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"Ballad of the Witches' Road" is a song composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with its versions performed by several different artists.

The True Crime Version was performed by Matthew Mayfield in the Agatha All Along episode Seekest Thou the Road.

The Sacred Chant Version was performed by Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, and Patti LuPone in the Agatha All Along episode Circle Sewn With Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate.

Lorna Wu's Version was performed by Seo Moon Tak in the Agatha All Along episodes If I Can't Reach You / Let My Song Teach You and Familiar by Thy Side.

The Cover Version was performed by Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, and Joe Locke in the Agatha All Along episode If I Can't Reach You / Let My Song Teach You.

The Pop Version was performed by Japanese Breakfast in the Agatha All Along episode Maiden Mother Crone.

Nicky's Version was performed by Abel Lysenko in the Agatha All Along episode Maiden Mother Crone.

The Agatha Through Time Version was performed by Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, and Patti LuPone in the Agatha All Along episode Maiden Mother Crone.

History[]

Alleged Origins[]

The Ballad of the Witches' Road is an ancient song passed down through generations of witches, serving as both a map to and legend about the mythical Witches' Road.[1]

True Origins[]

In 1756 after killing a coven of witches, Agatha Harkness and her son were escaping their previous town to find their next target. While on the road, Scratch began humming a tune and then created lyrics to it; "down, down, down the road, down the wind-y road". From there, he and his mother began to tweak and tinker with the song until they had crafted the Ballad of the Witches' Road. Scratch performed the song in taverns, making money and attracting witches for his mother to feed on, as well as spreading legends of the Road.

Immediately after Scratch's passing, Harkness was approached by a young witch hoping to access the Road due to hearing Harkness sing the Ballad over Scratch's grave. Noticing an opportunity to feed, Harkness agreed to take the witch to the Road, but only after assembling a coven. After performing the Ballad, Harkness berated the coven until they attacked her, allowing her to feed on their power. Throughout the centuries, Harkness continued this scheme, with at least three additional covens dying by her hand.[2]

Throughout this time, the legend of the Road flourished, reaching Sicily, China,[3] and even the afterlife, with Harkness' own mother learning of the Road, though she was unaware that it did not exist and that her own daughter and grandson created it.[4]

Lorna Wu[]

In recent times, Lorna Wu recorded her own version of the Ballad with her band, Lorna Wu and the Coral Shore, in order to use it as a protection spell for her daughter, Alice Wu-Gulliver, against their familial curse. Considering her audiences to be her Coven, Lorna was able to make the song a hit, selling 40 million copies worldwide, ensuring that the song would be played constantly and protecting Alice.[3][5]

True Crime[]

While trapped in the Scarlet Witch's punishment as Detective Agnes O'Connor, the witch Agatha Harkness hummed the song to herself, and even modified it into a theme song for her true crime-themed reality, Agnes of Westview.[6]

Lyrics[]

True Crime Version[]

Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Wherever it may bend
I see you at the end

The Road is wild and wicked
Winding through the wood
Where all that's wrong is right
And all that's bad is good
Through many miles of tricks and trials
We'll wander high and low
Tame your fears, the door appears
The time has come to go

Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Down, down, down the Road
Down the winding Road
Wherever it may bend
I see you at the end

Sacred Chant Version[]

Seekest thou the Road
To all that's foul and fair
Gather sisters fire, water, earth and air

Darkest hour, wake thy power
Earthly and divine
Burn and brew with coven true
And glory shall be thine

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Circle sewn with fate
Unlock thy hidden gate

Marching ever forward 'neath the wooded shrine
I stray not from the path
I hold Death's hand in mine...

Primal night giveth sight
Familiar by thy side
If one be gone, we carry on
Spirit as our guide...

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Blood and tears and bone
Maiden Mother Crone

The road is wild and wicked
Winding through the wood
Whеre all that's wrong is right
And all that's bad is good
Through many miles of tricks and trials
We'll wander high and low
Tame your fears, a door appears
The time has come to go

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Follow me, my friend
To glory at the end

Lorna Wu's Version[]

I have learned the lesson
Of all that's foul and fair
Our love was forged in fire
Water, earth and air
The spell is cast, how long it lasts
I cannot divine
The Road is there, and so I dare
To risk this heart of mine

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Follow me, my friend
To glory at the end

I have known the power
Of midnights in the woods
I danced inside the circle
Of all that's bad and good
The danger's great, the trials wait
For those that seek the prize
Tame your fears, the door appears
To love that never dies

As we go
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Blood and tears and bone
Together and alone

If I can't reach you
Let my song teach you
All you need to keep our love alive
If I can't hold you
Remember what I told you
It's the only way we survive
We survive

The Road is wild and wicked
Winding out of time
Still we face our fortune
Chasing the sublime
What's lost is found
What's fierce is bound
We're broken and we're burned
But take a breath
And dance with Death
My love cannot be turned

As we go
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down, down, down)
Wherever it may be bend
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end

Cover Version[]

I have learned the lesson
Of all that's foul and fair
Our love was forged in fire
Water, earth and air
The spell is cast, how long it lasts
I cannot divine
The Road is there, and so I dare
To risk this heart of mine

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Follow me, my friend
To glory at the end

I have known the power
Of midnights in the woods
I danced inside the circle
Of all that's bad and good
The danger's great, the trials wait
For those that seek the prize
Tame your fears, a door appears
To love that never dies

As we go
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Blood and tears and bone
Together and alone

If I can't reach you
Let my song teach you
All you need to keep our love alive
If I can't hold you
Remember what I told you
It's the only way we survive
We survive

The Road is wild and wicked
Winding out of time
Still we face our fortune
Chasing the sublime
What's lost is found
What's fierce is bound
We're broken and we're burned
But take a breath
And dance with Death
My love cannot be turned

As we go
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down, down, down)
Wherever it may be bend
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end

Pop Version[]

I have learned the lesson
Of all that's foul and fair
Our love was forged in fire
Water, earth and air
The spell is cast, how long it lasts
I cannot divine
The Road is there, and so I dare
To risk this heart of mine

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Blood and tears and bone
Together and alone

If I can't reach you
Let my song teach you
All you need to keep our love alive
If I can't hold you
Remember what I told you
It's the only way we survive
We survive

The Road is wild and wicked
Winding out of time
Still we face our fortune
Chasing the sublime
What's lost is found
What's fierce is bound
We're broken and we're burned
But take a breath
And dance with Death
My love cannot be turned

As we go
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
Wherever it may bend
I'll see you at the end
I'll see you at the end

Nicky's Version[]

There's a Road that's wild and wicked
Winding through the wood
Where all that's wrong is right
And all that's bad is is good

Though many miles or tricks and trials
We wander high and low
Tame your fears
A door appears
The time has come to go

Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road

Follow me my friend
To glory at the end

Agatha Through Time Version[]

Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road
Down, down, down the Road, down the Witches' Road
Circle sewn with fate
Unlock thy hidden gate

Marching ever forward 'neath the wooded shrine
I stray not from the path
I hold Death's hand in mine...

Primal night giveth sight
Familiar by thy side
If one be gone, we carry on
Spirit as our guide...

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Blood and tears and bone
Maiden Mother Crone

The road is wild and wicked
Winding through the wood
Whеre all that's wrong is right
And all that's bad is good
Through many miles of tricks and trials
We'll wander high and low
Tame your fears, a door appears
The time has come to go

Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Down, down, down the road, down the Witches' Road
(Down the witches road, down the Witches' Road)
Follow me, my friend
To glory at the end

Trivia[]

  • Despite not being a version of the Ballad, Agatha's Theme (the theme song to Agatha All Along) features both a choir's vocalizations of "The Road", as well as matching instrumental bursts, in descending notes, a nod to the line "Down, down, down the road" present in every version.

Video[]

External Links[]

References[]

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