Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/10/28/season-of-the-witch.html
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I’ve always thought the Mike Bloomfield side of this LP was the better one, but “Season of the Witch” is definitely the standout track from the Stephen Stills side.
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Evidently Stills was a substitute as Bloomfield couldn’t make the second day of booked time in the studio.
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As I heard it Bloomfield had one of his freakouts and just left without telling anyone, and Kooper had to call around to see who else was available to finish the album. The Stills side is good too, but I really dig Bloomfield’s playing.
I don’t know how it is now, but you used to could reliably find this as a dollar bin record. I had a few copies and gave a buddy one on permanent loan.
That opening note was sampled by someone I like, but I can’t think of who and it’s bugging me. I want to say Premiere.
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The visuals could be better, but… 
'Tis. I love this song. Thank you for reminding me.
i’ve been waiting for a Donovan resurgence for years. i love his 60s stuff. what year was this album? i definitely hear a resemblance to the first or second CSN album in Stills’ guitar work.
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The Super Session was released in 1968. Donovan’s original was on Sunshine Superman, 1966.
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So does this, at least in our house:
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This is one of those songs that has been covered by scads of talented musicians. I know @frauenfelder covered much of this a few years ago with an article linking to a Gweek podcast, and I seem to recall the Trinity version a while back. The Masked Marauders’ version above is surprisingly good for a big hoax (“Produced by Al Kooper, the album was recorded with impeccable secrecy in a small town near the site of the original Hudson Bay Colony in Canada”).
Kooper/Bloomfield (Note the line “Terry Reid looking over”):
Terry Reid:
Brian Auger & Trinity featuring Julie Driscoll:
Vanilla Fudge:
Suck:
Dr. John with the Blues Brothers Band:
Richard Thompson:
Joan Jett:
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Nice. Thank you for the compilation. Rocks.
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You missed one. Which embarrassingly is the only one (including the original) I ever knew existed.
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I’m pretty sure it was Diamond D.
Oh, there are even more, trust me. 
My introduction to this song was that Dr. John cover from the “Blues Brothers 2000” soundtrack. I never even bothered to watch the movie because by most accounts the music was the sole redeeming quality of that sequel and I didn’t want to taint my enjoyment of the original.
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Whoa! Thanks, I remember I forgot this album.
The Pharcyde loop for Yo Mama was the one I remembered, didn’t realize that intro reverby guitar noise had been used so much as well
Diamond D
best producer on the mic. lovely man, was real enough to spend a moment with a fan.
@SleepyPuppy good looking out. I knew the loop was Ya Mama but I was thinking about that note in Just Hangin Out, and Son Get Wrek is my jam, too.
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Thanks for posting the Brian Auger/Julie Driscoll take.
Saved me the trouble - that’s always my go to version of this song.
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