Every Friday throughout September and October I’ll be adding new songs to my Fat Witch Fall playlist on Spotify – this week I added 8 songs to celebrate the Autumn Equinox – also known as Mabon, one of the 8 witch’s Sabbats. The songs bid a final farewell to the dog days of summer, and welcomes the beautiful melancholy of fall. A popular story to tell around this time of year is that of Persephone, her abduction by Hades the god of the underworld, her mother’s total freak out over it, and finally Persephone’s ascent to Queen of the Underworld. Remember kids, don’t take pomegranate seeds from strangers!
Meet Me on the Equinox
Death Cab for Cutie
This song is my favourite thing to come out of the Twilight Franchise. It was featured on the soundtrack for New Moon, and like the rest of the soundtrack, is surprisingly excellent.
This song is all about love, balance, and the cycles of life and death.
Everything, everything ends.
Dog Days are Over
Florence + The Machine
This energizing song with apocalyptic and yet somehow hopeful vibes is a perfect way to say goodbye to our own Dog Days of Summer, specifically the time between July early September when the constellation of Canis Major can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere. Though the horses sound like the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, they could also refer to constellations! By mid-September the spot where Canis stood is now occupied by the constellations of Equuleus and then Pegasus.
Persephone
Tamino
We begin our descent into the underworld with this sultry and sad track tells the story of Persephone being sucked into the ground after stopping to pluck a narcissus flower. Hades had decided he wanted Persephone, and plotted with other deities to make it happen. After some time in the world of the dead, Persephone caved to hunger and ate 6 pomegranate seeds offered to her by Hades. The food of the dead. From that moment on, Persephone would have to spend half the year with the dead, and half the year with her mother Demeter – the goddess of grain and growth.
A Handsome Stranger Called Death
FOE
This song presents the god of the dead like a modern satanic figure – wearing a dark suit, followed by a black dog, and handsome as hell. We all get hypnotized by someone with bad bitch energy sometimes.
Pomegranate Seeds
Julian Moon
Kore, Kore, fauna and flora
How did you get your throne? (Hey!)
You made a deal
You traded daffodils
For a kingdom of ash and bone
Like most Greek and Roman tales, all of these characters have multiple names. Persephone is also known as Kore. Her mother Demeter is also known as Ceres, and Hades is of course Pluto. This is another song that equates him with a very handsome devil – which I dig. In this one Persephone tries to bargain for sunshine and flowers and is having trouble getting used to her new life.
A Little Wicked
Valerie Broussard
This song isn’t specifically abotu Persephone, but I always think of her when I hear it, as it provides the modern (slightly more feminist) ending to the tale of Persephone, in which she accepts her fate and becomes a benevolent Queen of the Dead. As a fun link to the devil, this song was featured in an episode of Lucifer!
Cause I am, I am a little wicked
I am, yes, I am
Hands red, hands red just like he said
I am a little wicked
No one calls you honey when you’re sitting on a throne
3 Libras
A Perfect Circle
My witchy teenage ass was OBSESSED with A Perfect Circle, and this song in particular.
We’ve entered the season of LIBRA, the sign of balance, justice, beauty, and relationships. It’s an air sign ruled by Venus, and it considered to be the most beautiful sun sign. In this song we hear Maynard make a desperate plea to a lover, begging them to notice his overt signs of affection. Desperate and sad love songs with a music video featuring a threesome with three models (I wonder if the models actually ARE libras?) is the most Libra thing I can possibly imagine.
I Put a Spell on You
Brian Reitzell ft. Mark Lanegan
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: every single version of ‘I Put a Spell on You’ is the best song ever. This version was featured in American Gods and the latin-style intro and instruments throughout, with the super bonus of Mark Lanegan from Screaming Trees. It’s fall, witches, IT’S TIME TO GET WITCHY AS HELL.
Paige Vanderbeck, The Fat Feminist Witch 
Good post. I certainly love this site. Continue the good work!
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