My dad use to play this song when I was a kid. We aren't really in each others lives anymore but I play this song sometimes and it makes me think of all the good times we had together when I was a kid. Love ya dad .
@@TheJackalLiesI thought he was saying the music industry was always trying to dictate what they could and could not sing, and this was a big F U to the big name labels of the 80s and 90s. 😅 Whoops.
So Ive been singing this awesome tune in my head for the past 25 yrs and this is the first time ive ever "read" the lyrics. I feel like I have just learned some life lessons.
He's saying in the lyrics that the hook of the song is the cord progression. And that cord progression is CANNON IN D.. he is literally saying it doesn't matter what the lyrics are. As long as his voice follows the chord arraignment you the listener won't have a choice not to like it. And that chord progression is the classical song CANNON IN D.😅
My favorite thing about this song is that he pretty much tells you straight up that he's talking about nonsense and it's just that catchy part of the song that will keep you listening. He's basically trolling us all and we love him for it.
I was born in 1962 and turned 62 July 2024.great tunes the 80'S and 90's were the best. Got them ear buds in blasting that music. And locked the world outside. Still here August 2024!!!!
"and when I'm feeling stuck and need a buck I don't rely on luck because.." He calls it. Like Babe Ruth pointing the bat into left field before knocking the ball out of the park. Really an amazing song and that's the bitch of it, he made it to basically tell us we're shallow and we love it anyway. This is one of his most popular songs and its a joke. To be fair his voice and harmonica on any song, particularly one with a catchy hook is almost like cheating. Such an incredible sound he has.
That whole section feels very Jack Black, Popper was ahead of his time ("We ride and we ride and we never subside, we ride till the planets collide, and if you say we do not ride, I'll tan your fuckin hide, RIDE!")
Well here's a thought too, take and just read the lyrics poetically 🤔. Kinda can apply to people you may know, or situation perhaps. But I think that this to me is about kinda, tolerance. Like, you're pissed at someone, but bs excuses and flattering, right?! And the next thing you know you don't even bitch at them about their selfishness. You've been "hooked!" LoL idk?! Anyone please let me know what your thoughts are on it😉 , thanks👍. Have a great and blessed day 🌷🌷🌹🌺🐞🐛🍅. Happy Summer ☀️!
This song is about Blues Travellers hating the fame from their casual fans. They wrote this song to prove that any idiot will like the song as long as it's sung with inflection and a good hook.
@@robotfrank5171trolling at it's finest. It certainly worked on me. Being one of their most popular songs is just further proof of the truth behind the lyrics. They must have had a good laugh singing a song to people about how gullible and ignorant those people were.
@@andyp29 Actually No, They hate the fact that this is their Highest Grossing song. Think about i, you try to make a sociopolitical song only to be "type-cast" by it. It's a double-sided blade with no handle.
Wow! I just read the lyrics and realized that Blues Traveler was completely trolling the shit out of us back in the mid 90's, and I'm only figuring it out now about 20 years later. It's almost the Seinfeld version of a song since they really aren't singing about anything, but he's fine "[s]o long as [he] sing[s] with inflection." Touche.
I thought the same things about Seinfeld, but the last burst shows it's also about anger against PC culture, similar to grunge but with a happy inflection. Awesome song!
I didn't watch Seinfeld, but even I know that "a show about nothing" didn't describe Seinfeld, it described (I think it was called "Jerry!"?) the show-within-a-show that Jerry was working on over the course of the series.
It’s like the pantomime. He thinks he’s saying nothing but he’s telling me everything... (Adapted from True Romance) RIP Dennis Hopper and Walken Rules.
@@kevinkoss7296 well it's only making fun of the people who like it but don't know what it's about. I'd say if anything, it gives a little unspoken Pat on the back to anyone that actually paid attention to the lyrics
My cat of 20 years was put down a few days ago.. and we always listened to this song after I got off work from a long week. It's Friday, and I miss him terribly. I'll always go back to this song, his memory as he was my best buddy
the biggest point of this song is that this guy never runs out of air!!!!!! Super talented and under rated. I could watch him play harmonica all day long.
You have a point and perhaps that is what they were thinking but you must consider that many songs use this progression. Celine Dion, Brittany Spears, Green Day, Rage, Backstreet Boys, Izzy and many others and the key change and tempo of this song makes it obscure enough that most people would never see this link. Had they truly wanted to stick the middle finger out they might have been more obvious as some songs have like "rain and tears" by aphrodite'child or "all the young people" by Mott the hoople or "go West" by the pet shop boys or the Russian national anthem. I could go on all day listing because that's how music works there are millions of songs but relatively few chord progressions so any song can in a way be linked to another song.
Yes. The band spoke about the many different songs through out history that have used this chord progression. They wrote this song as an attempt to call out the musicians who continue the practice. They didn't intend the song to be a hit, and the lead singer John Popper hated playing it, but it's one of their most popular songs. Irony.
That songs chord progression is the classical masterpiece CANNON IN D.. he us literally saying he sold out to sell music😂.. it only took me 30yrs to figure out
dacypher22 More than cynical, the song, the lyrics, the title and all of it show that they deliberately were making a parody about the fact that this chord progression is so popular that it's almost a magic formula in pop music. Pachelbel's Canon in D is the "formula" that is being used, and the song says basically that whenever they need a hit, it doesn't matter the topic or message, or anything else, but that "the Hook brings you back." :) And apparently they were right.
pixelFiend Right? I get a little pissy when I hear this song for like a microsecond because the lyrics are basically burning you for liking it. But his voice is still frikkin great and hey who doesn't like the canon. Love the song!
Canon is ruined forever for me, but I love this song! Everytime I go to a wedding I will sing Hook in my head no matter how beautifully Canon is played. Thanks for making boring situations instantly more fun!
@Paulonbass75 some folks just don't understand the show... and others do .. and sorry.. it can't be explained, you either get it or you don't... You, Don't. But that's why the world has the stylings of ,,,, Brittney Spears and Milli Vanilli and bubble wrap to keep you satisfied
I remember listening to this upon release and never caught onto it. Today it’s like a musical Easter egg and I am thoroughly pleased with the message and results
My teenage years in high school. Bring me back to great times in my life. I don’t care who u are, when u play this song turn it up loud and roll the windows down or drop the top and just blast it on a nice drive ,or just dance at home to this song and sing loud! Lol no way u will be in a bad mood after listening to this.
+Heart Notes It's just as brilliant musically, “I know you’re going to like these chords no matter what lyrics I slap on them, even if you can’t put your finger on why,” it is derived from the traditional wedding song "Canon" in D by Pachelbel that's almost universally recognized.
When I finally figured out the words to this song, I just started laughing over the perfection of it, and I have never been able to get it out of my head ever since. Bravo, Blues Traveler! So catchy, a perfect hook!
For those wondering, the musicians are lead vocalist-harmonica player John Popper, guitarist-mandolinist Chan Kinchla, bassist Bob Sheehan, drummer-percussionist Brendan Hill, and percussionist Bashiri Johnson.
I love a band that lyrically dicks with us, and we love it! Hey, I fell victim along with the rest of you, and I still think that they're too cool. Much thanks for posting the lyrics so we can wallow! Peace!
God I love this song. It builds so perfectly. The first two verses and the chorus basically describing the blind majority of music listeners as sheep and then hitting us with a legendary harmonica solo. The bridge may be my favorite part of this song though because if you dissect it line by line, in my personal interpretation it tells me that the world has become blind to what good music actually is and john popper and blues traveler refuse to make the mainstream garbage that sold back in the day and continues to sell today but rather they prefer to put out quality music that comes from the soul and the people that get stuck in the "hook" are just pawns in a chess game. This song is brilliant.
This song raises hope and attainable goals for me. The message is BRILLIANT , Coming from a very musical family, so gifted, so talented. To me I interpret, keep your dream alive, no matter how hard thing get, don't stop learning and growing or all you'll have is make Bel fairy dust!
Nowhere Man actually...I was like 8 years old...& the song was catchy...but now that I'm old enough to understand how intelligent the lyrics are...THE HOOK BRINGS ME BACK Point being...whatever you said about "needing to be reminded" is stupid & you're prolly even older than I feel right now
"And then begin to see what you are doing to me this MTV is not for free, it's so P.C. it's killing me so desperately I sing to thee ". My favorite verse .
Mine's the part where he goes from singing about the hook (the part of a song that catches the ear of the listener) to singing about the Hook (Captain James Hook, former Royal Navy, later privateer, and finally pirate in Neverland).
Ok maybe it did but honestly good music is good music if you grew up with this song or if you found in 5 minutes ago. It really doesn't matter you do not get a reward if you knew it longer people love it just as much as you do.
nico segura I know this is an ancient comment, but so true. Like what's wrong if I didn't know about the song until now? At least I found it now. Not my fault for being born in a generation that doesn't play this on the radio.
This song has such a inviting rhythm to it with great chord changes. Simple and uncomplicated, and Popper's somewhat over the top vocals are perfect. Great fun.
This song brought me back to my dad reminding me to have my witz. The passion of music is limited financially so be aware of life. I here you you and you. Thanks yous
He's making fun of the listeners inability not to like the song because it's cord progression is the classical song Cannon in D. He's literally saying it doesn't matter what the lyrics are as long as he follows the cord progression with his voice. He's literally saying the HOOK in the song makes you like it.. and that hook is the classical piece - Cannon in D-.. only took me 30yrs to figure it out.
Greatest song ever recorded in my opinion. Flawless execution on the instruments, crazy vocal range and the most meta lyrics ever written. Just beautiful.
Payton Henning Once I learned the chord progression was Pachebel's "Canon in C", everything made sense and I was able to nail the "fast" part but I'm constantly trying to match Popper's vibrato/waver at the end of held notes and fail miserably; his live performances are pretty consistent with the tune and all I think is "damn, that's dedication and talent and skill all wrapped up into one."
Lindsey Lou-who I read somewhere that Popper has a 7 year degree in Harmonica...perhaps it's just music theory and Harmonica is just his choice instrument???...the article also said he was 1 of like 3 or 4 people in about 50 or so years to earn that specific degree with that specific instrument.
Lindsey Lou-who yeah that pitch-bending he does at the end of lines is a really unique signature of Popper. It's always stuck out to me, implies a lot of emotion....it's like he's singing a wistful, teary-eyed, goodbye to the end of each verse.
John Popper & Blues Traveler are truly remarkable...Stand is my all time favourite, but it was so hard to narrow the margin to be able to say that...Awesome Music!
When my family finds me in paradise? They will me at my best! drinking smoking gambling to music like this! God bless the blues traveler and their family!
This song is 4 levels deep...1. Peter Pan guys... no matter how much he loved her (Wendy)... Capt. Hook brought him back and he didnt want to grow up but stayed with the lost boys...2. The formula of the hit song... 3. The fact that the hook brings you back in all marketing and cases 3. that the song was telling you about the industry...4. Emma Stone (who the hell is that? LOL) geeze
Mary McDonough I am proud to say that i dont think i could pick emma stone out of a crowd of 2 people. but i still love blues traveler. Excellent observations on your description of the levels though.
Warren Hill um no .. the song is about the bullshit music industry that doesn't support true artistry but commercialized pop bs where you don't have to say anything of meaning so long as its catchy.
