#FatWitchFall Friday Update! 🍎

Every Friday throughout September and October I’ll be adding new songs to my Fat Witch Fall playlist on Spotify – this week I added 9 songs with back to school vibes for all you smart lil’ witches..

First up is We’re Going to be Friends, an adorably charming song about two little best friends on their first day of school! Though it’s got a sweet lullaby kind of vibe, it’s also very upbeat and perfect for both walking and just singing along. Jack Johnson did a great little cover of this song for the Curious George Soundtrack (which is excellent because Jack Johnson is excellent) so you might already know it. Back to School time, for me, is so nostalgic and brings my inner child out to play.

I didn’t know this song before I started working on this playlist, but it’s got a very soulful pop vibe that is beautiful in the morning – and again a great beat for walking. It doesn’t sound like a sad song, and yet you can tell it’s not necessarily a happy song either – which is perfect for fall. It’s time for our inner children to start growing up!

“You Better Get Up For Your Mama
You Better Grab The Best Of Your Life
I Know You’re Ready
To Get Older
Anyhow“

Yes. Yes, this is the theme song to popular comedy Welcome Back, Kotter and you’re honestly just going to have to trust me on this one. Not only is this song just delightful, Welcome Back, Kotter is like SO GOOD. Gabe Kaplan plays a teach who returns to his high school in Brooklyn to teach a remedial class full of kids that call themselves the Sweathogs. These kids are considered complete morons (because some of them are) and totally unteachable. The principal hates them and thinks there’s no point in taking their education seriously. Mr. Kotter of course was the OG Sweathog back in his day when he needed remedial classes, which eventually lead to him having a great life. His cool ass wife Julie wore big round 70s sunglasses even in-doors and the sweathogs were absolutely hilarious. John Travolta famously started on the show, and the guy who plays Horshack is so goddamn funny, y’all. I watch a lot of match game from the 1970s and his episodes were always so fun.
Wow. My bad. I straight up just love Welcome Back, Kotter.

Let’s just get something straight right now – this is not the last song by Ms. Badu that will eventually appear on this playlist. Her voice is incredible, she is soulful and spiritual, tough, and emotional. In Appletree she exclaims that she has wisdom which she is willing to give freely, but if you can’t be down with who she is – you’re not getting it. You don’t get the best of her without giving it in kind. She is, of course, referencing the Tree of Knowledge and Eve claiming knowledge and wisdom for herself in Eden. This is one of my favourite to listen to while reading tarot.

“I told him I’m a Virgo,
He said “me too, honey, see, you’re the world to me, “
Told him I’m a virgin,
He said “I know, baby, let me teach you everything, ” “

Welcome to Virgo season, witches!

This is just a really beautiful instrumental track that has a great vibe for riding the bus to school in the morning – whether that’s a school bus or city bus. It’s got that faint rocking vibe that’s great for sleepy morning commutes.

Ok so I like the White Stripes, but I also love the mix of desperation and direct communication in this song’s lyrics. Jack has a girl who’s depressed and sad, and he’s begging her to talk to him and open up. He wants to fix her, fix her problems, be her hero. It’s sweet but also not so sweet. In magic, apples represent love and magic, wisdom and knowledge – and are also considered the food of the dead. We all walk that line between life and death.

OK LET’S LIGHTEN THE VIBE A LITTLE, SHALL WE? EW&F are absolutely excellent. This is a song to dance to, celebrate to. It mentions the 21st of september, which is the last day of summer before the Autumn Equinox. Though it’s a fun dancing song, it also talks about remembrance multiple times – remembering those we love, and times that made us feel things.

I mean… obviously. It wouldn’t be a fat witch playlist without Lizzo! This song is the best for getting up in the morning and getting ready so you can feel GOOD AS HELL for the rest of your day. It’s also fun, empowering, and super fun to sing and dance along to. The video features a bunch of women getting their hair done and hanging at the salon encouraging and laughing with each other. Get out there and make some cool, fat, new friends, witches! You’ll notice ‘Scuse Me, also off of Coconut Oil, was already on the playlist.

Now before I let you run off and start jamming out under some falling leaves, I also want to mention a few of the songs that were already on the list that I think you’ll really love!

Ok so when it comes to this incredible new song by Brooklynn, I’m gonna need you to watch the video and actually interact with it, because it’s AWESOME. It features real practicing witches from the Atlanta area and at the end of the video you have some cool options to keep it going. It is so fun and so witchy.

The we have Venus by Santo & Johnny. These brothers played a mean steel guitar and their song Sleepwalk has been featured in all manner of spooky yet romantic tv moments. Friday is sacred to Venus and other love goddesses like Freya, so this song is great background for any love spells you take on today.

Hush Now by Over the Rhine is also called “Stella’s Tarantella” and is a great follow up if you got hooked on the stories of the Tarantella in yesterday’s Interview with Mallorie Vaudoise on the podcast! (which you can, of course, also find on Spotify!)