This list provides a thorough list of songs about magic and the supernatural.
People have always been naturally attracted to the mysterious nature of magic and the supernatural. Songs about magic are mainly used as metaphors for love. However, many still try to tap into the very nature of magic itself.
1. “Rhiannon” – Fleetwood Mac
The lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, often incorporates ethereal themes into her songs, and Rhiannon is no exception. The song talks about a mystical woman who flies through the sky. It also features elements of love in it. The character of Rhiannon is based on the novel Triad, where a woman is possessed by a witch named Rhiannon. Nicks later found out that Rhiannon is actually a Welsh goddess. Nicks would base other songs on this legend as well.
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2. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” – The Police
Sting wrote this song 5 years before The Police officially recorded the song. He wasn’t even a part of the band The Police yet. The song is about a man who has trouble expressing his feelings for his love interest and constantly fantasizes about them being together, but he can’t build up the courage to tell her how he feels. So instead, he depicts everything she does as wonderful. This story has the potential to come across as both sweet and creepy at the same time. This song rose to become the top ten of many charts.
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3. “Wear Your Love Like Heaven” – Donovan
This song does an excellent job of using psychedelic beats to give the impression of a mystical or supernatural element. You’d think this would be something done often since psychedelic rock naturally carries an otherworldly tune, but this wasn’t the case. Donovan was one of, if not the first, to do this. Everything about this song stimulates senses of the supernatural using nature, colors, and references to supernatural beings like God and Allah. This song was used in an episode of the Simpsons when Homer takes a certain medicinal herb…
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4. “Close to the Edge” – Yes
The inspiration for this song came from arguably the greatest fantasy book of all time, The Lord of the Rings. Another novel, Siddhartha, also influences some of the lyrics, particularly the title. Both works heavily feature magic and supernatural elements to which writers Jon Anderson and Steve Howe were drawn. This song is about 20 minutes long, providing the listener with a thorough song experience filled with themes of relaxation, rising above yourself, and being close to the edge of universal experiences. The song was meant to capture so much about spirituality, and for most people, it did.
5. “Fairy Tale Lullaby” – John Martyn
You’d think this song comes right out of a fairy tale.
John Martyn expertly combines old-fashioned folk music with enchanting lyrics to create a truly magical experience. This song sounds like it was written for a kids’ show because it portrays magic, fantastical and innocent. However, you don’t have to be a child to enjoy this simple and innocent depiction of magical creatures and other mystical elements.
6. “Witches Hat” – The Incredible String Band
This song is as charming and nonsensical as you’d expect actual magic to be. Although it is a short song, it packs in delightful imagery of a witch’s hat with other random acts of enchantment to the tune of the mystical medieval music of old. It appeals to children just as much as adults, especially if you’re the type to appreciate medieval history. Maybe you’ll soon hear this song played at your local Renaissance fair.
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7. “Magic Man” – Heart
This song narrates the story of a young girl falling in love with an older man who cast a spell on her. It turns out this story is based on the lead singer, Ann Wilson’s real-life drama with her boyfriend, who also happened to become the band manager. She stated that her mother helped her stay grounded as she went through this unwholesome teenage love spell. This song is highly relatable to many teenage girls caught under the spell of an older man.
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8. “Strange Magic” – Electric Light Orchestra
A beautiful metaphor for falling in love. The narrator describes his lover’s effects on him using enchanting imagery of soaring through the sky and meadows. The music features a unique arrangement of harmonies to make a sensually sweet tune. George Lucas created an animated fantasy jukebox musical of the same name in 2015 that featured many love songs set in a magical universe.
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9. “Magic” – Olivia Newton-John
There’s no outright mention of this being a song about magic, but the lyrics do advocate for a vague, almost supernatural presence that pushes you to achieve the best you can be. Maybe it’s a real entity, or maybe it’s the magic inside of you. Who knows? This song first appeared on the movie soundtrack Xanadu which featured themes of faith and destiny. While the film flopped, the song rose to #1 on the Hot 100 chart. The message this song expresses is encouraging and optimistic.
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10. “Superstition” – Stevie Wonder
Superstitions are a part of every culture, whether people seriously believe it or not. Stevie Wonder’s song conveys a warning to those who delve too deep into superstitions like broken mirrors and the number 13. The song was originally supposed to be Jeff Beck’s, but Wonder wrote his own lyrics with a riff, and the rest became history with two versions released. Wonder’s version becomes his second #1 hit, and it was also performed on Sesame street with a 7-minute performance. This would also be the biggest appearance of a star on the show.
11. “All The Magic” – Natalie Imbruglia
If you were a 90s girl, you might remember the magical cartoon tv show Winx. The stories revolved around a group of high school fairy friends fighting against the forces of evil. The popularity of the show gave way to many movies. The song was written specifically for the movie Winx Club: Secret of the Lost Kingdom. The song is a soft inspirational ballad fit for an early 2000s teen girl movie featuring the idea of waking up and having the freedom to explore and hope.
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12. “Witch Doctor” – David Seville
Who hasn’t heard of Alvin and the Chipmunks? Ross Bagdasarian, or as his stage name goes, David Sevill, created this wacky concept of singing chipmunk characters way back in the 50s, making this possibly the oldest song on the list. The story is about a jilted lover who goes to a witch doctor for advice. The song became a #1 hit that ended up saving his record studio. Originally, Ross didn’t feature the chipmunks in the first version but added them in later due to the popularity of the characters. The catchy tune will have you signing hours after you’ve heard it with that iconic witch doctor spell.
13. “Devil Woman” – Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard wrote this song during a time when supernatural movies such as The Exorcist were becoming popular. The story is about a man who is placed under a spell by an enchanted black cat. He then goes to a gypsy witch to find out how to break it. As it turns out, the witch is the one who put him under the spell in the first place. The song urges the listener to beware of the devil woman. However, the song doesn’t specifically say whether it is a love spell or not.
14. “I Put A Spell On You” – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Only an eccentric man such as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins could write such an unsettling score. Of course, it also didn’t help that Hawkins was completely drunk when he recorded it. The story is about a man who tries to cast a spell on his cheating lover. While most covers tend to try to tame this wild ride and turn it into a sweet love song, the original will always be there to prove it wasn’t mean to be taken that way at all. The song may lead you to believe a spell is actually cast when listening to Hawkins’ powerful voice.
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15. “A Kind of Magic” – Queen
There are a couple of versions of this song. One was written by Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor, for the movie Highlander as the ending theme. It featured a very different composition than what Freddie Mercury created for the album. The movie would help create a popular fantasy franchise equal to most superhero comics with different spin-offs and versions available. The song is very repetitive and uses the title over 17 times, referencing the main character’s immortality. It became platinum in Brazil.
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16. “The Magic Hour Is Now” – Hellogoodbye
The magic hour or “golden hour” refers to the time of day when photographers know the lighting of the sunset or sunrise will be at its best to capture the perfect picture. The song creates a metaphor for this phenomenon, comparing it to the magic of love. In this case, the narrator is falling out of love like the sunset but knows that love will come again with the sunrise during the magic hour.
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17. “Love Potion No. 9” – The Searchers
Like most songs about magic and love, the story revolves around a man wanting to find love and seeking a magic woman to help him. She gives him a potion which causes him to fall in love with everything he sees until a policeman breaks the bottle. A movie based on this song was made in 1992, starring Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan. The premise for the movie stays true to the story of the original song.
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18. “Three Is a Magic Number” – Blind Melon
Maybe you heard this song before on the ever-popular School House Rock. While that song specifically was made for the program series, a group of bands created covers for most of the songs. Blind Melon recreated the song originally written by Bob Dorough to teach kids about the number 3. The song has multiplications and references things that come in three, including the birth of a new baby to a young couple’s life, creating 3 for a family. What better way to teach kids about numbers than to sing about all the wonderful and magical things associated with it.
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19. “Puff the Magic Dragon” – Peter, Paul, & Mary
The rumor surrounding this song had to do with certain substances, despite the band claiming otherwise. Peter Yarrow wrote the song to signify the loss of childhood innocence. The song is geared more towards children with a sweet melody and gentle theme but is still enjoyed by adults. Maybe it’s because of the controversy surrounding the confusion of the theme, or maybe the song really is that good. Still, it caused this song to become a pop culture referenced in shows like the Golden Girls and even a television series with the same name and premise.
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20. “Voodoo” – Godsmack
Out of all the songs about the supernatural on this list, Voodoo comes closest to being a real pagan ritual piece. The lead singer, Sully Erna, is an actual member of the Wiccan religion, and many of its influences are heard using various tribal percussion instruments featured throughout the song. Most people misinterpret the lyrics to be about certain substances, but Erna has repeatedly stated that it wasn’t and that he doesn’t even take these substances. The song’s tune is hypnotic, and if you’re not careful, you too will be put under its spell.
21. “Spanish Castle Magic” – Jimi Hendrix
If you ever drive through the city of Des Moines in Washington, you might catch a glimpse of the very clubhouse mentioned in the last song on our list, Spanish Castle Magic. The club was built in the 1930s as a secret club to avoid the strict laws Seattle had at the time. Jimi Hendrix would regularly visit the nightclub while he was in high school. The time he spent there influenced him to write this song purely describing his experience at the Spanish Castle. Maybe you too will want to experience the same thing.
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