Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Jalacy J. Hawkins' wild songs and onstage theatrics of his self-created brand of voodoo jive earned him the name Screamin' Jay Hawkins. His act has often featured him emerging from a casket to sing his best-known hit, "I put a spell on you" (1956), carrying a skull smoking a cigarette (you know smoking's bad for you, look at Henry...). Other novelties, ranging from "Feast of the Mau Mau" to "Constipation blues" (1967), may have stereotyped his talent, but on the other hand, his idiosyncracies have brought him TV and movie appearances that would have eluded him had he played his music straight. Regardless of style, Hawkins's recordings still display a remarkable voice, which would have been used for opera had Screamin' Jay had his way.

Sweet Daddy Hawk died on 12 February 2000 at the age of 70.

Read a great interview with Screamin' Jay Hawkins! (thanks to Trevor Cajiao from Now Dig This)

Sign guestbook [defunct] - - View old guestbook

Netstatzähler

• Little Bitty Pretty One originally by Bobby Day
• "Whistlin' Past The Graveyard". Included in the 2000 tribute album "New Coat Of Paint" (Manifesto records)
• Screamin' J Robbins seems to know a lot about Hawkins and during a conversation at Pachyderm Studios he told me about the time he actually saw the man play live in DC. Apparently Hawkins was not touring with a band, but rather alone in a car and then he would have the venue provide a backing band for him. I'm not sure if he required the club to furnish a coffin for him to arise from as he was known to do back in the day... but I do know that the band was so unfamiliar with Hawkins' songs, that Screaming Jay actually had to scream out the notes for them during the song! J said it was awful and completely embarrassing. Can you imagine. "I put a spell on you... G SHARP! ... because you're mine... B FLAT! ...stop the things you do... A MINOR SEVENTH DIMINISHED!"
• including George Clinton, Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, Screaming Lord Sutch, Warren Zevon, and Marilyn Manson, among the many who vied for Hawkins' title as a rock and roll madman.
• His starring roles in Jim Jarmusch's films 'Stranger Than Paradise' and 'Mystery Train' led to other movie performances, such as Álex de la Iglesia's 'Perdita Durango' and Bill Duke's adaptation of Chester Himes' 'A Rage In Harlem', and his song "Frenzy" being featured in "The X Files".

Discography

Singles | Albums | Compilations

Destroy all DJs with Screamin' Jay: http://blues.discogs.com/release/330188

Screaming Lord Sutch discography http://www.rosalyn.me.uk/loonyarchive/sutchrecords.html

WAITS V. LEVI STRAUSS & Co. http://www.keeslau.com/TomWaitsSupplement/Copyright/copyrightwaitslevis.htm

Various Artists - Mercury Blues Story: East Coast Blues, Vol. 2 (Universe [Italy]) Sept 27 — 26 tracks from Mercury Records; with Joyce Jackson, Dinah Washington, Joe Houston, 'Manhattan' Paul Bascombe, Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra with Ella Johnson, Zilla Mays with John Peek & The Blues Caravan, Ricky Harper, Stomp Gordon, Jay Hawkins, Titus Turner and Arthur Prysock

Songs

• "Alligator wine" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)
• "I put a spell on you" (Jalacy Hawkins)
• "Yellow coat" (Jalacy Hawkins)

Filmography

Screamin' Jay Hawkins appeared in the following movies:

Release date	Movie title	Role	Notes
1957	Mister Rock and Roll	himself
1978	American hot wax	himself
1985	Joey
1988	Two Moon Junction	black club singer
1989	Mystery train	night clerk
1991	A rage in Harlem
1997	Perdita durango = Dance with the Devil
1999	Peut-être = Maybe
2001	57 kids		TV documentary
2002	I put a spell on me	himself
2003.08	Put a spell on Tokyo	himself	rec. 1990 Tokyo

Gallery

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  In the early days

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  in the movie Mister Rock and Roll (1957)

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  in the movie Mister Rock and Roll (1957)

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  1996. - Photo: Niles Frantz

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  1994.07.31 Berlin, ... (live). - Photo: Stefan Müller

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  1996 Chicago, "Chicago Blues Festival"

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  1996 (at a festival in France)

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  Screamin' Jay Hawkins on the cover of the CD AT LAST (1998). - Photo: Vincent Lignier

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  Screamin' Jay Hawkins photo session for the CD AT LAST (1998). - Photos: Vincent Lignier

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  Photo: (c) 2000 Jean-Pierre Arniac

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  T-shirt by Rocklegends4u: "Screamin' Jay and a ghostly voodoo apparition"

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Weblinks

• Jayskids.com - this site says to search for the about 57 children of Screamin' Jay Hawkins...
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Volker Stieber) - extensive biography with many quotes and album covers
• Voodoo Café : a tiny room of Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Screamin' Jay Hawkins tribute in Japanese
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins : Singles / Albums / Compilations (Wangdangdula.com / Pete Hoppula) - discography
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Tom Simon) - short biography
• Name: Jay Hawkins - short biography

minor sites

• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Wilson and Alroy's record reviews)
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Yahoo Music) - biography, discography, sound clips
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (UBL) - Biography, discography
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Last Call Records) - biography
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (CD Universe) - with many sound clips in RealAudio format
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (CD Now) - with some music clips in Real Audio and/or MPEG
• Blues diary 2003 - something in Japanese
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins : I put a spell on you - biography and album reviews in Norwegian
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Myspace.com)

Music

• Screamin' Jay Hawkins: FRENZY / STONE CRAZY - both albums complete in Real Audio
• The Big Black Hole : Michael Roberts' jukebox - feat. sound clips of "I put a spell on you" and "Little demon" in .AIFF format