Castin' My Spell

The highly unusual lyrics of 'Castin My Spell'.
( E & A Johnson )

I took a cavebat, black cat, threw them in the pot, pot, pot, pot, pot, pot I took a blue snake, green snake, tied them in a knot, knot, knot, knot, knot, knot I took a hogs' jaw, dogs paw, hung them on the line, line, line, line, line, line I took a horse hair, green pear, made a pretty sign, sign, sign, sign, sign, sign I'm castin' my spell on you I'm castin' my spell on you Castin' my spell on you You'll never, never be untrue I took a goat's tooth, an old shoe, hid them in the ground, ground, ground, ground, ground, ground I took an old dish, a starfish, made a pretty sound, sound, sound, sound, sound, sound I took a goose egg, frogs leg, laid them in a sack, sack, sack, sack, sack, sack I got a Hindu Satu Genie on the back, back, back, back, back, back I'm castin' my spell on you I'm castin' my spell on you Castin' my spell on you Ah, you'll never ever be untrue (Instrumental break) I took a cavebat, black cat, threw them in the pot, pot, pot, pot, pot, pot I took a blue snake, green snake, tied them in a knot, knot, knot, knot, knot, knot I took a hogs' jaw, dogs paw, hung them on the line, line, line, line, line, line I took a horse hair, green pear, made a pretty sign, sign, sign, sign, sign, sign I'm castin' my spell on you I'm castin' my spell on you Castin' my spell on you You'll never, never be untrue, ah Never ever be untrue Oh you'll never never be untrue You'll, never never be untrue Whoah, never ever be untrue Come on, never ever be untrue (Improvise to fade)

Versions of the 'B'-Side of MyBabe, 'CASTIN' MY SPELL'.
(Really a double-A side single, and guess what - because of the groove they put down and the wonderful solo and chord-work throughout by Mick Green, i rate ThePirates version as easily the best. It will be last in this selection, which begins with the original recording from 1959.)


The Johnson Brothers, (1959) >

Johnny Otis (1959) >

The Talismen ( Cheltenham, England ) 1966 >

The Blue Cats from 'TheTunnel' LP, 1992, a snarling, driving version from a terrific band >

Dave Berry, from the 1966 LP 'OneDozenBerrys' - a cheeky borrowing from Chuck Berry's 1958 LP 'OneDozenBerrys' ? >

The Measles (hoping they'd be catchy!) 1965, 'white-demo' >

A great Texas rockabilly version from Jesse Dayton and The Road Kings, live, from their 1997 album 'Live At the Satellite Lounge', with some interesting vocal moves >

The Tritons, (2000) who get SO close to ThePirates sound - and  their 'Shakin All Over' is excellent! >

And my pick, ThePirates 1963/4 recording/release and so-called 'B'-side to MyBabe >