Today marks the 13th anniversary of the death of Jalacy Hawkins, better known to the world as Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Descriptive adjectives can't do this man's legend justice, so take these absolutely true facts to the dome instead:—The All Music Guide To Soul states that while his best known single "I Put A Spell On You" was originally planned as a gentle ballad, Hawkins blacked out before the recording session and "screamed, grunted, and gurgled his way through the tune with utter drunken abandon."—In the documentary I Put A Spell On Me, Hawkins claims to have been taken as a prisoner of war while serving in WWII. He mentions that after liberation he placed a grenade in the mouth of his chief torturer and pulled the pin. Sit down Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie/Hopsin etc, you are not about that life.—According to Encyclopedia Of The Blues, Hawkins began developing his insane live performance after a promoter offered him $300 to emerge from a coffin onstage. His show grew to include "rubber snakes…gold and leopard skin costumes and…his smoking skull on a stick – named Henry."—After his death, investigations proved that he fathered somewhere between 55 and 75 children. Swerve.Keep all this in mind while performing your Fat Tuesday ritual sacrifices, and don't forget to pour some potion out for the realest to ever do it, the one and only Screamin' Jay Motherfucking Hawkins.Ezra Marcus, too, has a smoking skull on a stick named Henry. He's on Twitter - @tryna_functi0n
Advertisement