The Persecutions of accused witches in German speaking territories refers to a dark period in European history where thousands of women were accused of witchcraft and subsequently persecuted. These persecutions occurred mostly between the 15th and 18th centuries and were particularly widespread in German speaking areas such as Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. During this time, a general belief in the existence of witches and their alliance with the devil spread throughout society. This belief was fueled by religious conflicts, the spread of the Protestant Reformation, and an overall climate of fear and superstition. Many people believed that witches had the power to harm others through spells and curses, and that they were responsible for various misfortunes and calamities. As a result, accusations of witchcraft became increasingly common, especially during times of social unrest or economic hardships.
Blue Magic
The group Blue Magic is unfortunately often overlooked in discussions of the great Philly soul acts of the 70s, but the quintet was responsible for some of the most enjoyable smooth soul of that decade.
Formed by Temple University student Ted 'Wizard' Mills, with some friends, Blue Magic scored an early hit with Mills' composition "Spell." When the other members of the group balked at touring, Mills merged with local band Shades of Love (Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, Keith 'Duke' Beaton and Richard Pratt) to form the nucleus of the group that would top the charts for years to come.
Signed to Atlantic Records in 1973, the group came out with several hit singles on the way to creating a debut album. Blue Magic became one of the earliest acts produced by veteran Philly guitarist Norman Harris, who spent most of the decade in the shadow of Gamble & Huff but who masterminded a number of great albums for artists from the Trammps to the Temptations.
Blue Magic's debut album included a number of quality tunes, perhaps the most surprising of which was "Look Me Up," an infectious stepper highlighted by Mills' clear falsetto, and which created early comparisons with the Stylistics. But real crossover success came with "Sideshow," a now classic Philly forlorn ballad that topped the Soul charts and made the Pop top 10. The rather contrived follow-up, "Three Ring Circus," was musically another solid ballad that did well despite its obvious attempt to mimic "Sideshow" (even beginning with the same carnival barker). Over the next three years Blue Magic became know mostly for smooth ballads, and the group stayed high on the Soul charts with "Stop to Start" and "Chasing Rainbows" before landing a big hit with the dance tune "Magic of the Blue."
Blue Magic's fortunes faded as the 70s came to an end, and Richard Pratt left in the early 80s. However, they continued to record sporadically, landing two moderately successful comeback albums, 1983's Magic # and 1989's From Out of the Blue. But internal struggles in the group, from financial issues to substance abuse, sidelined attempts to keep them together. And those misfortunes were amplified by a horrendous auto accident that nearly killed Ted Mills and appeared to end his career.
Fortunately, Mills recovered, but by the 2000s, and established a solid solo career. He appeared in the touring play "Girl He Ain't Worth It" with the Manhattans, Me'lissa Morgan and Tito Jackson and joined with Russell Thompkins Jr and William Hart on a 2008 Shanachie Records disc as the 3 Tenors of Soul, still sounding fantastic. What remained of Blue Magic splintered into multiple groups each led by one or more original members - the most notable consisting of the two Sawyers, Beaton and lead singer Wade Elliott (managed by Elaine Sawyer with promotional help from Sgt. Gary Nadler).
Nearly five decades after they first had a hit, the five members of Blue Magic reunited in 2018 for an episode of TV One's music biography show, Unsung. It was the first time they had all been together in nearly three decades, and they mulled over the possibility of a full reunion. Music fans around the world continue to hold out hope that that could happen.
By Chris Rizik
Blue magic albums
blue magic
Blue Magic were a Philadelphia-based vocal quintet of the 70's comprised of:
Theodore Ted 'Wizard' Mills (lead)
Vernon W. Sawyer (tenor, baritone)
Wendell Sawyer (baritone)
Keith 'Duke' W. Beaton (tenor) (b. 30th July 1950, U.S.A. d. 14th January 2023, U.S.A.)
and
Richard D. Pratt (bass) (b. 30th June, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. d. 1st March 2022, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A.)
Blue Magic were formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972.
The group were produced by Norman Harris, a Philladelphia Records veteran, the group's harmonies were supported by the M.F.S.B. house band.
The band made some of the finest soul vocal group music from the early to mid 1970's.
Blue Magic were partially comprised of the group the Shades of Love, which featured Keith Beaton, Richard Pratt, Vernon Sawyer and his brother Wendell.
E arly Blue Magic releases were mainly confined to the R & B chart.
Blue Magic became popular in 1974 with the million-selling U.S. Top 10 hit 'Sideshow' (co-written by Bobby Eli), and another Sweet Soul ballad, 'Three Ring Circus'.
blue magic - 1974 / the magic of the blue - 1974 / thirteen blue magic lane - 1975 / live! - 1976
The band maintained their popularity with several further releases, including 'Thirteen Blue Magic Lane' in 1976, an album that included the popular dance track 'We're On The Right Track'.
That same year, the group were part of a live double album set, recorded at the Latin Casino in New Jersey, that also featured Margie Joseph and Major Harris.
That album showcased two further 'studio' recordings by Margie and the group.
mystic dragons - 1976 / message from the magic - 1977 / welcome back - 1981 / magic # - 1983
They then left the Atco label, following which, Richard Pratt left the band in 1981.
Their later US hits have included 'Magic' (1983) and, owing to renewed popularity in the late 80's, 'It's Like Magic' and 'Romeo And Juliet'.
Blue Magic have also sung background vocals for Alyson Williams and the Rolling Stones (on 'If You Really Want To Be My Friend' on the album 'It's Only Rock N' Roll').
from out of the blue - 1989 / my magic is real - 1995
In 1996, Ted Mills returned to the music scene as a solo artist.
He recorded an album for Casablanca that year entitled 'This Magic Is Real', featuring a remake of 'Tear It Down'.
Recent Blue Magic/Ted Mills related recordings include the '3 Tenors of Soul' with Russell Thompkins, Jr. (the Stylistics) and William Hart (the Delfonics) and the 'Soulful Tale Of Two Cities' album project.
Ted recently appeared in the touring play 'Girl He Ain't Worth It' with The Manhattans, Meli'sa Morgan and Tito Jackson.
A recent lead singer for Blue Magic was Mr. Wade Elliot who was formerly with Ray, Goodman and Brown.
The current lead singer for the group is Leemy Waiters.
Keith Beaton died in January 2023..
Albums:
as Blue Magic:
Blue Magic (Atco Records 1975)
Magic Of The Blue (Atco Records 1975)
Thirteen Blue Magic Lone (Atco Records 1976)
with Major Harris and Margie Joseph:
Live (WMOT Records 1976)
as Blue Magic:
Mystic Dragons (Atco Records 1977)
Message From The Magic (Atco Records 1978)
Welcome Back (Capitol Records 1981)
Magic # (Atlantic Records 1983)
From Out Of The Blue (OBR Records 1989)
My Magic Is Real (Hot Production Records 1995)
top of the page
Blue magic albums
By 1978, Soul Music, the dominant genre in 70s charts, was under assault from Disco, and paradoxally victim of the same backlash. Artists, labels and producers tried to mix formulas to find more success. That is how Blue Magic, a quintessential Philiadelphia group, found itself recording.
As a result, accusations of witchcraft became increasingly common, especially during times of social unrest or economic hardships. The persecution of accused witches followed a predictable pattern. Accusations were often made by neighbors, family members, or local officials who believed that someone was practicing witchcraft.
06 Jul 2020 Blue Magic – 1974 – The Magic Of The Blue
Posted at271 23:15h in Blue Magic by NikosThere are so many great soul albums of the 1970's waiting to be re-discovered. This second opus from Philadelphia's "Blue Magic" is quite passionate. Throughout, the sweet falsetto lead of Ted Mills caresses each lyric by Bobby Eli, Allan Felder and Norman Harris to create a.
Once accused, the accused witches would be subjected to interrogations, torture, and trials. Confessions were often obtained under duress, as the accused individuals were subjected to physical and psychological torture, including methods such as the water dunking test or the use of thumbscrews. These confessions were then used as evidence against them in court. The trials themselves were often unfair, with little to no legal representation for the accused witches. Courts were heavily biased in favor of conviction and often relied on flimsy evidence, such as hearsay or the testimony of children. Most accused witches were found guilty and subsequently executed. Common methods of execution included burning at the stake or hanging. Some accused witches were also subjected to other forms of punishment, such as branding or being forced to wear humiliating symbols. The persecutions of accused witches had a devastating impact on the communities in which they occurred. The fear and paranoia surrounding witchcraft led to a breakdown in social relations, as neighbors turned against each other and accused one another of practicing witchcraft. Women, in particular, were disproportionately targeted and persecuted, as they were seen as more susceptible to the influence of the devil. This led to the loss of countless innocent lives and the destruction of families and communities. In conclusion, the persecutions of accused witches in German speaking territories were a dark and tragic chapter in European history. They were driven by widespread fear and superstition, as well as religious conflicts. Thousands of women were accused, tortured, and executed based on flimsy evidence and unfair trials. The impact of these persecutions was profound, leading to a breakdown in social relations and the loss of countless innocent lives. The persecution of accused witches serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked fear and the importance of due process in ensuring justice..
Reviews for "The Influence of the Catholic Church in Persecuting Witches in Germany"
- Sarah - 1 star - I found "Persecutions of accused witches in German speaking territories" to be extremely dry and repetitive. The author seemed more interested in listing off names and dates than in really diving into the historical context and sociopolitical factors that led to these persecutions. I was hoping for a more insightful and engaging read, but unfortunately it fell short. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an in-depth analysis of the witch trials.
- John - 2 stars - As someone who has always been fascinated by the topic of witch trials, I was really looking forward to reading "Persecutions of accused witches in German speaking territories". However, I found the book to be quite poorly organized and lacking in critical analysis. It felt more like a collection of random events and anecdotes rather than a coherent examination of the broader implications of these persecutions. Additionally, the writing style was quite dry and difficult to follow. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
- Emily - 2.5 stars - While "Persecutions of accused witches in German speaking territories" provided a decent overview of the witch trials, I felt that it lacked depth and failed to fully explore the underlying societal factors that led to the persecution of women. The author seemed to gloss over important details and did not sufficiently analyze the impact of religious beliefs and gender norms on the witch trials. I was hoping for a more nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of this dark chapter in history, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver.