It is one of the most recognizable riffs in history. That swampy, menacing saxophone intro kicks in, followed by a voice that sounds like it’s bubbling up from a cauldron in the Bayou. You’ve heard it in movies, commercials, and probably a dozen different cover versions. But if you’re wondering who wrote the song I Put a Spell on You, the answer isn't just a name on a legal document—it’s a story about a recording session that went completely off the rails.
The man behind the magic was Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins.
Most people know the name. Some know the gimmick. But the actual creation of this track in 1956 is a wild piece of music history that almost didn’t happen. Hawkins didn't set out to create a voodoo anthem. He originally wrote it as a refined, classy love song. It was supposed to be a ballad about a guy losing his girl and trying to get her back. Instead, we got a masterpiece of macabre soul that literally changed the trajectory of rock and roll.
The 1956 Session That Changed Everything
Imagine a recording studio in New York City. It’s 1956. Screamin' Jay Hawkins walks in with the intention of recording a sweet blues ballad. But the producer, Arnold Maxin, had a different idea. He wanted something visceral. He wanted grit. To get Jay and the band into the "right" headspace, Maxin allegedly brought in a massive supply of ribs, chicken, and enough Pabst Blue Ribbon and Italian Swiss Colony Muscatel to drown a horse.
Jay later admitted he didn't even remember the recording session.
They got "blind stinking drunk," as he put it. When Hawkins woke up the next day and listened to the tapes, he couldn't believe it was him. He was screaming. He was grunting. He was making noises that sounded more like a disturbed animal than a rhythm and blues singer. That raw, unhinged energy is exactly why the song became a hit, even though it was initially banned from radio stations for being "cannibalistic" or "suggestive."
It’s weird to think that one of the most influential songs in history was basically a happy accident fueled by cheap wine. If they had stayed sober, who wrote the song I Put a Spell on You would probably be a footnote in a jazz encyclopedia rather than a cornerstone of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Nina Simone, Creedence, and the Legacy of the "Spell"
While Screamin' Jay Hawkins wrote the song, he wasn't the only one to make it famous. In fact, many younger fans might actually think Nina Simone wrote it. Her 1965 version stripped away the theatrical horror and replaced it with a sophisticated, simmering rage. It’s arguably the definitive version for many. She took Hawkins’ blues foundation and turned it into a high-art torch song.
Then you have Creedence Clearwater Revival. They played it at Woodstock. John Fogerty’s gritty vocals fit the track like a glove. Their version reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968, proving the song’s versatility.
- The Bette Midler Factor: For a whole generation of 90s kids, the song belongs to Winifred Sanderson from Hocus Pocus.
- The Bryan Ferry Touch: A slick, glam-rock interpretation that showed how the song could work in a modern pop context.
- Marilyn Manson’s Cover: He leaned back into the horror elements Hawkins pioneered, making it even darker for the 90s industrial crowd.
Despite all these massive names, the royalties and the credit always point back to Hawkins. He didn't just write a melody; he wrote a mood. He created a persona that he had to live with for the rest of his life. Before this song, he was a guy who wanted to be an opera singer. After it, he was the guy who came out of a coffin on stage with a skull on a stick named Henry.
The Legal Side: Was It Just Screamin' Jay?
Sometimes in the music business, credits get messy. You see it all the time with blues tracks from the 50s. However, the official songwriter credit for "I Put a Spell on You" is consistently attributed to Jalacy Hawkins. Occasionally, you might see the name Herb Slotkin listed alongside him. Slotkin was the co-owner of Grand Records, the small label where Hawkins first recorded a tamer version of the song in 1955.
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In those days, it was common practice for label owners or producers to take a "cowriter" credit to skim a percentage of the royalties. It’s a shady part of industry history. But artistically? There is zero doubt. The DNA of that song belongs to Jay.
The original 1955 version is actually a great listen if you want to understand the evolution. It’s much slower. It’s polite. It lacks the "spell" that makes the 1956 Okeh Records version so legendary. It’s the difference between a spark and a forest fire.
Why the Song Still Dominates the Charts
Why are we still talking about who wrote the song I Put a Spell on You seventy years later? Honestly, it’s because the song is indestructible. It has a chord progression that feels ancient and a lyrical hook that is universal. Everyone has felt that desperate, possessive need for someone who is leaving them.
The song also gave birth to "Shock Rock." Without Screamin' Jay Hawkins and his spell, we don't get Alice Cooper. We don't get Black Sabbath. We don't get the theatricality of Kiss or Rob Zombie. Jay was the first artist to realize that music could be a horror movie. He used props like rubber snakes and smoke bombs, all because his producer told him he needed to live up to the wild sound of that drunken recording.
Breaking Down the Musical Structure
Musically, the song is a standard 12-bar blues at its core, but it's played in a 6/8 time signature. That "waltz" feel gives it a swaying, hypnotic quality. When you pair that with the minor key, it creates an immediate sense of dread.
Hawkins’ vocal performance is what really seals the deal. He uses "glossolalia"—basically speaking in tongues—and gutteral growls that weren't being used in popular music at the time. Most singers were trying to sound like Sam Cooke or Nat King Cole. Jay was trying to sound like a man possessed.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans and Historians
If you want to truly appreciate the genius of the man who wrote this masterpiece, you shouldn't just stop at the Spotify hit. Here is how to dive deeper into the history:
- Listen to the 1955 Grand Records version. You can find it on various blues compilations. It’s the "before" picture that makes the 1956 "after" picture even more impressive.
- Watch his live performances from the 80s. Even in his later years, Hawkins was a powerhouse. His charisma was undeniable, even when he was leaning into the campy horror stuff.
- Check out the 1991 film "Stranger Than Paradise." The song plays a massive role in the movie, and it helped introduce Hawkins to a whole new indie-film audience.
- Explore the Nina Simone "I Put a Spell on You" album. It’s a masterclass in how to reinterpret a song without losing its soul.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins passed away in 2000, but his "Spell" is going nowhere. It’s been sampled in hip-hop, covered in every genre imaginable, and continues to be the go-to track for anything involving magic or mystery. He might have been drunk when he perfected it, but his legacy is one of the most soberingly influential in the history of the blues.
If you're building a playlist or researching the roots of rock, start with the Okeh Records 1956 session. It’s the rawest look at a man who accidentally invented a genre because he couldn't remember his own lyrics after a few drinks. That's the real story of the man who wrote the song.