Doctor Mooney's 115th Dream: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Nocturnal Bark, “I Put A Spell On You”

The one-time golden gloves victor was a well-oiled booze machine when unloading the demented spooky carnage of “I Put A Spell On You.” It was intended to be a sweet love ballad before head of Columbia Records Arnold Maxim fetched some gin and whiskey for the session; sinister pie-eyed madness ensued.

Throughout his finest three minutes on wax, his first — and only — hit, backed by a menacing ghoulish shuffle, Hawkins comes off as a deranged R&B evangelist. His wicked spectral baritone oozing snarled feral shouts, “I put a spell on you / Because you're mine,” The spine-chilling track became an underground smash, selling a quarter of a million copies, in spite of being outlawed from the radio waves.

“I Put A Spell On You”
OKeh Records, 1956
Written by: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Produced by: Leroy Kirkland

I put a spell on you
Because you're mine

Stop the things you do
Whoahuh - what's up?
I ain't lyin'
Yeaaah, i can't stand - hoo!
No runnin' around
I can't stand
No put me down
I put a spell on you
Because you're mine
Whoahaa - yeah!
Woah!

[sax solo]

Stop the things you do
Whoahuh - what's up?
I ain't lyin'
Aahh!! aah! i love you
I love you
I love you anyhow
I don't care if you don't want me
I'm yours right now
I put a spell on you
Because you're mine, mine
Mine!!! aah whoahh huh

Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk,