A couple of days I mentioned that King Khan’s on-stage antics might have been inspired by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Here’s some classic Screamin’ Jay for you, “I Put A Spell On You”. The original intention, when Jay’s band went to record the song in 1956, was to do a straightforward ballad. That plan was derailed when Jay and the band spotted a bar on the way to the recording station and had more than a few rye whiskeys before heading onwards. They were totally smashed when they got to the studio, and Jay sung a series of yelps, grunts, and screams around the song that were completely unheard of before then. Unfortunately he was so smashed that he didn’t even remember what he’d done afterwards, and had to re-learn the song from the record because all he knew was the straightforward ballad version, not the version that sold a million copies!
For more about Screamin’ Jay, here’s an actual interview with the man, it’s a podcast a ways down the page. He was definitely one of a kind!
- Badtux the Music Penguin
I like pie.
Swell guy, Screamin’ Jay. Friends of mine opened for him in the ’80s, & I got to shake his hand.
Screamin’ Jay and Rye – a combination made in — uh, couldn’t exactly be heaven, but definitely someplace very freaquing cool.
Loves me some Screamin’ Jay.
Loves me some Rye.
Cheers,
JzB