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Anatomy Of a Song: The Hook


Chiaroscuro

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I don't think it's the opening, just the thing that makes the song "catchy".

Examples of popular songs with hooks:

Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty (Saxophone hook)

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses (Guitar hook)

Kashmir - Led Zeppelin (Guitar/keyboard hook)

I tried to think of a song with a keyboard/piano hook that isn't by an Australian band, but I failed. :crazy:

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I think Blues Traveler defined it extremely well. The hook is what brings you back.

Blues Traveler - Hook Lyrics

It doesn't matter what I say

So long as I sing with inflection

That makes you feel I'll convey

Some inner truth or vast reflection

But I've said nothing so far

And I can keep it up for as long as it takes

And it don't matter who you are

If I'm doing my job then it's your resolve that breaks

Because the hook brings you back

I ain't tellin' you no lie

The hook brings you back

On that you can rely

There is something amiss

I am being insincere

In fact I don't mean any of this

Still my confession draws you near

To confuse the issue I refer

To familiar heroes from long ago

No matter how much Peter loved her

What made the Pan refuse to grow

Was that the hook brings you back

I ain't tellin' you no lie

The hook brings you back

On that you can rely

Suck it in suck it in suck it in

If you're Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn

Make a desperate move or else you'll win

And then begin

To see

What you're doing to me this MTV is not for free

It's so PC it's killing me

So desperately I sing to thee

Of love

Sure but also rage and hate and pain and fear of self

And I can't keep these feeling on the shelf

I've tried well no in fact I lied

Could be financial suicide but I've got too much pride inside

To hide or slide

I'll do as I'll decide and let it ride till until I've died

And only then shall I abide by this tide

Of catchy little tunes

Of hip three minute diddys

I wanna bust all your ballons

I wanna burn of all your cities to the ground

But I've found

I will not mess around

Unless I play then hey

I will go on all day

Hear what I say

I have a prayer to pray

That's really all this was

And when I'm feeling stuck and need a buck

I don't rely on luck because

Because the hook brings you back

I ain't tellin' you no lie

The hook brings you back

On that you can rely

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I'm not in love with this song, but KT Tunstall's Black Horse and Cherry Tree is a hook MACHINE! It has two distinct hooks. First thing I noticed is the "woo hoo" at the end of each stanza. The second noticeable hook in that song is the "no, no, no, no-no-no". Very easy to sing along with, even the very first time you hear the song.

I feel sure that the first time she ran that song by her producer, they knew they were looking squarely at a cash cow. That woman writes brilliant hooks.

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Brian Epstein was a genius, he new that if the Beatles were going to have success and their songs become hits, they had to have "hooks". He had an eloquent voice with Paul, and edgy voice with John, and a mixing voice with George. But with George he had a great guitar player, and the hooks in riffs that George displayed were fabulous. Day Tripper was the quintessential hook. And Please Please Me as was Love Me Do had the harmonica. I Saw Her Standing There it was the clapping.

These hooks along with their energy and harmony launched them to stardom.

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