the song’s darker atmosphere, with her distinctive vocals adding intensity to its underlying tension. It is a fitting choice for a story built around secrets, disappearance, and the possibility of something supernatural.
Six decades later, “Season of the Witch” still thrives on the same irresistible combination: a groove that pulls you closer and a mystery that keeps you listening. Donovan cast quite a spell in 1966—and it has yet to wear off.
Donovan (1966)
Alanis Morissette (2026)
