Which one is your favorite? - XXI -

This week we go back to the 50s and try to find the best covers of a Screamin' Jay Hawkins song that was written in 1956 and was selected as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It is also ranked No. 313 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Here is the song for this week;

"I Put A Spell On You"

Hawkins had originally intended to record "I Put a Spell on You" as "a refined love song, a blues ballad". However, the producer (Arnold Maxin) "brought in ribs and chicken and got everybody drunk, and we came out with this weird version ... I don't even remember making the record. Before, I was just a normal blues singer. I was just Jay Hawkins. It all sort of just fell in place. I found out I could do more destroying a song and screaming it to death." as he said in an interview...

Hawkins first recorded "I Put a Spell on You" 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 Rev-Ola CD The Whamee 1953–55). The following year, Hawkins re-recorded the song for Columbia's Okeh Records – the notorious screaming version, which was released in October 1956. However, this version was banned from most radio programming for its outrageous 'cannibalistic' style. A truncated version was later released omitting the grunts and moans from the ending of the song, but the ban generally remained. Despite the restriction, the record still sold over a million copies.

And just for this week I have 11 versions for you; I am telling you, you have some homework to do :)

• Nina Simone - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Bryan Ferry - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Natacha Atlas- "I Put a Spell On You"

• IZA - "I Put a Spell On You"

• Annie Lennox - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Diamanda Galas - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Nick Cave & The Cavemen - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Chaka Khan - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Creedence Clearwater Revival - "I Put A Spell On You"

• Jeff Beck & Joss Stone - "I Put a Spell On You"

• She and Him - "I Put a Spell on You"

Now the floor is yours, go ahead and make your comments (here, Instagram, Facebook wherever you feel like...).

nb. Please note that I intentionally do not include the original versions of the songs as it would be a little unfair to the artists covering the songs, and I am sure that sometimes you will be surprised to see that the songs you thought were the originals are just covers.

Five Songs for the Weekend - LXI -

It is the awards season in music and movies and as always I am trying to stay away from the mainstream but I am happy that Brad Mehldau won a Grammy this year in the Jazz Instrumental Album category. If you haven't listened to "Finding Gabriel", give it a try...

As Bob Marley once said;

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

And here's this week's list;

• Rodrigo y Gabriela - "Echoes"

• John Zorn, Sofia Rei - "Besos de Sangre"

• Meena Cryle - "It Makes Me Scream"

• David Bowie - "Starman"

• Pat Metheny with Charlie Haden - "Cinema Paradiso"

Hope you have a great weekend.

nb. You can open the actual youtube page by clicking the name on the upper left side of each video.

Which one is your favorite? - XX -

How about we take a journey to the second half of the 60s and remember the Motown sound? This week we have a song from The Supremes recorded as a single in 1966. Written and produced by Motown production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song topped the United States Billboard pop singles chart, made the UK top five, and made the top 10 in the Australian Singles Chart.

Here is the song for this week;

"You Can't Hurry Love"

It was based on a gospel song entitled "You Can't Hurry God," which was sung by Dorothy Love Coates and the Gospel Harmonettes, a gospel group based in Birmingham, Alabama. 

The song, a memory of a mother's words of encouragement ("My mama said 'you can't hurry love/No you just have to wait' ") telling her daughter that with patience she will find that special someone one day, is an example of the strong influence of gospel music present in much of R&B and soul music.

The recorded version of "You Can't Hurry Love" showcases the developing sound of The Supremes, who were progressing from their earlier teen-pop into more mature themes and musical arrangements. This song and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" were finished together; when it came time to choose which single would be issued first, Motown's Quality Control department chose "You Can't Hurry Love."

Sixteen years later, it would become a number-one hit in the UK when Phil Collins re-recorded the song. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks beginning in January 1983[2] and reached number 10 on the US Singles Chart that same month.

And here are the 3 versions I picked for you;

• Phil Collins - "You Can't Hurry Love"

• Youn Sun Nah -  "You Can't Hurry Love"

• Jordin Sparks - "You Can't Hurry Love "

Now the floor is yours, go ahead and make your comments (here, Instagram, Facebook wherever you feel like...).

nb. Please note that I intentionally do not include the original versions of the songs as it would be a little unfair to the artists covering the songs, and I am sure that sometimes you will be surprised to see that the songs you thought were the originals are just covers.

Five Songs for the Weekend - LX -

Here I am with the 60th post of the "Five Songs for the Weekend". I hope you are enjoying the songs that I have been choosing for you. Please keep on listening and fill yourselves with music to be able to bear up with the times we are in...

As Confucius once said;

"If one should desire to know whether a 
kingdom is well governed, 
if its morals are good or bad, 
the quality of its music will furnish the answer."

And here's this week's list;

• First Aid Kit - "My Silver Lining"

• Mando Diao - "Gloria"

• Michelle Gurevich - "Woman is Still a Woman"

• Professor Longhair - "Big Chief"

• Joan Jett & Paul Westerberg - "Let's Do It"

Hope you have a great weekend.

nb. You can open the actual youtube page by clicking the name on the upper left side of each video.

RIP: Jimmy Heath

James Heath, nicknamed "Little Bird" passed away on January 19th at the age of 93. He was the brother of Percy Heath and Albert Heath.

He was a visionary jazz saxophonist, composer and a bandleader. He played alongside with great jazzmen including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Art Farmer and Milt Jackon.

Saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Heath.

Lonnie Timmons III/Getty Images

He also thought at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

Let's salute his contributions to the jazz world that lasted over 70 years.

Jimmy Heath feat. by WDR BIG BAND - "Bruh Slim"