Witchy Woman

"Witchy Woman" is a song written by Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, and recorded by the American rock band Eagles. Released as the second single from the band's debut album Eagles, it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and is the only single from the album to feature Henley on lead vocals.

Background and writing

"Witchy Woman" was started by guitarist Bernie Leadon who wrote it while he was a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers. After joining the Eagles, Bernie and Don Henley completed writing the song together, and it is only song that Henley wrote on the Eagles' debut album. The song was conceived while Don Henley was living in an old house near the Hollywood Bowl, with his flat mate, Henry Vine (aka 'Blitz'). Henley said of the origin of the song: "[Leadon] came over one day and started playing this strange, minor-key riff that sounded sort of like a Hollywood movie version of Indian music — you know, the kind of stuff they play when the Indians ride up on the ridge while the wagon train passes below. It had a haunting quality, and I thought it was interesting, so we put a rough version of it down on a cassette tape." Henley also gave the song an R&B pulse in its music.