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.
Ice Cream Man
Screamin' Jay Hawkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise,
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
I got a big stick, mamma, that'll blow your mind
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm yourt one-man band (yeah)
I'm your ice cream man, baby,
if you missed me in the alley, baby, don't you fret
Come back around and don't forget,
When you're tired and you're hungry
and you want something cool,
Got something better than a swimming pool
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm your one-man band
I'm your ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.
See me coming, you ain't got no change
Don't worry baby, it can be arranged:
Show me you can smile, baby just for me
Fix you with a drumstick, I'll do it for free
I'm your ice cram man
chocolate and vanilla
I'm your ice cram man
strawberry filler
I'm your ice cram man
I'm your chocolate man
I'm your black walnuts hanging from a can
I got cream
sweet dreams
butterscotch
pecan cherry
blackberries
yeah i'm full of them blackberries
i'm your ice cream man
The song "Ice Cream Man" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is a fun, flirty tune about the singer being an ice cream man, who offers more than just cool treats to his customers. He mentions driving by the listener's house around 2:45 in the afternoon with a strawberry sundae surprise on the menu, and even has a cherry popsicle ready for the listener - with a promise of blowing their mind. Hawkins' playful tone and suggestive lyrics imply that he can satisfy the listener's needs beyond just cravings for cold sweetness, hinting at a potentially extracurricular interaction.
The chorus is where the song's title is mentioned, as Hawkins sings "I'm your ice cream man, I'm your one-man band" with pride, highlighting how he not only sells ice cream but also provides musical entertainment. He encourages the listener to come back for more, promising something "better than a swimming pool" when they're tired and hungry, and then goes on to suggest that even if they don't have any money, he can satisfy them in other ways - with a drumstick.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ice Cream Man" are playful and suggestive, fitting well with Hawkins' dynamic voice and performance style. While the song itself is light-hearted and fun, it also offers a glimpse into the cultural and societal changes taking place during the time it was written, with its emphasis on sexual liberation and free-spiritedness.
Line by Line Meaning
Clickin' by your house about two forty-five
I'm passing by your home around 2:45PM.
Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise,
I bring an unusual strawberry sundae dessert that you can't resist.
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
I provide the ultimate cherry popsicle experience.
I got a big stick, mamma, that'll blow your mind
I have a unique and special ice cream treat you will never forget.
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm your one-man band (yeah)
I'm your ice cream man, baby,
I'll be good to you.
I am the only person you need to fulfill your ice cream needs, and I promise to take good care of you.
if you missed me in the alley, baby, don't you fret
Come back around and don't forget,
If you can't find me, don't worry, I will return and you can always count on me.
When you're tired and you're hungry
and you want something cool,
Got something better than a swimming pool
If you feel tired and hungry, I have something better than swimming in a pool to make you feel refreshed.
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm your one-man band
I'm your ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.
I will always be there for you and fulfill your ice cream needs.
See me coming, you ain't got no change
Don't worry baby, it can be arranged:
Show me you can smile, baby just for me
Fix you with a drumstick, I'll do it for free
If you don't have any money, don't worry, I can make it work for you. Smile and I'll give you a free drumstick ice cream.
I'm your ice cram man
chocolate and vanilla
I'm your ice cram man
strawberry filler
I'm your ice cram man
I'm your chocolate man
I'm your black walnuts hanging from a can
I got cream
sweet dreams
butterscotch
pecan cherry
blackberries
yeah i'm full of them blackberries
i'm your ice cream man
I am the master of all ice cream, providing a wide variety of flavors and unique combinations to satisfy your cravings. I am your ice cream man and can fulfill all your ice cream dreams and desires.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Thomas Alan Waits
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arjun Upadhya
___________________________________________________
Clickin' by your house about two forty-five
Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise,
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
I got a big stick, mamma, that'll blow your mind
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm yourt one-man band (yeah)
I'm your ice cream man, baby,
I'll be good to you.
if you missed me in the alley, baby, don't you fret
Come back around and don't forget,
When you're tired and you're hungry
and you want something cool,
Got something better than a swimming pool
'Cause I'm your ice cream man,
I'm your one-man band
I'm your ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.
See me coming, you ain't got no change
Don't worry baby, it can be arranged:
Show me you can smile, baby just for me
Fix you with a drumstick, I'll do it for free
I'm your ice cram man
chocolate and vanilla
I'm your ice cram man
strawberry filler
I'm your ice cram man
I'm your chocolate man
I'm your black walnuts hanging from a can
I got cream
sweet dreams
butterscotch
pecan cherry
blackberries
yeah i'm full of them blackberries
i'm your ice cream man
===================================================
S Duncan
A treasure! Screamin J is a classic American talent. Transcends bullshit race and economic speed bumps placed by bullshit controllers. This is silky smooth!
ALAIN DEWAELE
love this track thank for the sharing
Walter Severino do Nascimento
Demais!!!!
sparkicus
Screamin' Jay is hilariously WEIRD as a Memphis hotel manager opposite a bellhop played by Spike Lee's brother Cinque in the movie Mystrery Train by Jim Jarmusch. The movie features the voice of Tom Waits as the disc jockey on the radio, plus Steve Buscemi as a befuddled barber, Joe Strummer as his distraught friend and Jarmusch veteran Nicoletta Braschi (wife of Roberto Benigni, also a Jarmusch vet) as a woman trying to get her dead husband back to Italy.
fernando ontiveros
muy buen tema
Snowhite Necro
there is only two people that can make me so happy 1 rory galagher 2 jay hawkins
Topanovich
it's obvious Rachida.
Stuie Munro
yes Van Halen did this with a twist!....but its cool...both versions are awesome!
ringringbananarchy
Actually those are NOT the same songs. This is a cover of the 1973 Tom Waits song. Van Halen covered the John Brim song, which was written in the 50's but recorded in 1969. While they both have the same song title and subject matter, they are completely different songs. Totally different lyrics and musical arrangement.
laladieladada
i scream you scream we all scream for ice-cream