Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Jalacy Hawkins, best known as Screamin' Jay Hawkins (born in Cleveland, Ohio July 18, 1929 - February 12, 2000) was an African American singer famed for his wildly theatrical performances of songs like "I Put a Spell on You" and "Constipation Blues".

Later career

Hawkins had several further hits, including "Constipation Blues", "Orange Colored Sky", and "Feast of the Mau Mau", which capitalized on the cannibalistic reputation, but nothing he released had the massive success of "I Put A Spell On You".

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He continued to tour and record through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Europe, but his career was not advancing until filmmaker Jim Jarmusch featured "I Put a Spell on You" on the soundtrack ? and deep in the plot ? of his film Stranger Than Paradise (1983) and then the dour Hawkins himself as a hotel night clerk in his Mystery Train. This led to a few other movie performances, such as Alex de la Iglesia's Perdita Durango and Bill Duke's adaptation of Chester Himes' A Rage In Harlem.

Related Topics:
1960s - 1970s - Filmmaker - Jim Jarmusch - Stranger Than Paradise - Mystery Train - Alex de la Iglesia - Bill Duke - Chester Himes - A Rage In Harlem

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His 1982 song, "Frenzy", (from the album of the same name) was included in the compilation CD, "Songs in the Key of X: Music From And Inspired By The X-Files", in 1996. This song was featured in the show's season 2 episode "Humbug".

Related Topics:
The X-Files - Humbug

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In July 1991 Hawkins released his album Black Music for White People. The record contains a Tom Waits penned song "Heart Attack and Vine" that later that year was used in Europe in a Levi's advertisement, and "Ice Cream Man" (a song written by blues guitarist John Brim and covered by Tom Waits in 1973, and by Van Halen in 1978).

Related Topics:
Tom Waits - John Brim - Van Halen

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Hawkins also toured with The Clash and Nick Cave during this period, and also became a fixture not only of blues festivals, but also appeared at many film festivals.

Related Topics:
The Clash - Nick Cave

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Hawkins left many children by many women. About 55 were known (or suspected) upon his death, and upon investigation, that number "soon became perhaps 75 offspring." http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1116345

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