Wicked Old Witch

Background

"Wicked Old Witch" is the ninth track of Deja Vu All Over Again, the seventh solo album of John Fogerty. The collection of songs was released in September 2004. It reached #23 in the USA and #1 in Sweden. 

Fogerty returns to backwoods and takes listeners "way back in the swamp" in "Wicked Old Witch" which starts with an eerie banjo intro.  The swamp rocker right from Fogerty's comfort zone was again inspired by his baby daughter’s love for her Wizard of Oz DVD. They were watching it like three times each day, and she was just fascinated by the Wicked Witch (Interview with John Fogerty, The Washington Times, November 11th, 2004). 

Personnel

Vocals, guitars, banjo, percussion, "spooky" keyboard: John Fogerty

Drums: Kenny Aronoff

Bass: David Santos

Collector's notes

"Wicked Old Witch" was also released as a promotional CD single in the USA in 2005.  

Live versions

Fogerty didn't play "Wicked Old Witch" too many times during the Deja Vu All Over Again Tour. He delivered it in less than one dozen concerts in North America in November and December 2004 and in Europe next March. Concert audience witnessed the world premiere at Fox Theatre in Bakersfield, California, on November 30th.   

The banjo intro was not included in the concerts. 

Critical reception

"But Fogerty is really back in his element on "Wicked Old Witch," which stirs his swampy guitar sound into a brew just as potent as "Green River." After all these years, the singer is still at his best when  he  sticks  close  to  his roots." -Jim Abbott, The Orlando Sentinel, September 17th, 2004.  

"You get some very very generic, but funny swamp rock ('Wicked Old Witch'), with Fogerty spookily, but not too seriously threatening the common man with the involvement of female incarnations of the Devil's servants ---."  -George Starostin. 

"Fogerty seems to parody himself on this track. The music is effective swamp rock with guitar bursts, quivering runs, and hard-strummed chords. --- However, the song fails lyrically and vocally. He delivers the vocals with a grin and without any sense of intimadation, urgency, or mystery as he does on his best swamp rock. At times, he places an echo on his voice and elsewhere he attempts a sinister laugh - heavy-handed techniques. He sings, too high in the mix, about a "swamp witch" who lives in a haunted house, flies on a broomstick, and frightens sinners and gunslingers. The lyrics resemble a trite Halloween novelty song or a number on a Disney soundtrack." -Thomas M. Kitts, John Fogerty: An American Son, 2015.  

Fans' views

"For me this is the best song from Deja Vu album. There are some things: like in the middle solo: it goes down, not up like so many other JF solos."

"After Born On the Bayou, it is John's best swamp song. Love the guitar work and I even dubbed my own extended version for my listening pleasure."

"This song ranks right up there with the best of CCR. I just wish he would have really jammed on it. It could have been twice as long as it was."

"Good lyrics, it works."

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