Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alt-country band formed by three siblings fro… Read Full Bio ↴Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alt-country band formed by three siblings from the Timmins entertainment family (Margo Timmins, vocals; Michael Timmins, songwriter & guitars; Peter Timmins, drums) plus Alan Anton on bass. The group formed in Toronto in 1986. The band's name was simply a random choice as they approached their first ever gig, but it has come to perfectly represent their sound. (Some sources may credit Townes Van Zandt's song "Cowboy Junkies Lament" as the source of the band's name, but that song was written especially for Cowboy Junkies several years after they coined the name.)

The Trinity Session is perhaps their best known record, recorded live in a single day on a single microphone in a church in Toronto. This album also included a unique cover version of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane". Reed reportedly liked the Junkies' version of the song better than his own, and began performing their version in concert.

None of the band's subsequent albums have been hits outside of Canada, although the band has maintained a dedicated following and have continued to have chart hits in their native country. Following their 1998 album Miles from Our Home, Cowboy Junkies were dropped from their major label contract. They have continued to release albums on their own independent label, Latent Records.

Witches
Cowboy Junkies Lyrics

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There are witches in the hills calling my name
Saying come join us sister, come kiss the flame
Come dance in the moonbeams, ride the night wind
Make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins
I shiver with delight, I shiver with fear
My heart wants to go but my soul's filled with fear
So I turn to my lover and ask what do I do
Do I answer their call or stay here with you

But under spell of deep sleep he moans and turns away
Taking his protection and my desire to stay

So I rise to the hill tops, I ride the night winds
I make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cowboy Junkies' song "Witches" tell the story of a woman who hears the call of witches in the hills, enticing her to join them in their mystical and dark practices. They beckon her to "come dance in the moonbeams, ride the night wind" and "make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins." While her heart wants to explore this unknown world, her soul is torn with fear of the unknown. She turns to her lover for guidance, but he is asleep and does not offer any comfort or advice. In his absence, she decides to answer the call of the witches and travels to the hilltops to indulge in their forbidden pleasures.

At its core, the song explores the seductive nature of the unknown and the fear that often accompanies taking a leap of faith. The woman is lured by the witches' promises of excitement and adventure, but she is also aware of the risks that come with stepping outside of her comfort zone. Ultimately, she chooses to explore this new world, leaving behind her lover and the safety he represents.

Line by Line Meaning

There are witches in the hills calling my name
The singer hears witches' voices calling out her name as if inviting her to join them on some sort of adventure.

Saying come join us sister, come kiss the flame
The witches specifically call out to the singer, addressing her as 'sister' and inviting her into their magical world.

Come dance in the moonbeams, ride the night wind
The witches continue their invitation, beckoning the singer to dance in the moonlight and join them on a daring nocturnal journey.

Make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins
The offer becomes more suggestive, as the witches invite the artist to indulge her darker desires and join them in embracing the mysteries and pleasures of life.

I shiver with delight, I shiver with fear
The artist has mixed feelings about the invitation and feels both thrilled and scared of what might happen.

My heart wants to go but my soul's filled with fear
The singer's emotions are in conflict, with her heart drawn to the witches' call but her soul feeling hesitant and afraid.

So I turn to my lover and ask what do I do
The singer seeks counsel from her partner, unsure of what decision to make.

Do I answer their call or stay here with you
The artist poses the question to her lover, wondering whether she should follow her desires or stay with her partner.

But under spell of deep sleep he moans and turns away
The artist's lover is unresponsive and does not give her an answer, acting as if under a spell of sleep.

Taking his protection and my desire to stay
The artist realizes that if she stays with her lover she will be safe and protected, but doing so means sacrificing her desire to chase adventure.

So I rise to the hill tops, I ride the night winds
In the end, the singer decides to take the witches' offer and venture into the unknown.

I make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins
By embracing the witches' offer, the artist is able to find fulfillment and happiness by stepping outside of society's norms and restrictions.

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