Murray & The Movers, featuring original Wiggles member Murray Cook, have released a new interpretation of the classic song ‘I Put A Spell On You’, drawing inspiration from both Nina Simone and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
by Paul Cashmere
Murray & The Movers have unveiled a new recording of the blues standard ‘I Put A Spell On You’, with the Australian band reimagining the song through a combination of jazz, blues and soul influences. Released on 26 June through Xelon Entertainment, the track arrives as the group completes a run of dates in Spain, culminating with a performance at Heliogabal in Barcelona on 27 June.
The recording sees guitarist Murray Cook, best known internationally as one of the original members of The Wiggles, continue his long-running involvement in blues and roots music. Since stepping away from children’s entertainment, Cook has maintained an active presence in the Australian music community through Murray & The Movers, a project that draws on classic rhythm and blues traditions.
For their version of ‘I Put A Spell On You’, the band has deliberately avoided aligning itself with one definitive interpretation of the song. Instead, the arrangement references both Nina Simone’s restrained and smoky reading and the theatrical intensity that Screamin’ Jay Hawkins brought to the composition after first recording it in 1956.
According to the release, the intention was to place “Simone’s smoky intimacy and Hawkins’ untamed theatricality in the same sonic room”. The result is a performance built around atmosphere and dynamics, with the arrangement leaning heavily into jazz instrumentation and spacious production.
A notable element of the recording is the contribution of Thirsty Merc bassist Phil Stack. Stack performs on a 140-year-old European upright bass, an instrument that becomes a central feature of the recording. His double bass work provides much of the song’s warmth and texture, anchoring the arrangement while also adding a sense of vintage character to the performance.
The recording was produced with the restraint associated with classic jazz sessions, favouring mood and space over elaborate arrangements. According to the release, the performance was designed to allow each musical element to linger, creating what the band describes as a late-night listening experience.
‘I Put A Spell On You’ has been interpreted by countless artists over the decades, making it one of the most enduring songs in popular music. Hawkins’ original recording became known for its dramatic vocal delivery and helped establish his reputation as one of rock and roll’s great eccentrics. Simone’s later rendition transformed the song into something more intimate and emotionally nuanced, becoming one of the defining performances of her catalogue.
By drawing from both versions, Murray & The Movers place themselves within a long lineage of musicians who have continually revisited the song and found new ways to approach its themes of obsession and desire.
The release also reflects the increasingly visible second musical chapter of Murray Cook’s career. While his work with The Wiggles introduced him to audiences around the world, projects such as Murray & The Movers have allowed him to explore his long-standing affection for blues, roots and classic R&B music in a different setting.
With ‘I Put A Spell On You’ now available, the band closes out its Spanish dates before turning attention to future releases and performances. The recording further establishes Murray & The Movers as a vehicle for revisiting classic material through a distinctly blues-oriented lens while continuing Cook’s evolution beyond the role that first made him famous.
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