Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: singer-songwriter
Song Meaning of “The Witch of the Westmorland” by Stan Rogers
The Witch of the Westmorland is a song about the dangers of believing in old superstitions and allowing fear and hearsay to rule over knowledge and reason. The protagonist of the song is a young man, likely from the Westmorland region of northern England, whose father warns him about the dangers of believing in the old superstitions of the Witch of Westmorland. The father tries to reason with his son—to divulge the truth behind the superstition and make him aware that the witch is nothing more than a threat to personal wellbeing and a hindrance in his life’s journey.
The witch is presented as a mysterious force of nature, and the son quickly discovers that she only appears in his life when he is taking risks or doing something that goes against the mainstream. The son is intrigued and tempted by this dark force and only through the help of his father’s wise counsel is he able to resist her spell.
Ultimately, the song is a cautionary tale about not allowing fear to drive your life and learning to recognize when things are not as they seem. The message is clear—while the power of superstition can be dangerous, knowledge and logic should always be preferred.