"Come Little Children", also known as "Sarah's Theme" and "Garden of Magic" is the villain song of Sarah Sanderson (portrayed by Sarah Jessica Park) in the 1993 fantasy comedy movie Hocus Pocus and she used this song to enchant and hypnotize children. It was composed by James Horner and the lyrics were written by Brock Walsh, the latter also credited for the movie's "Chants and Incantations".
The origin of the song's lyrics are debated. The Hal Leonard Corporation and apocryphal sources claim that the lyrics originate from a poem titled "Come Little Children", written by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe scholars dispute this claim because no such poem appears in Poe's official omnibus, and the lyrics do not match his style. Brock Walsh confirms the lyrics are original and attributes the confusion to his personal "obsession with him [Poe] as a child."
Lyrics
Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come little children, the time's come to play,
Here in my garden of magic.
Covers
There are 2 popular covers of the song that adapt additional lyrics, henceforth referred to as "Garden of Shadows" and "Garden of Mystery". Neither were written by any members of the crew of Hocus Pocus and their true authorship remains unknown. The "Garden of Shadows" cover was popularized by Kate Covington on her YouTube channel Erutan Music and she released it in 2009. The song's 2 versions, Garden of Shadows cover (*Instrumental*) and Come Little Children (Hocus Pocus) - Cover, was later sang beautifully by both Amanda Marie on her YouTube channel "Amanda Marie" and Kendra Masonchuck on her YouTube channel "Kendra Masonchuck" as tribute to the song and the film Hocus Pocus.
"Garden of Shadows"
Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come little children, The time's come to play,
Here in my garden of shadows.
Follow sweet children, I'll show thee the way,
Through all the pain and the sorrows.
Weep not poor children, For life is this way,
Murdering beauty and passions.
Hush now dear children, It must be this way,
To weary of life and deceptions.
Rest now my children, For soon we'll away,
Into the calm and the quiet.
Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come little children, The time's come to play,
Here in my garden of shadows.
"Garden of Mystery"
Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come little children, the time's come to play,
Here in my garden of magic.
Come little children, the time's drawing near,
Halloween night is waning.
Come little children, ride with me tonight,
It's not a night for abstaining.
Come little children, now follow me home,
Not a one of you need worry.
Come little children, the time's come to roam,
Come follow me now please hurry.
Come little children, there's magic to see,
Here in my garden of mystery.
Come little children, in to my abode,
Tomorrow you all will be history.