"Witchyman"

A song that perfectly ties together magic and the Other.

By: Liliana Ogden

The song "Witchyman" by Cain Culto is a catchy, indie/alternative song that will surely get stuck in one's head. While it references to magic, witchcraft, and the occult, the song also acts as a tribute to anyone who has felt rejected or left out. Ultimately, "Witchyman" is an anthem for the Other.

The image above is Cain Culto's cover photo for his song "Witchyman."

Before diving into the two main topics below, look at the lyrics below to "Witchyman."

"Witchyman"
By: Cain Culto

Done boys lost it
He got a loose screw like a faucet 
And now it's about to blow up like a rocket
So kick him out the club somebody stop him 
Somebody- 
My man went coo coo
Must've played a Ouiji board doing voodoo
Heard he's sacrificing babies on a full moon
It's Illuminati magic out in full view
Don't let him fool you 
Oh hey yo
I saw him making calls on a payphone 
Shady business trying to stay low 
So you better run while you can 
And tell your friends tell your fam 
He's a witchyman 
Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy witchyman
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
Witchyman witchyman 
Don't drink the Kool-aid
Don't follow the pied piper when the flute plays
His mind control is spreading like a new plague 
So tie him up and burn him on a huge stake
Before it's too late 
Oh hey yo 
He clipped his wings and cut off his halo
He's burning down the house like it's Waco 
So you better run while you can
And tell your friends tell your fam 
He's a witchyman 
Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy witchyman
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
Witchyman witchyman 
Go ahead and gossip'bout me
The whole town talking 'bout me 
Tie a boulder to my feet and
Watch the people drown me
If they can't kill me 
Go try to call the priest
But I know he won't be coming 
Cause he can't deliver me
Cause they infected my brain 
Its the reptilian race
Working with the CIA 
I'm a MK Ultra slave 
Yes they marked me with the beast 
I'm the one world currency 
Now I'm Illuminati 
Elon Musk invited me 
Oh hey yo 
You gon' do whatever I say so 
You're wasting time by trying to pray though 
See I don't think that you understand 
Now you're stuck in my trance 
Cause I'm the witchyman
He's a witchyman 
Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy witchyman
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
Witchyman witchyman 
Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman 
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
He's a witchyman (Witchy-witchy-witchy-witchy-witchyman)
Witchyman witchyman 

"Witchyman" Addresses Salem Witch Stereotypes

The song "Witchyman" makes many comparisons to how witches in Salem were viewed.

1. "Witches are often "crazy" or mentally unstable."

2. "Witches sacrifice babies."

3. "Witches are often shady."

4. "Witches can control one's mind."

5. "Witches are connected to the Devil."

To sentence witches to death, individuals in Salem needed to be convinced that the witches were evil or at least capable of doing bad things. By spreading rumors, such as the ones listed, people became afraid of witches. Therefore, community members could more easily band together and convict someone of being a witch. However, although the song makes many accurate references to witch stereotypes in Salem, it does have one significant difference: the song portrays a man as a witch rather than a female. In Salem, only females were capable of being witches. Besides that one difference, the music accurately discusses how witches in Salem were viewed.

The Other

Interestingly enough, creating "Witchyman" was a way for Culto to support and connect with anyone who identifies as the Other.

'"Essentially it's for anyone that can relate to the feeling of being rejected, being ostracized, being misunderstood," says indie artist Cain Culto.

As discussed in class (Spellbound: Witches, Witchcraft, and Witch Hunts taught by Dr. Williams at TCU), "the Other is an individual who is perceived by the group as not belonging, as being different in some fundamental way" (Self and Other). The Other is often excluded and condemned for being different in many cases. For example, the Salem Witch Trials were a way for the community to deal with those considered the Other. Those accused of being a witch in Salem were most likely different in some way, such as being a single woman or even having birthmarks. Salem community members were uncomfortable with those being different from them, so they would accuse them of being witches and either execute them or lock them up in jail. Overall, "Witchyman" is a perfect song to encapsulate the idea of Othering, especially about witches.