Donovan (Donovan Phillips Leitch, born 10 May 1946, in Maryhill, Glasgow), is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music. Donovan came to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the pop TV series, Ready Steady Go!, and his popularity spread to the USA and other countries.
Donovan was the first artist to be signed to CBS/Epic Records by then-new Administrative Vice President Clive Davis, who later became head of the CBS Record empire.
Donovan was one of the leading British recording artists of his day. He produced a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970. He became a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones, Bruce Springsteen, and The Beatles, and was one of the few artists to collaborate on songs with the Beatles. He influenced both John Lennon and Paul McCartney when he taught them his finger-picking guitar style in 1968.
"Season of the Witch" is a song by Donovan first released in September 1966 on his Epic Records (USA) album, Sunshine Superman. In the United Kingdom, it was first released as a single, by Donovan, a-side by The Pandamonium in November 1966 (CBS 202462). Donovan's version was only released in June 1967 on the Pye Records compilation Sunshine Superman.
The recording features Bobby Ray on bass and "Fast" Eddie Hoh on drums. The run-time for the song is 4:56, unusual for an era when the typical pop song ran perhaps 2:30.
LYRICS:
When I look out my window,
many sights to see.
And when I look in my window,
so many different people to be.
That its strange.
So strange.
You got to pick up every stitch.
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 over my shoulder,
what do you think I see?
Summer kept lookin over his shoulder at me.
And hes strange,
sure is strange.
You got to pick up every stich,
you got to pick up every stitch, yeah.
Beatnicks 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 got to pick up every stitch,
the rabbits runnin in the ditch.
Beatnicks 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.
Its strange,
sure is strange.
You got to pick up every stitch,
you got to pick up every stitch,
two rabbits runnin 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.