Friday October 30, 2020 “I Put a Spell on You” Screamin Jay Hawkins
Oh yes this had to be included in any Halloween compilation.
Jay Hawkins, the screaming one, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, film producer, and boxer known for his powerful, operatic vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of songs as in "I Put a Spell on You". He often used macabre props onstage, making him an early pioneer of ‘shock rock’.
As hard as it may be to accept, this song written by Hawkins was originally conceived as a ballad lamenting the loss of a girlfriend but later transformed into a spooky tale about putting a curse on the girl so he can have her.
The song has surprisingly been covered by a variety of artists including Nina Simone, Joe Cocker, the Animals, Marilyn Manson and Annie Lennox just to name a few.
Jay apparently did have the ability to put a spell on the ladies, when he passed in 2000 it was rumored that he had over 50 children.
Stay safe and well...and enjoy (?) the video of the screamin’ one.