One of the few classic rock songs from the 1950s that younger people have heard is Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.” Paul McCartney wrote a solo track that drew inspiration from that tune. Interestingly, “I Put a Spell on You” had a massive impact on other artists — and some cult classic movies.

‘I Put a Spell on You’ inspired Paul McCartney to sing in-character on 1 solo song

During a 2021 interview with PaulMcCartney.com, the former Beatle said that his song “Monkberry Moon Delight” was his attempt to write a surrealist song. “I haven’t done that recently — maybe it’s time to go back to it?” the “Band on the Run” singer said. “It was just a thing that I liked doing because it was fun and not too serious. If you’re not in the mood for writing a love song, then it’s not wise to try and write one, but you might be in the mood to write something a little crazy.”

Paul discussed how the lyrics of “Monkberry Moon Delight” influenced his vocal performance. “It also depends on how seriously you want to sing a song,” he said. “If the lyrics are a bit zany then you end up having fun with the vocal, like you’re a character. I’m inspired by people like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, who did a song called ‘I Put a Spell on You.’ When I first heard it I couldn’t believe the way he was using his voice, I thought, ‘Wow, this guy is singing far out!’ ‘Monkberry Moon Delight’ was definitely influenced by ‘Put a Spell on You,’ because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a light relief from the serious world.”

Paul McCartney was far from the only rock star that the song influenced

Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” is one of the most important songs of the 1950s. The tune has a black magic theme and Hawkins used to perform it with macabre props, like bones and coffins. The track and Hawkins’ performances paved the way for the genres of shock rock and Gothic rock. Without Hawkins, there would be no Alice Cooper, Trent Reznor, or Rob Zombie. 

In addition, “I Put a Spell on You” became a standard. It’s been covered by numerous artists, including Nina Simone, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Annie Lennox, Alan Price, The Animals, Van Morrison, Carlos Santana, Joe Cocker, and Nick Cave. How many songs that weren’t written by The Beatles became this popular to cover?

The 2 most famous covers of ‘I Put a Spell on You’ came out in the 1990s

The two most notable covers of “I Put a Spell On You” came out in the 1990s. One was Marilyn Manson’s rendition from the EP Smells Like Children. That cover showed that Manson was cognizant of his place in the history of shock rock, while the EP solidified his dangerous reputation. That rendition made a memorable appearance in David Lynch’s Lost Highway — which is dark even by Lynch’s standards.

In the same decade, Bette Midler’s version of the song appeared in Disney’s Hocus Pocus. Hocus Pocus introduced “I Put a Spell on You” to millions of people. Many listeners are more familiar with Midler’s Broadway-style take on the track than they are with the original.

“I Put a Spell on You” leaves a massive legacy — and “Monkberry Moon Delight” is part of it.