Why Do Witches Wear Black? (Also: Book Recommendations and a Music Question)

[@alisongreen7576]

The Crock O’ Bollox would be a great name for a pub.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

It would be one of those Irish theme pubs, wouldn't it?

[@alisongreen7576]

It would definitely be themed- but maybe more of Ye Olde Englishe Meade Hoise” type nonsense- remember the court case about the Sex Pistols album and how they got away with it by dredging up some obscure academic who proved that Bollocks were medieval monks robes or something? Of course, a Sex Pistols themed pub would be WAAAAY better, obvs.

[@PumpkinLeaLeas]

I'd go!

[@singingmoon9022]

Yes! I’d go😂

[@francesquinn8091]

​@@GrumpyOldCrone❤ Irish person here. It would be SUCH a great name, fill it with all that fake 'Oirish' Quiet man crap....

[@alisongreen7576]

MASSIVE kudos to you for advising your viewers to always tell their doctors about any herbal medicines/ remedies/ supplements they are taking. I am a retired A&E doctor and you are absolutely correct that th3 interactions can be very significant. The “biggie” is St John’s Wort which speeds up the rate at which your liver breaks down most drugs, making them less effective. If you are taking “blood thinners” because you have an artificial heart valve or another condition where a blood clot could be fatal, it is vital your doctors know and can simply adjust your dose so your blood is thinned “enough” for your condition. At medical school, the first thing the pharmacology lecturer said on day one was “all drugs are poisons”. We were all shocked, but he meant “never give a drug without a careful assessment of the risk/benefit ratio”. Which, I discovered later, was absolutely excellent advice.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

The first time I visited a qualified medical herbalist, she took the most complete medical history I'd ever had taken, and she explained the contraindications between medicine that I was taking and herbal treatments. Far too many people think that because something is "natural" it won't kill them, and think that herbs are "harmless". Nopenopenope!

[@Etra-Era]

"all the subtlety of moo deng on a high protein diet" girl lmao i love listening to you ramble

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I love Moo Deng. The world needs a tiny, crabby hippopotamus right now.

[@brendasutton7156]

We were taught to wear black when working outside at night. One person was designated to be our "Man in Black", patroling the perimeter of the circle. We kept a couple of buckets of sand and water near the maleficent. If someone approached, warning was sounded, the fire was doused, hoods of cloaks were raised, and we "disappeared " into the woods. Granted, this was us practicing in the buckle of the Bible Belt in the 80s when we were all tucked away in the broom closet. Things lightened up in the 90s. Now we wear black because we got used to wearing black, but other robe colors were always there. I wear a lot of purple. Himself wears a good deal of red and burgundy. White, yellow, green at Beltaine. Blues and greens at the mids, the whole colour spectrum, really. But cloaks ... black, still black. (The dye of mine has faded over the years, and is a deep purple/black.)

[@brendasutton7156]

Grrrr...automumble! It changed balefire to maleficent! Argh!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I never thought of the colours changing with the wheel - that's a very good point! Also, your whole point proves what amazing privilege I have - I've never really had to worry about discovery in the same way. As I'm getting older and the hair is getting lighter and more two tone, I'm find that black suits me better and better.

[@jrochest4642]

Thank you for the "really effing expensive" comment at 4:24! The reason there's all those lovely atmospheric Tudor and Stuart portraits of wealthy merchants in deep black silks and velvets is that deep black was a huge signal of wealth and status. Goody Wittaker the witch, who lived in the old cottage with the bad thatch and only had three sick hens and a rather ratty old cat for company, would probably wear whatever she owned all at once, to keep warm. If you were an elderly woman with nobody of consequence to defend you it would probably be a comfort to be thought a witch, as the boys of the village would be less likely to burn your woodpile for sport if they thought you'd make their dicks fall off as a consequence.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

This. 100% this.

[@operationgoldfish8331]

According to the demon Google, medieval peasant clothing was mostly greys, browns and greens. I also remember hearing about witches flying around in their shifts, e.g. the Scottish 'cutty sark', which were likely to be plain linen, or without any clothing at all, which I suppose depends on the time of year.

[@jrochest4642]

@@operationgoldfish8331 Yep. Medieval dyes were generally natural colours from plants and sometimes minerals, and those are pretty neutral/dull, which Grumpy Old Crone explains later on in the video. All hail the re-enactors. I'm a former academic who used to teach/do research in the Tudor/Stuart period, but people who actually SEW medieval/Early modern clothing know these things cold.

[@rvanderjagt5944]

Yeah, I learned this when learning about the Puritans, people tended to wear natural dyes or undyed clothes for everyday work because no dying meant less cost and labor, and easier to wash. Black was for their Sunday best, if they even owned black clothes. There's an excellent video here on KZbin called "Getting Dressed in Early 17th Century Historical Clothing: 1600-1625" by Samantha Bullat that shows step by step getting dressed for both peasant and middle class in the early 17th century in *period accurate* clothing.

[@rvanderjagt5944]

It's also interesting to see just how much clothing back then was intended to keep the expensive and unwashable parts of the outfits and one's hair clean from sweat and dirt, and also protect one's skin from sunburn when working outdoors, which most people did. it wasn't just Puritanical modesty, there were very practical reasons. having purchased a pricey handmade Victorian corset that can only be spot cleaned, there's no way I'd wear it without a chemise or something underneath, or expose it to messy things without something over it.

[@vixendoe6943]

Also if you were married to a high born man, and outlived him, and he booned you with his inheritance. And you were unfortunate enough to have a neighbor who had eyes on that inheritance and you spurned his advances then you could find yourself accused of being a witch, losing not only your inheritance but being most horrendously unalived.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Sounds about right.... :-( Not an easy time to be a woman or a child.

[@vixendoe6943]

​@@GrumpyOldCroneTo true

[@resourcedragon]

I think that hits the nail right on the head! If you successfully accused a witch, you got -her- their property. Sometimes even a poor person may own something that you want, for example, if their land nibbles an awkward corner out of your estate, you might want it. Or you might get to rent her hovel out to someone else for a larger sum. So there were plenty of incentives to accuse people of witchcraft, particularly those who couldn't fight back who often happened to be older, widowed women. EDIT: There were a few men accused of witchcraft, but it tended to be more tokenistic because women were often easier targets. (The situation in southern Europe was different because "witch" was often a synonym for "we think this person is a crypto-Jew or a crypto-Moslem", and the Inquisition was into rooting out heresy. There victims tended to be about 50 - 50 male and female.)

[@vixendoe6943]

@@resourcedragon Exactly 💯

[@arnaudmenard5114]

In the beginning, sumac was mentioned... As a québec Boy, that often roam the woods and tinker about...I often make pink lemonade from our local specie of sumac! Also I love to carve the wood of staghorn sumac, it has beautiful shimmering greens and gold, with black and red rings...

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

That sounds so beautiful!

[@roberthubbard3302]

Hildegaard of Bingen is a great historical source for herbal lore and remedies.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Hidegard is totally my favourite Christian Mystic. Although I'm very fond of Julian of Norwich, too....

[@breakeverychain7]

And crystals!

[@breakeverychain7]

In yoga black is worn temporarily to protect oneself from very negative energy. For example thrown over a baby if a very powerful aghori comes to beg alms.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Now, THAT is interesting. Black as protective from an entirely different tradition. I kind of love being proved wrong!

[@breakeverychain7]

It only works temporarily bc it absorbs the bad energy and it has to be taken off before it can influence the wearer

[@veryberry100]

It's funny that black became popular for witches considering they usually have cats, and as a cat owner I know the work that goes into black clothing lol On a side note I jumped when you mentioned Funkyfrogbait because I love their content and just came from one of her videos! I would totally support your youtuber to rap career mostly because I'm imagining a grumpy witch themed diss track.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I love love love FFB’s content. Funny, cutting and true.

[@marlyd]

So witches wear black because their black cats' stray hairs wouldn't show up on their clothes?

[@Volundur9567]

​@@marlyd oddly enough, my black cat's hair still shows up on my black clothes.

[@veryberry100]

@@marlyd Personally I can't wear any black without hair showing up and a lot of lint rolling. Same with white too. I just think it's a lot of work for witches to wear all black!

[@stregamamma]

I also found you after watching a lot of FFB! KZbin must know that there is a demographic overlap. You two should collaborate.

[@Frozentoes]

Your hair is looking so nice!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I can promise you that it's cheap Aldi shampoo and conditioner and nothing more than that! Oh, and stopping colouring it has probably helped quite a lot, too!

[@ellacowin9974]

​@@GrumpyOldCroneI love the way your "roots" fade into the dyed bits!

[@breakeverychain7]

@@GrumpyOldCrone try henna Ramses used it too

[@alisongreen7576]

I said that on the last video and asked for Annie’s secret and the answer was “whatever is cheap in Aldi”. Dammit!

[@reclussa1665]

Not pagan but a while back the KZbin algorythm recommended me the music video for Storm by Otyken. They identify as siberian indigenous. I love the raw, gutteral energy of this song in particuar & think the pagan crowd would enjoy.

[@lauriehall7841]

Yule balls song... hahaha all week it pops in my head and crack up laughing

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Perfect!

[@KnittyKitty86]

Already inflicted yule böls om a coworker. 😂 Literally had him text back wtf? Wound up sharing the video with him.

[@TheMagnoliaWitch]

......I'll be honest, I wear a lot of black mostly because it's my favorite colour, it traps sunlight well on cold days to keep warm, it coordinates with anything, and it doesn't show stains or spills as easily as other colours. 😂 The so-called "tradition" never really played into it.

[@marlyd]

Really interesting when people are looking to start witchcraft to me because yeah, where do you start when your interest is just a blank label of 'witchcraft'? I got into witchcraft because I became interested in a number of things (tarot, moon cycles, meditation, connecting to nature, herbalism) and while researching this, I realised that those all fall under the umbrella of witchcraft. So it was more a discovery that the stuff I was pulled towards were all things loosely connected under witchcraft. So I also have a hard time guiding towards where to start because you need to know what you want out of witchcraft is what will lead you to where to start learning. It's like someone saying 'I want to start with yarn craft, where do I start learning?' Well, do you want to make clothes or stuffed animals? Do you want to make potholders or scarves or dresses or tapestries? What do you want to accomplish and then we can look at the type of craft that will get you there? Maybe that's shortsighted/closeminded of me but wanting to do withcraft for the sake of doing witchcraft seems like keeping idle hands busy. Though that can still turn into a meaningful practice if just reading about all kinds of crafts can turn into a real passion for it. I just don't know what to tell people when they make the blanket statement 'I want to do witchcraft, guide me to the starting point'. I may be starting to channel my own inner future grumpy crone at the ripe age of 37 😂

[@syddlinden8966]

I have to agree. My first interest was native medicines and astrology and I've expanded those through the years into gardening, wild tending, herbalism, and deep diving into natal charts. I also always love mythology growing up so leaning about deity had also become cute to my practice. So if someone asked me such s broad question about where they should start, my first reply would be "what makes you interested in the first place?" You kind of have to start at one spot and naturally learn outwards and it's frustrating when people try to get into the practice for aesthetic reasons and think that it's a simple, quick, purely aesthetic thing.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I think you're absolutely correct. Now I'm thinking about it, I think the most important thing is to know oneself, and move out from there. I understand a fascination with witchcraft, but which part? I just want to open a bottle of wine or put on the kettle and talk to them to find a corner to start to unwind their interest and define it enough to find a direction. Your point about "yarncraft" is very well made. There are so many things to learn and look at - we all need a direction to just start our journey.

[@Bubletraveler]

Okay okay, granny wetherwax hold the pinot! Where's the make up tips x you make me laugh so much, I agree there may not be black in tradition or acrylic capes but you are about to burst a blood vessel, breath breath breath. I love your rants sooooo much

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I'm just so rubbish with makeup I have come to a standstill! Maybe I should do something about the joy of Aldi shampoo....

[@mynarcolepticlife9187]

Important note about plants: buy area-specific books if you live in a warm climate. As a Floridian, many safe plants have incredibly toxic twins.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Living in a temperate zone, I absolutely bow to greater knowledge here!

[@suzz1776]

I really love the bands "faun" and "omnia"

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

YES! I love Faun and my husband introduced me to Omnia. Love them both!

[@AcademicMenace804]

Isn't the "pointy witch hat" Quaker in origin??? Abby Cox did a great video on it.

[@vixendoe6943]

I heard that the "witche's hat" was Welsh in origin.

[@operationgoldfish8331]

It's probably just traditional peasant headwear from the 1600s. If you look at old woodcut pamphlets from the time, everybody is wearing something that looks like the old 'pilgrim hat'.

[@SoulsJourney]

@@vixendoe6943 I'd read that somewhere, too.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

There are a lot of theories on it. The Quaker/Non-conformist hat isn't really pointy though. The Jewish Pileus was pointy. But then when you put it into context, there are a whole lot more questions. I think it's a whole lot easier to say what it *isnt'* than what it is.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Before the 1800s, there wasn't a Welsh National Dress and the hat that was so prevalent in today's "traditional" imagery wasn't worn. So I'm reasonably sure it wasn't that.

[@Sicthewolf]

I love Heilung and hope to see them in concert someday! I tried to get tickets for the Red Rock Amphitheater in Colorado but that sold out so fast. Also, probably getting more books for the collection, thank you so much for the recommendations!

[@marlyd]

I went last September and it was a meditative experience for sure. 10/10 recommend

[@Volundur9567]

Check out Kælan Mikla too! Icelandic witches who make music that spans genres from punk to darkwave. Heilung, Otyken, Faun, Omnia and Eihwaz are great too.

[@resourcedragon]

"The day I decided I didn't want to do it again I felt this huge relief which is generally a sign I find that I've made the right decision." Yes! Little addendum: if you are trying to make a decision between two things, assign one outcome to heads and another to tails and then flip a coin. Then, ask yourself, _"How do I _*_feel_*_ about the outcome of this coin flip?"_ That can help with clarifying your thoughts. (I think I originally read that in a Robert Heinlein novel but I wouldn't swear to it.) Looking forward to your favourite Yule song!

[@saladcatstudios1556]

"When Yule approaches with all the subtlety of Moo Deng on an all protein diet" Chef's kiss you incredible wordsmith. I'll be cackling over this quip for days

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I mean, who doesn't love a grumpy baby hippopotamus?

[@holdencornfield472]

honestly if anything, a black zara cardigan would only invite negative vibes and the fact that Mr. old crone loves swords is some deep lore that really makes sense

[@ankaretwells7618]

My first thought about witches appearing to wear black was 'because it's hard to do shades of colour in a woodcut print'.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

OMG. You might have hit the nail on the proverbial head there. It is such a simply elegant "occam's razor" kind of answer, and I've no idea why I didn't think of it. I hereby award you the "I Won the Internet Today" award!

[@midnightunicorn5139]

I wear black but I’ve never worn it because I’m a witch. I wear it because I feel comfortable in it. Though 🤔 I do like to throw in some blues and greens 😅 I like it when plant books have actual photos. I think people today try to do everything at once instead of focusing on one or two things. Corset Crone presents Yule Melodies…look forward to the songs 🎄I find Radom music on either KZbin or Spotify to play 🤔 like Celtic ambient music or nature sounds

[@DarkMoonEmporium]

My response to that meme was "it goes with everything and doesn't show the dirt".

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Emphatically better reasons to wear black than those stated in the meme itself!

[@DevonExplorer]

I'm not all that into pagan folk music but I do enjoy the raw Viking/Nordic pagan feel of Eivor and Waldrun...especially love them both performing with the Danish National Orchestra. Really, really powerful. I wear black most of the time, with the odd blue occasionally, as I really like it and everything matches. The funny reason I got back into witchcraft (I dabbled when much younger) was reading the Terry Pratchett books about the witches. I really wanted to be like Granny Weatherwax but I suspect I'm more like Nanny Ogg with a bit of Magret thrown in, lol. Great video, Annie. :)

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

One of these days I'll do a video about Pratchett's witches. I honestly think his writing was some of the best out there. I used to refer to myself as Magrat when I was younger (a bit of a wet hen), but then I thought maybe I'd hit my Granny Weatherwax years. I mentioned this to my adult son. He laughed hysterically and told me I was indisputably Nanny Ogg. I even own a banjolele...

[@DevonExplorer]

@@GrumpyOldCrone Brilliant, lol. Yes, for my son it was because of all the pints of beer I used to consume. Sadly can't drink now. Love to hear you talking about Terry Pratchett. The bit in Hogfather when Death talks about the sun not coming up if we didn't have belief always brings the tears to my eyes. :)

[@angelay1925]

Yay for the song video 😊 my Mr grumpy has a fabulous voice, in his life before me he was a Morris dancer, mummer,, folk singer and played a mandola (until he cut 2 fingers off in a bandsaw). His voice is amazing but its hard to get him to sing these days

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Wincing at the thought of the bandsaw accident! More men should sing. I wish I knew why they don't!

[@AndroullaJohnstone]

Just ordered the books - albeit from Amazon as I was in a rush and otherwise it would have been another thing I never got around to doing. Your reflections on black made me smile - I am Greek and grew up at a time when all widows wore head to toe black for the rest of their lives. They were like a group of chirpy little crows - it made me wonder when people made the change from everyday wear to black. I remember looking in my wardrobe (not widowed but merrily divorced) to find 20 black dresses - jettisoned them post covid. However black has crept in again in the form of baggy dungarees. Once again a lovely post - made time to watch with a cup of tea - bliss 😊

[@tatterpixie]

69 year old American queer crone here, and I wear black because I'm an old used goth XD I'm a pagan whose practice is informed by RJ Stewart's Fairy Trad, Charles DeLint's book Moonheart, the Fool tarot card, Coyote lore, and the Principia Discordia -- and I think you are an absolute treasure! So happy the algorithm turned you up!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Some of the people I love most in the world are gently used goths ;-) "Moonheart" (in fact all of CdL's work - Newford is just *chef's kiss*) is glorious. I am not familiar with RJ Stewart though, so going to go look that up now! So pleased to have you here!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Super brief google on RJ Stewart, and I am going to have to add some things to my reading list! THANKYOU!!!!!

[@tatterpixie]

@@GrumpyOldCrone aaa another CdL fan! I knew you had good taste ^__^ so happy to be here!

[@tatterpixie]

@@GrumpyOldCrone the first book of RJ Stewart's that I read back in the day was "Underworld Initiation", and that entire concept just resonated so hard with me. I think the title of the book's been changed, and some of the content updated like maybe 10 or so years ago, but the whole Fairy Trad is very primal and earth-centric, and it's all well worth a read. I'm an urban practitioner, so I adapt to my environment (that's where Coyote comes in XD) and it works for me ^__^

[@donnaackels5686]

Thank you for sharing your insights. My daughter and her wife stress on making mistakes and I do not live near by. I introduced your channel to them. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@amandag5072]

@8:10 Single women and widows can and did work. They were often housemaids or washerwomen. They could also earn money by spinnng yarn. Some were even midwives or herbalists.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Mmmmm. The issue with this is all very dependent on the time we are talking about. In the 16th-17th centuries, we are talking about a mostly agrarian society, where large scale employers just didn't exist. Some of the more affluent households in an area would have employed people, but nowhere near the scale needed to provide full time employment to the majority of single and widowed women. Also be aware about the drop of status for a woman who was widowed. Looking at the Belvoir Witches, we know from contemporary sources that Joan Flower was employed as "Mistress Flower" by the Duke of Rutland. When she was widowed, her status immediately dropped to "Goodwife Flower", and her employment was terminated. She could not find alternative employment anywhere else, which led to poverty, being ostracised by her community and then the inevitable outcome of the accusation and punishment of witchcraft. Women of this period mostly did their own washing and spinning - only those with significantly higher incomes could afford help of this kind, and even then the income it brought in was not enough to keep women at even a basic subsistence level. A basic knowledge of herbalism was expected for all housewives, along with the ability to grow plants for the medical needs of their households, the concept of the herbalist/midwife is a lovely one, but sadly not supported by the evidence of contemporary social history accounts.

[@peterratter6603]

Somewhere at the later side of the mid-90s I had an abortive first attempt at university. I fell in with the local goth contingent, and that was when I had my first exposure to Inkubus Sukkubus. I listened to their music for a couple of decades, and loved them; some of their songs I used as 'hymns' within my own practice (on one occasion of late night hitchhiking, the only vehicle I saw stopped and gave me a lift after a few hearty renditions of the coda to 'Belladonna & Aconite'; make of that what you will...). Just a few years ago, I had the opportunity to finally see them perform live, actually got to meet them, and they were lovely people.

[@thenerdycrone]

I must admit when it comes to music I do love a bit of Loreena MacKennit, Fleetwood Mac Stevie Nicks etc. I also love a bit of Nightwish too. In my 20s and 30s I was involved in several AmDram Groups performing in plays, musicals and Pantos etc. I used to sing first soprano but I havent sung since lockdown when the choir I was in disbanded. I've lost alot of confidence now, wish I could find it again and join another group.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Try googling “NVN choirs near me”. NVN singing communities are great at building confidence and giving space to everyone’s voices.

[@suetrollope6245]

Check out the band Blackmore's Night

[@arwenwestrop5404]

Wow, what an amazing 'rant' about black - I LOVE IT! Mainly because I really don't like black on people. Ravens and crows, yes, they are gorgeously glorious in their black feather garb, but people, no! So thank you for that! I shall also get Ali's books, they sound the best ever and I started with herbs when I was 12, so around the same age as Ali, except a few years earlier, when there wasn't quite so much information about it available, and Internet and computers were not yet really dreamed of! So please keep on grumping, I like your grumps1

[@angelay1925]

Yaaay, 8 minutes in and it's so lovely to discover someone as nerdy as us about historical clothes and dyes and stuff ❤❤❤

[@tiandao8503]

You can get a passable black dye for leather by combining iron filings with vinegar.

[@cirella1064]

This channel is my favorite for when Im feeling down. Thank you for your content lovely lady.

[@angelay1925]

1 baron was tried and executed for witchcraft (in the 15th century), Gilles de Rais but he is often depicted in blue as his coat of arms was blue

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

His trial transcript is hard to read. One of the earlier cases of an insane serial killer we have.

[@juliaogara8794]

A croak of b... I howled with laughter. You hit the nail on the head with so much that is written and also why I rarely look anything up. I only look at stuff that I am fairly sure is based on the best research that is available to us. As a textile artist and a dabbler in natural dyes I know that black was not easy and it still is not a true hue. A spot of bleach will show the base colour of todays fabrics. I missed a chance of collecting oak galls near a local library because of a thunder storm. My son refused to let me stop and collect. Perhaps next year as though I said local, the tree is still 15 miles away but also not an easy drive. Your point of wearing what is expected, you just would not advertise yourself.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Next autumn I may have to have a try at it myself!

[@cursecuelebre5485]

12:16 also I’m not sure the tradition of wearing black at a funeral back then if one sees someone wearing black they suspect someone died or the person is in mourning. I’m not sure if that’s a Victorian tradition but black can also mean death. By in any case I love this video, you did a wonderful job explaining! Also Enya is great, Wardurna, Einar Selvik, Munknorr, I absolutely love Heilung! And oddly enough some opera helped me go to focus more on my practice.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Wearing special clothes for special occasions is quite a new thing - historically not that many people could afford different clothes for life events. Prior to the Victorian period, for example, most women would get married in whatever their smartest clothes were - very few people could afford special wedding gowns. I know a lot of funerary rituals were codified in the Victorian period, so *maybe* the habit of black was then, as well? I know the passing of Prince Albert had an effect on the entire society .... Also: how could I have forgotten Wardruna and Einar??? Also Eivor, now I'm thinking down that line...

[@cursecuelebre5485]

@@GrumpyOldCroneThank you for the context! Eivor is amazing!

[@heathermalone9091]

Oooh this will be fun! Okay here are some of my favorites: S.J. Tucker/Tricky Pixie, Emerald Rose (Santa Claus is Pagan Too! Is my favorite Yule song), Faun, Radagast Music, and Loreena McKinnett are some of my favorites. Thank you for another fantastic video. Imma keep saying it: Jül Bölls! ✨

[@positivevibes2468]

Ahhhh Heilung! Have wanted to see them for a few years now! Love listening to Peter Gundry’s compositions. And Ashley Serena’s version of “Lullaby of Woe”

[@PhilHoggart]

Seeing you pop up on my KZbin brings such a smile! So interesting to hear about the sumptuary laws around black.

[@audreymondress4058]

Your attitude is refreshing!

[@FireSilver25]

Jehan is one of my faves, especially Illumination. If you want to try Native American music I recommend Carlos Nakai, Robert Mirabal, and Radmilla Cody.

[@r05km]

Dress Historian Abby Cox has a really good video on youtube on the development of the 'witch hat' in popular culture, and that also touches on the 'witches wear black' aesthetic. She examines the theoretical connection to jewish stereotypes as well from a more detailled perspective of the construction of historic garments and sets out some counter theories, in particular why wizards and witches typically have different hats! It's well worth a watch.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Ooooh! Good suggestion, I shall go watch!

[@Addddzc]

I love how your hair fades into dyed hair it looks super cool 🎉

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I’m doomed. I have to do a Witchy Aesthetic about my hair, don’t I?

[@Addddzc]

@@GrumpyOldCronehaha it would be rude not to

[@lugenkresse5825]

Great video as always and thank you for the book recommendation. I would love to hear some music from you

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Thankyou!!! Going to have to see if I can persuade Mr GOC on camera...

[@resourcedragon]

@@GrumpyOldCrone: Or even if you can just get his voice without him being on camera.

[@hurricaneheide]

I so g along with you every time the positive bit intro comes up. Lol. I am very looking forward to the yule song and your Spotify list! ❤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I need to get busy with the Spotify list. Mr Grumpy Old Crone and I had a sing through the song tonight, although we both want to sing all the lines... I may have to multi-track it!

[@SpiritofAvalon]

Pagan Music I love is Damh the Bard (snap)😊 also Faun who do sing in German which I don’t understand but it still sounds amazing. Also Heiljng and Wardruna 🥰💖

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

You've literally just listed a huge chunk of my daily listening!

[@SpiritofAvalon]

@ they are all so good 😁

[@nickyleng6917]

I've long been a fan girl of Carolyn Hillyer and Nigel Shaw and their dance act, Global,(I'm very fortunate to be the custodian of one of her beautiful handmande drums) and Damh the Bard and Heilung. Also partial to Dead Can Dance, Jana Runnells, Wardruna , Hannah Saunders, SJ Tucker (her Hymn To Herne is great!) and Omnia.

[@theplaidsheep]

Yes, sing sing sing, and please post the lyrics so we can learn and sing along! 🥰 My fave pagan bards besides the aforesaid Damh and Carolyn Hillyer are Omnia and the effervescent, extremely charming Golden Apple!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I don't know Golden Apple! Will go and check them out!

[@June-z6t]

But on a serious note, thank you for the book recommendations 😊. Once again this video proves that we need a Witch Class to learn proper Witchcraft. Sorry to bang on about it bit I would love it if you were my teacher.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I'm no expert. I guess all of us just know what we know! Maybe I should think about doing some teaching stuff next year... But it's really important to know that I'm not an expert, just another idiot with a KZbin channel

[@Accentline1145]

Spotify works. I love the music idea and I loved the Samhain stories.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Thankyou! I'm going to start working on compiling a list this week!

[@tarotqueen9118]

Just got my sister the wild medicine summer book for my sister and spring for myself!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Honestly, I use mine all the time. I checked my Lidl receipt: it was on the page for a skin balm made from Herb Robert, which grows like a weed between the paving slabs in my back garden in the summer...

[@grovewitch]

Thank you for the recommendations! I was just searching for this type of book. Very exciting stuff! I hope you post your music interests here. Much love from across the pond ❤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I have grand plans! How far they'll get, I don't know :-)

[@elizabethharris2816]

If you like Heilung, you'll probably also like Wardruna! Both are in my current playlists! ❤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I adore Einar! I came to Wardruna first via "Fehu" on the first episode of "Vikings" and haven't looked back since!

[@feystruck81]

Most of my closet is black. Not because I'm a witch. I just happened to be a witch who likes dark colors. 🖤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

As my hair lightens, I think black is suiting me more.

[@Scott-dv3iv]

Yes, would love to hear you sing! Music itself is magical. I find it quite incredible how it enables one to shift radically from one mood to another. I am not really familiar with pagan music as such, though I find many genres of music enjoyable. As far as playlist material, my fave is way too long in its entirety but maybe an aria or 2? It is Puccini's opera Turandot. The music really reaches into my core, some of it is playful, some dark, and some, incredibly, at the same time crushing and uplifting. I find the spirit of this opera especially powerful.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

You are right about the power of music to shift consciousness and emotion. I use it a lot in my practice, both music and the absence of it.

[@titaniumandspiritgum1290]

I would love to hear you sing!! I'm a musician too, and finding a band or similar community would be a dream come true, so it's amazing to hear about people facilitating that for others! Wishing you and all your clients the best!

[@joeleastman5371]

Wendy Rule-The Wolf Sky album. Lila-Return to the Goddess album.

[@lacazier]

I've worked in libraries for more than ten years now, and here are the oddest bookmarks I've found: Clump of dog hair False eyelashes (used) Guatemalan worry doll $2000 check A single Dorito (the oil did a lot more damage than the crumbs) ...and so many more.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

So glad it is not just me! The $2000 check is a bit of an eye opener. I wonder what they did when they realised it was missing?

[@Lindalupos]

If not wearing black as a witch is good enough for Tiffany Aching, it's dang well good enough for me! Lovely video again!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I’m a 100% Ride or Die Tiffany fan. ❤️

[@Lindalupos]

@@GrumpyOldCrone Magrat for me because I am a bookworm who is admittedly a bit of a wet hen, and I have too many silver jewellery! Also my husband is a Verence, bless him. But I wish ten-year-old me had had the Tiffany books to read, I bet she would have loved them! (Instead little witchy me got the Wise Child trilogy by Monica Furlong, also not too bad! Do you know them? They're great.)

[@MagpieMalone]

Darn! In all of Canada, only two provinces do not have ground elder, and I live in one of them. No wonder I hadn't heard of it before. Hopefully I find some one day! Thank you for the new rabbit hole.

[@rocklee4523]

Love Heilung!! Listen to Wardruna, Skald, Lorena McKenna, and special mention Arkona.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Excellent taste!

[@allieg4011]

Willian Dampier is one of my ancestors by way of a woman he got pregnant and married on the side in Virginia. She had a son and that is how the name Dampier arrived in the States. He and his wife in England were unable to have any children.

[@KnittyKitty86]

New grumpy ramble? Count me in! Also, recommended your channel to a witchy/pagan coworker along with a couple others.

[@dawnmoriarty9347]

I remember being told as a child that the traditional description of a witch was based on images of women being "uppity" and wearing ultra fashionable (ie expensive) outfits for , I think Europe in the 1600s-1700s which it was suspicious that they could afford. Basically envy and suspicion of difference As for music, I'm an old Irish folkie. The Dubliners and other pub singers, Joan Baez (who I've seen live twice), Heilung. I'm ignorant of but love medieval and Renaissance music.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I'd be interested to know if there's any evidence for the "uppity" theory - it is interesting and very different to everything I've heard. That doesn't make it wrong though - possibly makes me wrong! Joan Baez is perfection

[@Earthsinger100]

You can make ink using oak galls.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I did a whole bit in the video, but had to cut it out because of time... You are absolutely correct about the ink!

[@rowanmorrison7022]

Music recs, well the marvellous Wickerman soundtrack was my gateway drug to psychedelic folk, love Pentangle particularly. Bert Janch & Jacqui McShee are pagan deities to me lol. A more recent musician I'd recommend is Laura Cannell. She creates landscapes that sound like they've emminated from a stone circle. Heilung gigs look so fun, hope to get to see them soon.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Going to look up Laura Cannell. "Barley Rigs" still gives me a sense of foreboding and excitement when I hear it.... If I ever get to go in a seaplane, this will be my soundtrack....

[@We_Are_All_Vultures]

The love that movie!

[@esthermcafee5293]

Not pagan - for but Canadian folk music it’s tough to beat Stan Rogers. Barrett’s Privateers for when you’re a bit rowdy, and Northwest Passage for that ‘sitting snuggled up by a fire but still a bit melancholy’ feeling.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I’m a huge Stan Rogers fan - I was introduced to him by a Winnipeg friend who plays a LOT of his repertoire.”Free in the Harbour” makes me cry every time…

[@penneyreed7316]

Thank you for the recommendation. I'm always on the hunt for more herbal information. Being in the US, I think I'm going to need all the help i can get for the future. Please sing, it's good for you

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Ali English is an excellent herbalist - she walks the walk as well as talking the talk. And has helped me out of some very unpleasant health situations. I sing *constantly* - I absolutely agree with how good it is for you! Everyone should do it!

[@joeleastman5371]

I find Magenta to be very electrifying and energetic. Big time amplifier.

[@MoodiQ]

Love the hair! Fantastic!! ❤❤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

So many people have mentioned my hair that I'm going to have to do the world's most sarcastic Witchy Aesthetic bit next week!

[@belinda8174]

Thank you so much for pointing out about black clothes. I would love the music suggestions. And for making laugh 🤣

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Thankyou!

[@potankoprime]

spotify is always my go to, been using it for years, one song i think you would really like is "Ravens in the Library," by S.J. Tucker that's been on my list for a while, but one i heard that just came out this year called "Rises the Moon," by Liana Flores. also, I'm gonna have to order those books now, I wasn't sure until you said it has the toxology of the plants in there and that'd be real important for my current meds

[@sharia.king-trahan28]

As always, I love your videos, they put a smile on my face every time. Thank you for taking the time to make these, I love it.

[@SenkouNoMahimeEne]

Im all for you sharing some music! For me, i also love Heilung, but also Cosmo Sheldrake and Rabbitology, they use sounds from nature to create the melodies as well as instruments they play. Cosmo is more nature awareness, and Rabbitology is more social awareness, both are brilliant and unique.

[@WishingRose3D]

Damh the Bard is one of my all time favourites - love watching his live streams as well. Telling the Bees is another good one, but don't think they are performing any more - still very cool to listen to 😊

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I think I've heard of Telling the Bees - didn't Rima Staines do some cover artwork for them?

[@JannekeBruines]

yes please :) Record the song :) I was wondering about your music :) I'd love to hear you sing :)

[@izzy6455]

Yes do the song. KZbin not letting me leave my bown comment but yes music please.

[@teslagoth9401]

I look edgy and mysterious and thinner in black 😘 did you ever do a video on tarot? Would love to see your decks ❤

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I like how my encroaching grey hair looks with black, so am starting to wear more of it. I haven't done a video on tarot, but it is absolutely on the list. I may need to buy a different camera mount to do it properly, but it is definitely something I want to cover in some depth because I love it so much.

[@rvanderjagt5944]

It was a medieval law for Jewish men (and only men) to wear pointed hats, however, those were white or yellow, not black. The medieval ones also come to a very narrow point and don't look much to me like stereotypical 17th century Witch hats. The Wikipedia "Jewish Hat" entry has examples. If anything, Stereotypical "Witch outfits" I see everywhere look a lot like traditional Welsh costumes, to the point that I see "Witches traditionally always do X" memes that are just antique photos of Welsh women in traditional outfits! 🤣 BTW, good book recommendation, I'm not normally into "magical herbals" but those actually look useful for my purposes! I especially like that her publisher has a US website.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Oh, now that's interesting. I hadn't realised there was a gender issue regarding the wearing of the hat. Yeah the Welsh thing is interesting, as far as I can tell the concept of the "national dress" wasn't a thing before the 18th/19th century. I find it fascinating how there are so many theories, but no easy answers... I don't have time to do a deep dive study, but it would be fascinating if someone else ever did! I tend to be very picky about my herb books, I've found that many of them promise a lot, but don't deliver - the ones from Ali really are excellent, though.

[@katjordan3733]

Thank you for another delightful video!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Thankyou so much!

[@ninaganci2134]

very interesting video, thanks for the history of black clothes, was not aware of it

[@davidgarland7736]

I love Emerald Rose, although they have split up now. I think their music is still available. I have gotten into Faun as part of my dive into German hurdy-gurdy metal (Faun, D'Artagnan, Storm Seeker, Patty Gurdy).

[@AnamCara10]

As a Druid and wearer of mostly black I actually feel like I don't wear enough tie dye and elephant print harem pants for my stereotype 😂😅 I have to say you’re looking extremely lovely in this video, love your hair with the plait ❤️😊

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I laughed out loud when I read this comment. It's only funny because it's true!

[@kerrymichelle1]

Great chat today thank you and yes I totally agree with you on the whole black clothes thing, unless of course if someone is a "Goth witch" etc.. I love Dave the Bard, he's brilliant and so talented.. I also love Heilung, they've just done concerts here in NZ, I couldn't afford it no way lol, I love Wardruna too, they were here I think earlier this year or last year, I enjoy the old metal bands like Led Zep, Iron Maiden etc and our Kiwi band Alien Weaponry, I know them as they grew up with my kids in the same little coastal town, they are heavy metal but their songs are in Te Reo Maori, it's great seeing them playing around the world and bringing our culture to every corner of the world... I would love to hear you sing and or play harp as I'm absolutely talentless and tone deaf lol..

[@KvittySilverMoon]

OMG, when I first saw your videos, I loved your intro and outro music and it always makes me laugh because of the stark contrast of lovely ethereal music to this lovely woman bitching about things that are just chapping her ass!!!😂😂 I swear, I've always thought of having a channel to vent and go on about subjects and if I did it would have probably looked like your channel. The difference with me is that I have quite a bit to say but in no way have the... smarts?... wherewithal?... something or other, to actually pull it off. :)

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I have layers :-) I CAN be nice and sweet. Honestly. Sometimes....

[@KvittySilverMoon]

​@@GrumpyOldCrone😂

[@Bunnie1337]

SJ TUCKER! She's amazing! Song of the Witches is one of my favorites by her.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Love me some Sooj!

[@1412mariLU]

About the music question: I actually do have a Spotify playlist with ally favorite tunes. There is a lot of Peter Gundry, Adrian von Ziegler, Wardruna, Forndom and S.J. Tucker in there. But there's also rennaisance music, pieces from movie and video game soundtracks and folk music in there. (I should probably split the playlist into a "casual listening" and a "doing actual workings" list, because it's a little chaotic 😂)

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

Video game soundtracks! I listen to the soundtrack from The Witcher 3 a LOT.

[@1412mariLU]

@@GrumpyOldCrone The Witcher 3 is probably my favorite, closely followed by Skyrim. And even though The Witcher tv show was crap, the music in it was quite good, too.

[@syddlinden8966]

Yes! How do I get started? Well, what interests you? What drew you toward this? Start there. A lot of witchcraft and pagan practices are very interlinked with each other so chances are you'll Branch out into other aspects. Now, if you're just into the aesthetics, going goth is honestly a way easier way to get the aesthetic than trying to have a full-blown witchcraft and/or pagan practice lol And honestly the Goth music is pretty dope.

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I love the fact that you point out there is nothing wrong in just being focussed on the aesthetic and that there is a great dedicated space for that in the Goth world. I low key adore that!

[@samanthaadams8773]

My favourite pagan music is Louisa John-Krol, especially her Apple pentacle album. I also like Heilung a lot and Varttina (incredible finnish folk band). Would absolutely love to hear some tunes from you as long as it includes a rendition of A Wizards Staff has a Knob on the End 😂

[@sandcat66]

Most of my clothes are black, it has just turned out like that. I shop at second hand shops and an not really into all that florally stuff that most of us 50+ or almost 50 wear. I love greens and purples but hard to find. I cannot wear light colors, im way to messy for that. Thankyou for this latest upload, loved it

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I like solid colours. The grey hair and black seem to go quite well together, although I quite like jewel tones, too. I'm not a floral person, either. Looks great on some people, but I'm a solid colour kind of a person...

[@benjalucian1515]

I liked the response the coven leader told "Book of Shadows" author Phyllis Curott when she asked why witches wear black. The woman replied, that actually most Christian clergy wore black. She personally wore black because it was slimming. 😊

[@zoekirk1848]

For music suggestions, Omnia’s a staple in my household practice

[@Skyflower44]

OoooOw Lovely useful books 💗👏👏AHhhh No no 📚Not more books 😳😆😱Just kidding. I'm loving them. I have in-laws who would also love them for christmas. Excellent gift idea and for myself👍 I play guitar , trying to singing along. Have you come across a Band called Monsters of Men ? A house mate of mine had a harp.. Beautiful and yeah , it was not as simple as guitar 😬 . Joanna Newson tracks :Sprout & the Bean . Book of right ons also 🎵🎶 As far as me Finding my voice 👍I'm a bit Blues like . A bit Janis Joplin I'm told 💗👏👏👩‍🏫✨

[@ellacowin9974]

I can't carry a tune in a bucket with a lid but enjoy hearing other people sing. Thank you for the herbalist book recommendation! I have been following one that knows about the herbs specific to my area (the southeastern US) on KZbin, but he is only concerned with the chemical makeup and day-to-day use in cooking and medicinal applications.

[@TheUberjonny]

I am so looking forward to the Yule music!!!!

[@GrumpyOldCrone]

I need to get wiggling with it now!