Artist:Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Song:I Put A Spell On You
Album:Cow Fingers & Mosquito Pie
Screamin' Jay Hawkins was one of the most outrageous performers in music history. I Put A Spell On You was his signature song. He was born July 18, 1929 in Cleveland. He was inspired by the legendary Paul Robeson to be an opera singer. When that didn't work out, he played piano for Tiny Grimes in 1951. Hawkins recorded for smaller labels until he signed with Columbia's Okeh label. Hawkins originally intended I Put A Spell on You to be a love ballad. But session producer Arnold Moxon suggested Hawkins give a vocal performance as spooky as the title. He also brought in food & liquor and it became a drunken party. The session included guitarist Mickey Baker & sax player Sam "The Man" Taylor. The more they drank, the more outrageous the recording became. Supposedly Hawkins didn't remember most of what happened during the session. The song became an all time novelty classic despite being banned by radio stations across the US. This comp from Epic/Legacy has all his hits. Hawkins had some other hits but nothing to match I Put A Spell On You. But he did have an insane stage act which had him emerging from a coffin and carrying a shrunken head among other things. He also became a cult figure through his role in the Jim Jarmusch film Mystery Train. And most of those fans never heard the original 1956 version of I Put A Spell On You. So Screamin' Jay Hawkins was very successful until his death on Feb. 12, 2000 at age 70. Here's Screamin' Jay Hawkins performing I Put A Spell On You on Nightmusic around 1989.
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