a b Eden, Dawn (December 1965). "Price on His Head". Goldmine. Archived from the original on November 24, 2007 . Retrieved December 10, 2022. At the time of recording, in 1955, The Beatles didn’t even exist, and thus hadn’t yet “sexually revolutionized” music with their perverse, licentious claims of “want[ing] to hold your hand.” So you can imagine how listeners responded to Hawkins’ song of demonic attraction, which he ended in a series of noises that sounded halfway between your typical, orgasming man and a pig who’d just completed a marathon (different Hawkins recordings culminate in various other animal noises). It was, of course, banned on many radio stations and in stores. The following year, Hawkins was recording for Okeh Records and pulled the song out again for another attempt. The producer Arnold Maxin still found it to be somewhat tame, but felt there was a potential. He felt something could be done with that song if it was tweaked a little. It needed a touch of anger, some fire, a dash of savage hurt… in other words, some intensity in the delivery. Annie Lennox recorded her cover of the song in 2013. It was released on 15 September 2014 as the lead single from her sixth studio album Nostalgia. Its original release failed to make any impact on charts until it was included on the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey, after which the song did chart in the US, UK and France.” The Okeh Records version was released in October 1956. However, it was banned from most radio programming for its outrageous ‘cannibalistic’ style. An edited version was later released omitting the grunts and moans from the ending of the song but, regardless, the ban generally remained. Despite the restriction, Hawkins’ record, while it never charted, still sold over a million copies.

Though his version never charted, a number of covered versions did; on Billboard's Top 100 chart , Creedence Clearwater Revival's version peaked at #58 in 1968 and the Alan Price Set took their version to #80 in 1966 and to #8 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart... The original version was slower and more of a classic blues love ballad. It was recorded in that style during Hawkins’ first stint with Grand Records in late 1955. For whatever reason, it was not seen as his best work, and he had a hard time convincing them to release this version of the song. They passed on it, but it has since been reissued by Rev-Ola/Cherry Red on the retrospective collection The Whamee 1953-55 in 2006. There is an unconfirmed myth which tells the story that Hawkins was startled when a messenger showed up with the single in hand ten days later. The drink had flown freely in the studio, and Hawkins could not remember how the song had ended up.

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a b c I Put A Spell On You: The Decca / Deram Singles A's And B's (liner notes pg. 2). Dopson, Roger. Alan Price Set. Connoisseur Collection. 2000.

The song also genuinely scared a lot of people, particularly the white, god-fearing part of the population, who took the title literally. Without being particularly knowledgeable about the voodoo legends, they found the song’s voodoo overtones to be so genuine that they were concerned that an actual spell was being cast, or that a certain unholy magic was unleashed, whenever the song was played. In other words: they believed the record was capable of casting evil voodoo spells, which naturally came directly out of the tribal culture which undoubtedly existed somewhere in the deep wetlands of the Delta. Sometimes fiction is never as crazy as what some people think of as facts. Four years later on January 15th, 1969 "I Put A Spell On You" re-entered the UK Top 50 Singles chart at position #44, three weeks later it would peak at #28 {for 1 week}... a b Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955–2002 (1sted.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-155-1. PS If Paul in Perth (or anyone else for that matter) would like a copy of the chords, the band I play in has just started gigging our own version of the song (in Cminor), so just let me know. I Put A Spell On You is as intense a song as you’ll ever hear. The instrumentation is very simple – almost naked, initially being recorded with just piano, bass, and drums alongside Hawkins’ unique vocal. It would later be expanded with horns and strings, which helps emphasise and give the song its haunting quality.

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In the UK, the version by Sonique reached No. 36 in 1998 and No. 8 on reissue in 2000. [8] [9] [19]

Karlin from Nelson, BcI liked the Arthur Brown version. I might still have that vinyl [but no turntable] Hawkins was hurt at the criticism. “What’s wrong with acting like a wild warrior?” Hawkins said at the time. “I’m making a living. I’m not breaking the law. How dare you?” Ani from Yerevan, ArmeniaJOHN FORGERTY has also done a gorgeous cover of this song in the album "Premonition" (1998). However, there are many versions of this song, but the original one always remains N1 for me:) Dimery, Robert, ed. (2013). 1001 songs you must hear before you die (Rev. and updateded.). London. p.81. ISBN 9781844037360. OCLC 855705641. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link)Of all the things the song has metamorphosed into, and all of the meanings and anti-meanings it’s taken on, the original — which never made the charts — remains the most potent, perhaps because it’s a historically spectacular vocal performance, perhaps because an extemporaneously weird recording of the song defined Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ entire career, or perhaps because of the uncomfortable murkiness of its identity politics seen in Hawkins’ performances. Probably all of the above. Empress from Portland Orreferring to PO from Portland OR. I'm also trying to find out the title of this vampire movie. Screamin' Jay Hawkins also performed the song in this movie about the girl stalked by the vampire. The title also included the word Love. If they would air it from time to time I think it would become a cult classic. If I find out i'll post it here and if you find please do the same. From the wiki: “‘I Put a Spell on You’ was written in 1956 by Jalacy ‘Screamin’ Jay’ Hawkins. Hawkins first recorded the song as a ballad during his stint with Grand Records in late 1955. However, that version was not released at the time (it has since been reissued on Hawkins’ UK compilation The Whamee 1953–55). Despite all of this, I Put A Spell On You was Hawkins’ biggest hit, and it has never gone away. The song has become a Halloween classic, ensuring that it is remembered and carried forward every year.

And across pond it was in it's first week on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart at position #30, five weeks later it would peak at #23 for one week... In the UK, Bryan Ferry’s version, covered on the album Taxi, reached #18 in 1993. A coverby Sonique reached #36 in 1998 and #8 on reissue in 2000.

The song had humbler beginnings, though. It started out as something more straightforward and far less potent. Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2000. Print. a b c Brown, Tony. (2000). The Complete Book of the British Charts. Omnibus Press. p.785. ISBN 0-7119-7670-8. Nina Simone’s version from her album of the same name reached #120 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the R&B charts in 1965; it also reached #49 on the UK singles chart that year, and #28 when it was reissued in 1969. A single release by The Alan Price Set reached #9 in the UK in 1966 and #80 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown covered the song on their 1968 self-titled album, with the promotional single ‘bubbling under’ the Hot 10 at #111. Billy from Pittsburgh, PaThis song was used in a 2004 jeans commercial (Levi's, I think?) where a mannequin stalks a department store worker who took the jeans off of it. Kind of creepy.