Click here to play the podcastIt’s time for our occasional, somewhat-annual Halloween Spooktacular episode, where we pick a song appropriate to the season and see what terror awaits us. And what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than an examination (autopsy?) of the original “shock rock” song—“I Put A Spell On You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
“I Put A Spell On You” (Words & Music by Jay Hawkins) Copyright 1956 (Renewed 1984) EMI Unart Catalog Inc.
PREVIEW:
TRANSCRIPT:
It is time to ask the eternal question that has beguiled all of us since childhood: Trick Or Treat. That’s right, it’s time for our sort-of annual, somewhat occasional Halloween Special Edition of the “I’m In Love With That Song” podcast. My name is Brad Page. I’m here on the Pantheon Podcast Network, where each episode I pick a favorite song and we deep-dive into it.
In keeping with the Halloween tradition, this time I’ve selected a seasonally appropriate track. In fact, this one is almost ground zero for over-the-top performances out of some kind of nightmare. Before there was Tobias Forge, before there was Marilyn Manson, before Alice Cooper, before Arthur Brown, there was Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and “I Put A Spell On You”.
The life of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is one big tall tale. So much so that it’s hard to tell fact from fiction with any details of his life, at least as he told them. He made up stories about his military record; he claimed to have studied at the Ohio Conservatory of Music– there is actually no such place; and he said that he fathered 57 children, although 33 children so far have been traced back to him… so maybe that part is true.
After he was discharged from the army, where he played saxophone in the Special Services branch, he returned home to Cleveland, Ohio. He left his first wife and child– this was the first in a long line of pretty terrible treatment of women– and connected with DJ Alan Freed. From there, he hooked up with a performer named Tiny Grimes. Tiny’s schtick was to dress up like a Scottish Highlander, kilt and all. It was with Tiny Grimes that he first developed his Screamin’ Jay Hawkins personality. He eventually went solo and over time, developed the stage show that he became famous for. Leopard skin costumes, capes, voodoo imagery, carrying a skull and a stick.
He wrote and first recorded “I Put A Spell On You” in 1954, but that version wasn’t released. He did release a handful of other singles, though, but none of those were very successful. He moved from label to label, and in 1956 landed at Okeh Records, where he recorded a new version of “I Put A Spell On You”. The producer, Arnold Maxim, thought that they were playing it a little too straight, too safe, not wild enough. So he brought a few cases of beer into the studio, and when the band was suitably trashed, that’s when he pressed the record button.
The song is in 6/8 time, which you can count as two groups of three, like 123-456. And they play it with this very lumbering feel. I can picture some kind of zombie clomping out of the fog. Each footstep on the count of one and four: 123, 456.
That laugh he does there is so great.
Along with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins on vocals, the band included Mickey Baker on guitar, Ernie Hayes on piano, Al Lucas on bass, David Panama Francis on drums, Bud Johnson on baritone sax, and Sam “The Man” Taylor on tenor sax. Here’s where the sax gets to play a solo.
And there’s one more verse, and that’s it. The song is only 2 minutes and 25 seconds long. You know, back in the ‘50’s, there wasn’t a lot of time to mess around. They kept these singles real tight.
Let’s bring up his vocals here.
Now that’s an ending. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – “I Put A Spell On You”.
Initially, radio stations didn’t want to play it, probably no surprise… but over time, this song would sell a million copies and make Screamin’ Jay Hawkins the original shock-rocker. They used to call him the “Black Vincent Price”. He never really had another hit, but he milked this song for all its worth and made a whole career out of it. He performed right up until his death in February 2000 of an aneurysm.
This song has been covered over 100 times. There are many versions out there by a wide range of artists, like Credence Clearwater Revival.
That’s from their debut album back in 1968. Annie Lennox released a version in 2014.
Of course, Marilyn Manson released a version in 2005.
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown also did it back in ‘68.
Brian Ferry from Roxy Music covered it in 1993.
One of the most popular versions was by Alan Price, the keyboard player from The Animals, who went solo in 1965 and released a version of “I Put A Spell On You” in 1966 that reached number nine on the UK charts, which I believe makes it the highest charting version of this song.
My personal favorite version of the song is by Tim Curry, from “Rocky Horror” fame. He recorded a version on his 1981 album “Simplicity”.
But the most significant version, the most critically and culturally important version, was by Nina Simone. Nina was a serious artist and she brought a whole ‘nother level to this song. She released her version in 1965.
Nina Simone, one of the many versions of “I Put A Spell On You”. Thanks for being a part of this Halloween edition of the “I’m In Love With That Song” podcast. Join us here on the Pantheon Podcast Network in two weeks for another new episode. Until then, you can listen to all of our previous episodes on our website, lovethatsongpodcast.com, or pull us up in your favorite podcast app.
Remember to support the artists that you love by buying their music, and thanks for listening to this episode on Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and “I Put A Spell On You”.
REFERENCES:
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screamin%27_Jay_Hawkins
Alan Freed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Freed
Tiny Grimes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Grimes
Mickey Baker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Baker
Ernie Hayes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Hayes
Al Lucas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Lucas
David Panama Francis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Francis
Bud Johnson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Johnson
Sam Taylor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Taylor_(saxophonist)