The Originals © by Arnold Rypens

Artist: Herbie Hancock
Author: Herbie Hancock
Label: Blue Note
Year: 1962

On his debut album Takin' Off. Later used in the Stephen Soderbergh film Out Of Sight.

Covers:

1963:: Mongo Santamaria
1963:: Xavier Cugat
1963:: Jon Hendricks
1963:: Bill Justis
1963:: Andrews Sisters
1963:: King Curtis
1963:: Woody Herman
1963:: Quincy Jones
1963:: Baba Brooks [ska version]
1963:: Bretell's [as Marchand de melons]
1964:: Willie Mitchell
1964:: Max Woiski Jr. [as Koop Watermeloen]
1964:: Mike Cotton Sound
1964:: Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
1965:: Manfred Mann [introduced it on the BBC in '64]
1965:: Gloria Lynne
1965:: Trini Lopez
1965:: Julie London
1965:: Herbie Mann
1965:: Kai Winding
1966:: Illinois Jacquet
1966:: Jimmy McGriff
1967:: Les McCann
1967:: Johnny Taylor
1967:: Alexis Korner
1967:: Maskers
1968:: Erroll Garner
1969:: Albert King
1969:: Big Mama Thornton
1971:: Kenny Clarke
1972:: Buddy Guy
1973:: Herbie Hancock [new version on jazz bestseller Headhunters]
1975:: Sly Stone
1978:: Herbie Mann
1981:: Sly & Robbie
1983:: Acker Bilk
1995:: Jimmy Smith
1996:: Al Copley
1997:: Dee Dee Bridgewater
2020:: Poppy Ajudha [on Blue Note Re:Imagined as Watermelon Man (Under The Sun)]

Not the be confused with Oscar Brown Jr's two year older Watermelon Man.

WATERMELON MAN