What Song Does Evan Peters Perform To In AHS: Double Feature Episode 4?
In the tenth season of "American Horror Stories," "Double Feature," a number of blanks have been filled in by a backstory-heavy fourth episode called "Blood Buffet." Among those getting an origin story is the character of Austin Somers, played by "AHS" regular Evan Peters. In this episode, Somers is seen working as a drag performer — and not a particularly good one — because he's down on his luck as a playwright.
The scene was meant to underscore the fact that Austin is not feeling fulfilled; he's just doing the job to pay the bills after arriving in Provincetown to put on a play. Unfortunately, the play did not work out because the owner of the town's playhouse disappeared mysteriously.
If you're one of the many fans who have been looking forward to watching the actor lip-sync on stage in full costume, you were in luck with this episode. However, you might be wondering exactly what song Peters was dancing before Belle Noir approaches him to hear his story.
Evan Peters performs 'Magic Man' by Heart
The song comes from Heart, an American rock band that originated in the Pacific northwest in the 1970s. The band, which has sold more than 35 million records and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is fronted by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson.
The song that Peters dances to, "Magic Man," is a track from Heart's debut alum, "Dreamboat Annie." "Magic Man" was released in 1975 as a single and is said to be about Ann Wilson's then-boyfriend and manager, Michael Fisher. "It's absolutely my leaving home song," Ann told American Songwriter about the tune. "And it was love at first sight that lasted for about eight years! But 'Magic Man' was definitely written about the spell that I was under and my conversations with my mother about it at the time." Despite moving on from that early love, Ann Wilson has said that she still loves the song's "groove."
As a female-sung song with some daring high notes that comes from the campy '70s, "Magic Man" a perfect fit for a drag performance. Even better, there's something supernatural about the phrasing in the song, which includes lines like "I cast my spell of love on you" and has references to the moon and winter nights. All of these aspects make the track a perfect fit for "American Horror Story," which this season is delving deeply into vampirism. There are layers of meaning here — and hopefully "AHS" will be peeling them back even further in future episodes.