Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Hawkins studied classical piano as a child and learned guitar in his twenties. His initial goal was to become an opera singer (Hawkins has cited Paul Robeson as his musical idol in interviews), but when his initial ambitions failed he began his career as a conventional blues singer and pianist.
Hawkins was an avid and formidable boxer. In 1949, he was the middleweight boxing champion of Alaska.
In 1951, Hawkins joined guitarist Tiny Grimes's band, and was subsequently featured on some of Grimes's recordings. When Hawkins became a solo performer, he often performed in a stylish wardrobe of leopard skins, red leather and wild hats.
His most successful recording, "I Put a Spell on You" (1956), was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. According to the AllMusic Guide to the Blues, "Hawkins originally envisioned the tune as a refined ballad." The entire band was intoxicated during a recording session where "Hawkins screamed, grunted, and gurgled his way through the tune with utter drunken abandon." The resulting performance was no ballad but instead a "raw, guttural track" that became his greatest commercial success and reportedly surpassed a million copies in sales, although it failed to make the Billboard pop or R&B charts.
The performance was mesmerizing, although Hawkins himself blacked out and was unable to remember the session. Afterward he had to relearn the song from the recorded version. Meanwhile the record label released a second version of the single, removing most of the grunts that had embellished the original performance; this was in response to complaints about the recording's overt sexuality. Nonetheless it was banned from radio in some areas.
Soon after the release of "I Put a Spell on You", radio disc jockey Alan Freed offered Hawkins $300 to emerge from a coffin onstage. Hawkins accepted and soon created an outlandish stage persona in which performances began with the coffin and included "gold and leopard skin costumes and notable voodoo stage props, such as his smoking skull on a stick – named Henry – and rubber snakes." These props were suggestive of voodoo, but also presented with comic overtones that invited comparison to "a black Vincent Price."
He continued to tour and record through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Europe, where he was very popular. He appeared in performance (as himself) in the Alan Freed bio-pic American Hot Wax in 1978. Subsequently, 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 Hawkins himself as a hotel night clerk in his Mystery Train and in roles in Álex de la Iglesia's Perdita Durango and Bill Duke's adaptation of Chester Himes' A Rage in Harlem.
His 1957 single "Frenzy" (found on the early 1980s compilation 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". It was also covered by the band Batmobile. "I Put a Spell on You" was featured during the show and over the credits of Episode 303 of The Simpsons.
In 1983, Hawkins relocated to the New York area. In 1984 and 1985, Hawkins collaborated with garage rockers The Fuzztones, resulting in "Screamin' Jay Hawkins and The Fuzztones Live" album recorded at Irving Plaza in December 1984. They perform in the 1986 movie Joey.
In July 1991, Hawkins released his album Black Music for White People. The record features covers of two Tom Waits compositions: "Heart Attack and Vine" (which, later that year, was used in a European Levi's advertisement without Waits' permission, resulting in a lawsuit), and "Ice Cream Man" (which, contrary to popular belief, is a Waits original, and not a cover of the John Brim classic). Hawkins also covered the Waits song, "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard", for his album Somethin' Funny Goin' On. In 1993, his version of "Heart Attack and Vine" became his only UK hit, reaching #42 on the UK singles chart.
When Dread Zeppelin recorded their "disco" album, It's Not Unusual in 1992, producer Jah Paul Jo asked Hawkins to guest. He performed the songs "Jungle Boogie" and "Disco Inferno".
Hawkins also toured with The Clash and Nick Cave during this period, and not only became a fixture of blues festivals, but appeared at many film festivals as well, including the Telluride Film Festival premier of Mystery Train.
Hawkins died on February 12, 2000 after surgery to treat an aneurysm. He left behind many children by many women; an estimated 55 at the time of his death, and upon investigation, that number "soon became perhaps 75 offspring".
Although Hawkins was not a major success as a recording artist, his highly theatrical performances from "I Put a Spell On You" onward earned him a steady career as a live performer for decades afterward, and influenced subsequent acts. He opened for Fats Domino, Tiny Grimes and the Rolling Stones. This exposure in turn influenced rock groups such as The Cramps, Screaming Lord Sutch, Black Sabbath, Arthur Brown, Dread Zeppelin, The Horrors, Marilyn Manson, Tom Waits, Alice Cooper and Glenn Danzig.
I Love Paris
Screamin' Jay Hawkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whether blue or gray be the sky
Whether loud be her cheers or where soft be her tears
More and more do I realise.
I love Paris in the springtime
I love Paris in the fall
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles
I love Paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love Paris, why, why, do I love Paris?
Because my love is near.
How about Germany? Germany?
Achtung! (German-sounding scatting)
Like Chinese?
Ah, Chinese! (Chinese-sounding scatting)
How about Africa? Africa!
Asum-maumau-kissum Santy Claus!
And Paris? Paris!
Oui, oui, asu Monsieur, ha ha!
I love Paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love Paris, why, oh, why, do I love Paris
Because my love is near.
Because my love is near.
The lyrics to Screamin' Jay Hawkins's song I Love Paris express the singer's deep affection for the city of Paris, regardless of the current weather or mood. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer looking down upon the city and realizing more and more how much he loves it. The following verses repeat the refrain "I love Paris" while detailing the different types of weather and seasons he enjoys being in the city, from the springtime to the summer sizzle. The final verse emphasizes that the singer's love for Paris is constant year-round because his love is near.
What makes this song unique is the scatting and interjections of different languages throughout. The singer playfully asks the listener if they also love other countries and then launches into scatting in a German and Chinese fashion. The song then picks up a bit with a reference to an African chant before returning the focus back to Paris. These sections of the song add an additional layer of playfulness and humor to the overall upbeat song.
The adaptation of the song was originally written by Cole Porter in the 1950s and turned into a hit by Ella Fitzgerald. Screamin' Jay Hawkins put his own spin on the classic with his avant-garde R&B and soulful sound. Overall, "I Love Paris" is a fun, upbeat song that celebrates the city of love and showcases the unique musical style of Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I look down on this timeless town
Whenever I observe this magnificent city, this hub of the past, present, and future.
Whether blue or gray be the sky
Regardless of the color and atmosphere of the sky.
Whether loud be her cheers or where soft be her tears
No matter if the city is roaring with joy or quiet with sorrow.
More and more do I realise.
The longer I spend time in this city, the more I understand and comprehend its splendor and allure.
I love Paris in the springtime
I adore this city particularly in spring when blossoms are in full bloom, blanketing the city with beauty.
I love Paris in the fall
I cherish this city equally in autumn, when the air is crisp, and colors are vibrant.
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles
I am enamored with this city even in winter, when it rains and moistens the environment.
Ooh, I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles.
I am enchanted with this city, particularly during the summer when the temperature is high, and the city is in full swing.
I love Paris every moment
I am enamored with this city 24/7, and it brings me joy always.
Every moment of the year
I love this city throughout the year, all year round.
I love Paris, why, why, do I love Paris?
I adore this city, but sometimes I question why and how much I love it.
Because my love is near.
But then again, I remember that the reason is simple, my love is next to me, and Paris has joined us together.
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DavidAndrewsXchangin
remarkably good! Without a doubt THE definitive version of this classic song
@CubeableGame
Screamin' Jay Hawkings is truly a legend!
@moominpic
This really shows the versatility of his voice
@MoLaudi
What about that voice! incredible!!!
@gasparucciox9706
love for the good old jay! (r.i.p )
@jay1beaux
Outstanding
@ksjoyjespeace
had this lp,one price guide said: $25-50(current!), so I sold it for $30 or so ; later found out it's one of the rarest lp's,worth over $800 + !! ouch !! I'll find it again,somewhere though!
@markw110
Collecting involves a lot of heart ache, unfortunately.
@ridingdirtyface
amazing
@fertuan666
thanks for watch hope this get enjoyed for many people more