Genre-defying blues-rock powerhouse Samantha Fish has released an electrifying rendition of the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins classic ‘I Put A Spell on You’. Known for her fiery guitar playing and soulful vocals, Fish breathes new life into the iconic track, infusing it with her signature edge and raw emotion.
There’s a tendency to go for overwrought anguish on this number, and by many a talented performer. Here on this live rendition, Fish’s keyboard player weaves his organ through deep waters, like some folkloric swamp creature moving slowly towards you as Fish’s voice, low, almost whispering, draws you closer; enchanting you, bringing you closer to your love-sickened doom. That it takes just under four minutes to get us to this point, where you realise there’s no turning back, her voice rising, with guttural screaming even as she strikes the notes on her guitar and slays you. This is killer blues all the way.
“I’ve always loved how intense and theatrical this song is,” said the guitarist, who’s about to step on stage in Birmingham, England, later tonight. “It gave me the perfect opportunity to dig into the darker, more haunting side of my sound.”
Following her UK tour she will embark to mainland European, hitting Germany, and Holland, further showcasing her mastery of live performances. Fish has just wrapped up the Experience Hendrix Tour, where she shared the stage with blues legends like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, and Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram. In November, she will headline the Ruf Records 30th Anniversary Tour, celebrating the label’s pivotal role in shaping modern blues.
‘I Put A Spell on You’ comes hot on the heels of Fish’s recent three-song EP, which featured reimagined versions of fan favourites ‘Faster’, ‘Crowd Control’, and ‘Better Be Lonely’. While studio work allows her to reinvent herself, Fish insists, “the stage is where the real magic happens. I connect with the audience in a way that transforms the music into something alive.”
‘I Put A Spell on You’ is available on all streaming platforms here and you can watch the art track video here. For more on Samantha Fish at RAMzine click here.
