Screamin' Jay Hawkins Gone On Yond

elelle · February 13, 2000, 3:59am

Screamin’ Jay (Jalacy) Hawkins, uncategorizable entertainer, passed on today in Paris as the result of a hemorrhage during an operation.

“I Put A Spell On You” was his best known song. If you saw him live, there was nothing like it! He’d set up a battery of wild toys on top of the piano, dressed in a magnificent caped outfit, and discourse with his skull-topped staff, Henry. And holler out to the world in a powerful baritone voice.

Screamin’ Jay had ambitions of being an opera singer, and when those doors didn’t open for him, decided to create his own opera. If the world called him a Jungle Boy, he’d show 'em how weird that could be!

There ain’t gonna be anyone else like him!

Sweet_Basil · February 13, 2000, 8:20pm

God Bless you Jay!

Rock on…

Sweet Basil http://www.selfrighteousbrothers.com

Johnny_L.A · February 14, 2000, 2:22pm

He was one of the best. Constipation Blues was truly hilarious!

For a last look at Screamin’ Jay, check out Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train, where he plays a hotel clerk.

Ukulele_Ike · February 14, 2000, 3:24pm

Damn. Loved the guy.

Well, that’s the hat trick: Tom Landry, Charles Schulz, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.

They’re playing pinochle in heaven.

– Uke, with a straight face

Eve · February 14, 2000, 4:03pm

So I guess hat trick No. 1 was Hedy Lamarr, Jim Varney and Frances Drake?

Ukulele_Ike · February 14, 2000, 4:14pm

THERE is a sandwich I would rather not visualize.

Neil · February 15, 2000, 2:30am

I came home Sunday night after being away all weekend and saw the news of his death in the paper. I bought one of his CDs a while ago, “Voodoo Jive”, and I keep it in my car. I always wanted to see him in concert…I heard it was a hell of a sight. I was going to post about it, but I thought that nobody would notice, especially with Schulz dying too. Man, I never even knew the guy, and I miss him. Screamin’ Jay was such a cool nickname too.

Neil
“He’s gonna run through the world, till they understand his pain…”

suiyobi · February 16, 2000, 11:18am

from the AP item re: I Put a Spell On You :
“Some of his groans had to be edited out so that the song could be played on the radio. Hawkins said the song, written to woo back a girlfriend, was at first banned by some radio stations because it sounded cannibalistic.” :eek: wugga! :eek:

the hog squeal of the universe is coming from my modem!

system · February 16, 2000, 5:16pm

He was one of a kind, no doubt.

All together, now:
yeeeeaugghhgrrruffwoowoowooooooohahahaha!

Jay is gone, but the screamin’ lives on!

evilbeth · February 17, 2000, 8:04am

TennHippie!!! When did you get back? (I’m sure someone else already asked this in another thread but I don’t care!)

I have a hobby. I have the world’s largest collection of seashells. I keep it scattered on beaches all over the world. Maybe you’ve seen some of it.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins Gone On Yond

from the AP item re: I Put a Spell On You : “Some of his groans had to be edited out so that the song could be played on the radio. Hawkins said the song, written to woo back a girlfriend, was at first banned by some radio stations because it sounded cannibalistic.” :eek: wugga! :eek:

from the AP item re: I Put a Spell On You :
“Some of his groans had to be edited out so that the song could be played on the radio. Hawkins said the song, written to woo back a girlfriend, was at first banned by some radio stations because it sounded cannibalistic.” :eek: wugga! :eek: