Friendship is Witchcraft is a popular web series that gained a significant following on YouTube between 2011 and 2013. The series is a parody of the animated television show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, created by Lauren Faust. However, Friendship is Witchcraft takes a dark and humorous spin on the beloved children's show. One of the most notable aspects of Friendship is Witchcraft is the original songs that were created for the series. These songs serve as comedic and satirical commentary on certain characters or events from the original My Little Pony series. The songs often feature catchy melodies and clever lyrics that poke fun at the innocent and wholesome themes of the show.
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That man goes through his training, works for a little while, and then quits his job and moves back to Chicago, where he secretly trains a group of young black freedom fighters. However, as Ellen enjoyed her painless body and loving father, she refused to give it back, thus breaking her promise that she would return the body back to Viola after a day.
The songs often feature catchy melodies and clever lyrics that poke fun at the innocent and wholesome themes of the show. One example of a popular song from Friendship is Witchcraft is "Gypsy Bard." This song parodies the character Pinkie Pie's cheerful and energetic personality.
This Halloween: What Does It Mean To Call Something 'Spooky'?
A runner passes a ghostly sculpture on display between Bondi Beach and Tamarama Beach in Sydney.
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So, you're at your friend's elaborately decorated Halloween party. There are cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, bloody handprints on the wall, a frothing potion brewing on the stove. It's creepy! And scary! But is it . spooky?
Sure, "spook" can refer to a ghost. It can refer to a spy. But as many of us know, it's also, sometimes, a racial slur for black people. One of our Ask Code Switch readers wrote in to ask about the etiquette of using words like spook and spooky.
During this, the season of murder mysteries and haunted hayrides, is it insensitive to say that you were spooked?
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So here's the deal: Spook comes from the Dutch word for apparition, or specter. The noun was first used in English around the turn of the nineteenth century. Over the next few decades, it developed other forms, like spooky, spookish, and of course, the verb, to spook.
From there, it seems, the word lived a relatively innocuous life for many years, existing in the liminal space between surprise and mild fear.
It wasn't until World War II that spook started to refer to black people. The black Army pilots who trained at the Tuskegee Institute were referred to as the "Spookwaffe" — waffe being the German word for weapon, or gun. (Luftwaffe was the name of the German air force).
Once the word "spook" was linked to blackness, it wasn't long before it became a recognizable — if second-tier — slur.
But that wasn't the end of the story for spook. The word had a bit of a renaissance in the 1970s, with the release of the novel and classic film, The Spook Who Sat By The Door, by Sam Greenlee.
Both the book and movie tell the fictional story of the first black man recruited and trained by the CIA. That man goes through his training, works for a little while, and then quits his job and moves back to Chicago, where he secretly trains a group of young black "freedom fighters."
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The title of the movie, of course, both refers to spook meaning "black person" and spook meaning "spy." And as a satirical piece of literature written by an African-American author in the years following the civil rights movement, the use of "spook" was infused with an extra dose of irony.
Renee Blake is a sociolinguist who studies the way language is used in society, "whether it's based on race, class, gender or the like." She says she doesn't hear the word spook all that often, but she does have two salient reference points for it.
The first is The Spook Who Sat By The Door, and the second is the 2000 book and 2003 movie The Human Stain, by Phillip Roth. His novel tells the story of a professor at a New England college who is forced to resign after he calls two African-American students spooks.
The word spook hasn't just gotten fictional people in trouble. In 2010, Target apologized for selling a Halloween toy called "Spook Drop Parachuters" — literally miniature black figurines with orange parachutes.
In light of all this baggage, I asked Blake what she thought about the use of words like spook and spooky during Halloween. She said that, while it's clear that spook has multiple, distinct meanings, it's still important to think about context.
The way that certain words get attached to particular racial groups is incredibly complicated. (Take thug, for example.)
"Be thoughtful about the fact that [spook] now might have the connotation of referring to a black person in a disparaging way," Blake says. "If someone says, 'Did you get spooked?' and there are no black people there, then, OK, you mean 'Did you get scared or frightened?' That's fine, I get it."
But once you insert black people into the situation, Blake says, it's important to be more tactful. "We know that the word 'niggardly' doesn't mean a black person, but let's be sensitive. Are you going to use the word niggardly in front of a group of young students in a classroom? No."
So, this Halloween, be a little cautious when it comes to describing your surroundings. And don't be afraid of creeping into the thesaurus for a spooky synonym.
To me, it's more fun to be aghast, bloodcurdled, or spine-chilled than "spooked."
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The logic of substitution is common to folk magic around the world and might have been central to apotropaic magic, too. Wheeler and Hoggard have found that, in both Britain and the Hudson Valley, children’s shoes were often packed into peripheral voids around a house—the artifacts may also have been intended as targets for witches, in lieu of a home’s living residents. Such voids could also contain “curse dolls,” miniature human forms intended to stand in for the objects of spells.
However, in Friendship is Witchcraft, Pinkie Pie is portrayed as a chaotic and somewhat creepy character. The song "Gypsy Bard" reflects this depiction, with lyrics that include lines such as "I'm the type of pony everypony should fear." Another popular song is "It'll Be Okay." This song satirizes the character Twilight Sparkle's frequent breakdowns and overly dramatic reactions to minor problems. The lyrics include lines like "When life makes you frantic, just panic, panic, panic," mocking Twilight Sparkle's tendency to overreact. The songs from Friendship is Witchcraft often showcase the talented musicianship and creativity of the series' creators. The catchy tunes and clever lyrics have contributed to the series' popularity and appeal among its fans. These songs continue to be enjoyed and referenced by fans of the series, even years after the release of the final episode. In conclusion, Friendship is Witchcraft is a web series that gained popularity for its dark and humorous parody of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The original songs created for the series served as comedic commentary on certain characters and events from the original show. These songs, such as "Gypsy Bard" and "It'll Be Okay," feature catchy melodies and clever lyrics that have entertained fans of the series for years..
Reviews for "Behind the Scenes: Creating the Iconic Friendship is Witchcraft Songs"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I found the "Friendship is Witchcraft" song to be quite underwhelming. The lyrics were repetitive and lacked depth, and the melody was forgettable. It didn't have the same catchy and memorable quality that I've come to expect from other songs in the My Little Pony franchise. Overall, I was disappointed and left wanting more from this particular song.
2. Adam - 1 star
The "Friendship is Witchcraft" song was a complete miss for me. The vocals were incredibly grating, and the lyrics felt forced and awkward. It lacked the charm and quality I've seen in other MLP songs, and I found myself wanting to skip through it. I don't think it contributed much to the show or added any value to the overall experience. I would definitely not recommend this song to any MLP fans.
3. Emily - 2 stars
In my opinion, the "Friendship is Witchcraft" song fell flat. The melody was generic and lacked any distinctive elements that would make it stand out. The lyrics also felt forced and didn't have the usual cleverness and wit that I've come to love in MLP songs. It simply didn't capture the magic of friendship and didn't leave a lasting impression. Overall, it was a forgettable addition to the franchise.
4. Jason - 1 star
I was highly disappointed by the "Friendship is Witchcraft" song. The vocals were off-key and annoying, making it unbearable to listen to. The lyrics were poorly written and lacked any depth or meaningful messages. It didn't have the same heartwarming and inspiring qualities that I've seen in other MLP songs. Overall, I couldn't connect with this song, and it failed to leave a positive impact on me.