Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, or titles from the Wizarding World. I'm just an enormous fan who loves this universe and wanted to share my thoughts with everyone.
This week, we turn our attention to our final, and possibly most controversial, House: Slytherin. Featuring alumni like Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, and Lord Voldemort himself, this House has long had a murky reputation for being a training ground for Dark witches and wizards. What people tend to forget is that Slytherin has other notable, and much more noble, alumni like Horace Slughorn, Narcissa Malfoy, Regulus Black, and the legendary Merlin that cast this House in a much more favorable light. Represented by a serpent on their crest along with the colors green and silver, these students are sorted based on traits such as ambition, resourcefulness, determination, cleverness, loyalty, cunning, and leadership. They can also be accused of vanity, selfishness, and bigotry. I have the great fortune to find myself married to a wonderful Slytherin, and one of my best, lifelong friends claims this House as well.
Today's post includes a small portion of my Slytherin Playlist, which can be viewed in full on Apple Music @audioaesthetics. I chose songs that had themes of the House's core traits as well as more obvious indicators such as snake symbolism or mention of the colors green and silver. Let's get started!
Blood in the Wine by AURORA (written by A. Aksnes, A. Solstrand, F. Svaboe)
Featured on AURORA's 2022 album The Gods We Can Touch, this song gives off that cutthroat, somewhat Game of Thronesish vibe that many people tend to associate with Slytherin. There's luxury, there's cunning, there's ambition, all wrapped up in an awesome beat with beautiful vocals. This House isn't afraid to fight for what they want, they just fight in a different style than the others.
I was given a heart before I was given a mind/A thirst for pleasure and war, a hunger we keep inside/We fell from sky with grace, and life gave us a sweeter taste/You can drink, you can feast/There's beauty in your beast/The flesh in the fruit and the blood in the wine/Come on, and feel alive, lover/Come on, and feel the love like a sinner/Shout it louder, shout it for the ones who could never say/I won't feel ashamed, mother/Can you break the chains, off her/Shout it louder, not a sinner, she's a lover
Kings & Queens by Ava Max (written by A. Koci, B. McLaughlin, D. Child, H. Walter, H. Bernstein, J. Erixson, M. Lobe, M. Blinson, N. Khayat)
Featured on Max's 2020 album Heaven & Hell, this girl power anthem radiates that confident independence many Slytherins have that I've often admired and occasionally envied. They do love to be in charge, but if surrounded by the right team or partner can definitely be loyal team players. They do take care of their own and care very deeply for those who are dear to them.
If all of the kings had their queens on the throne/We would pop champagne and raise a toast/To all of the queens who are fighting alone/Baby, you're not dancin' on your own/Can't live without me, you wanna, but you can't, no, no, no/Think it's funny, but honey, can't run this show on your own/I can feel my body shake, there's only so much I can take/I’ll show you how a real queen behaves, oh/No damsel in distress, don't need to save me/Once I start breathin' fire, you can't tame me/And you might think I'm weak without a sword/But if I had one, it'd be bigger than yours
Bite Me by Avril Lavigne (written by A. Lavigne, D. Smith, J. Feldmann, C. Comstock, O. Fedi)
Featured on Lavigne's 2022 album Love Sux, this song showcases this House's ability to say what they feel and walk away from things that no longer benefit them. Slytherin's aren't always this harsh, but when needed they aren't afraid to call people out and force themselves to move on. They know their worth, and if someone else can't appreciate that it's no skin off their back.
Don't act so innocent, this was no accident/You planned this in the end and now it's over/Say what you want to say, you lied and I got played/You threw it all away and now it's over/Just face it, we didn't make it/You bit off more than you can chew, can you taste it/Hey you, you should've known better, better to fuck with someone like me/Hey you, forever and ever you're gonna wish I was your wifey/Should've held on, should've treated me right, I gave you one chance, you don't get it twice/Hey you, and we'll be together never, so baby you can bite me
Pretty Savage by BLACKPINK (written by R. Johnson, H. Park, S. Lee, D. Chung, S. Hun, J. Kim, J. Lee)
Featured on BLACKPINK's 2020 album The Album, this is another banger of an anthem for how little of an f Slytherins can give about their haters. This song also plays a bit into their vanity, but again, they know their worth and what they feel they deserve. A rough English translation of the original Korean lyrics is below.
It seems similar, but we are different to the bone/Even if it’s embarrassing, if you put a mat on it, it’s okay/Born skinny, bitch, even if I gain weight, I will be skinny/Calculation is slow, but not is fast/If we talk about popularity, I won’t do it, it just hurts my mouth/F boys, not my boys, snip/If our names are wrong, Ddu-du Ddu-du is correct/Drip, drip, ice it out, bust it down, top to the bottom/Blackpink/All up in it, make it lit, like/Yeah, we some bitches you can't manage/I’ll do this hard thing again/We are pretty savage/We some pretty savage/Bah-dah-bah-bah/You better run, run, run/Bah-dah-bah-bah/You better run, run, run/All my diamonds, they yellow or bright white/Got 'em blind, can't find me, I'm outta sight/If you mad, stay mad, we not alike/S-A-V-A-G-E, keep it pretty, pretty savage
W.I.T.C.H. by Devon Cole (written by J. Nelson, D. Cole)
Released as a single in 2022, this not only ties into the magic theme but also back to that fierce independence. Slytherins can turn on the charm in order to get what they want, and they aren't always out to be your enemy but you'd probably be better off with them as your friend. There's determination and cleverness here along with resourcefulness.
Rumor on the street is that her apples are delicious/The jury said she's charming, but her exes say she's wicked/I swear to God, I saw her howling at the sky/She ain't out to get you, but she's better on your side/And she don't wanna be anybody else/She's a woman in total control of herself/It's such a wonder to be under her spell/What a woman, in total control of herself
Steam by Leon Bridges (written by T. Lawrence, J. Tranter, N. Mercereau, T. Bridges, J. Blackmon, A. Katz, E. Frederic)
Featured on Bridges' 2021 album Gold-Diggers Sound, this brings us back around to the water theme. Slytherins do tend to be social on their own terms and are usually excellent networkers, but they definitely appreciate that one-on-one time with their special someone or their time alone. Yeah ok, this one's a little bit of a stretch, but it's a definite vibe that you should check out anyway.
Shouldn't complain, but this function's dry/Don't wanna small-talk or socialize/What are you doing tonight/Are you alone by yourself/What are you doing tonight/Come on over/Let yourself in/You got the key/You know, you know, you got a hold on me/Let yourself in/You got the key/You know, you know, you got a hold on me
Royals by Pentatonix (written by E. Yelich O'Connor, J. Little)
Released as a single in 2014, this cover of Lorde's debut hit single has been a favorite of mine for years. Not every Slytherin grew up in privilege, but their ambition definitely gives them big dreams, high aspirations, and for some (cough cough, Tom Riddle) delusions of grandeur. Both versions of the song are awesome whether you're a Slytherin or not.
I've never seen a diamond in the flesh/I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies/And I'm not proud of my address/In a torn up town, no post code envy/But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom/Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room/We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams/But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your time piece/Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash/We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair/And we'll never be royals, it don't run in our blood/That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz/Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen Bee/And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, let me live that fantasy
Enemies by Post Malone ft. DaBaby (written by A. Post, B. Walsh, J. Kirk, L. Bell)
Featured on Posty's 2019 album Hollywood's Bleeding, this song is another example of that trait Slytherins have of appearing nonplussed when people aren't huge fans of them. They tend to get thick skins to protect themselves from those who don't like them, and after years and years of being labeled as the "villain," who can blame them? They tend to have a pretty good idea of who's truly on their side, and find it much easier to cut off those who they feel have been faking it.
Used to have friends now I got enemies/Used to keep 'em close, now they dead to me/Used to have friends now I got enemies/Enemies, yeah it's so sad/They said I would never get this far, ah, ah/Think that we don't see who you are, are, are/Laughin' to the bank like ha, ha, ha/Guess that I'm just talkin' too much blah, blah, blah/So, where did y'all go when I was shit broke couldn't even buy smokes/Now your mama needs tickets to my stadium show/She love it when she hear me on the radio, oh/I know it's hard to swallow your pride/Sorry that you can't get over me/Now you're out my life, I'm so relieved, I
Clean by Taylor Swift (written by T. Swift, I. Heap)
Featured on Swift's 2014 album 1989, this song ties in with water, the element most often associated with Slytherin. Just because this House is good at shielding their emotions, they definitely still have them and go through hurt just like the rest of us. They are independent, but losing their close, trusted circle makes them anxious and all the more eager to "get over it."
The drought was the very worst/When the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst/It was months and months of back and forth/You're still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can't wear anymore/Hung my head as I lost the war/And the sky turned black like a perfect storm/Rain came pouring down/When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe/And by morning/Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean
Whether you're a serpent or not (or simply have no idea or don't care), I hope you found some great music to check out today. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!
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