"Hooked on a Feeling" is a 1968 pop song written by Mark James and first recorded by American singer B. J. Thomas. Thomas's version featured the sound of the electric sitar (played by Reggie Young) and reached No. 5 in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] It has been recorded by many other artists,including Blue Swede,whose version reached No. 1 in the United States in 1974.[4]
The song was written by Mark James,who was introduced to producer Chips Moman around 1967 by Moman's mutual friend Steve Tyrell,a singer and James' manager.[5]:81–82 James was hired by early 1968[6] to write for Moman's publishing company,which led to him writing songs for many artists,including his childhood friend B.J. Thomas.[5]:81–82 One of these songs was "Hooked on a Feeling",which James wrote about the thrills of being in love,inspired by his feelings for his childhood sweetheart.[5]:169[7] It was recorded at the American Sound Studio in Memphis,Tennessee in 1968,[8] with musicians Tommy Cogbill (guitar) Reggie Young (guitar),Mike Leech (bass) and Gene Chrisman (drums). It was first released on October 29 of that year. Country artists Louise Mandrell and RC Bannon also recorded and released this song in 1979. The band Mercy included a version on their first album in 1968.[9]
In 1973,the Swedish pop rock group Blue Swede released a cover version,which included the ooga chaka introduction from a 1971 cover by Jonathan King. It's commonly claimed that King had heard Johnny Preston's "Running Bear",which was the inspiration for the ooga chaka chant;however,King states,"the chant had nothing to do with Running Bear –it was my idea to use the reggae rhythm in an unusual way,that's all."[16] The Blue Swede version of the song also tweaked the lyrics to avoid a drug reference.[17]
Blue Swede's version reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974;[4]Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1974. There is a popular misconception in Sweden that it reached number one the same day ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo".[18] "Hooked on a Feeling" also entered the top 10 in Australia,Canada,and New Zealand.[19][20][21] In 1992,the song appeared on the soundtrack to the American crime filmReservoir Dogs.[22] Following this appearance,the song charted in Iceland,reaching No. 2 in March 1993.[23] In August 2014,the song charted in the United Kingdom for the first time,reaching No. 90.[24]
Record World said that "the opening hook will have buyers crying for the 'oogah chugga' record."[25]
Personnel
Personnel,according to the liner notes of the 2004 compilation album Skifs Hits![26]
In 1998,during an episode of the legalcomedy-drama series Ally McBeal,"Cro-Magnon",the main character's neurosis about being able to conceive a child before her biological clock runs out is illustrated by her imagining a computer generatedbaby dancing into her bedroom to Blue Swede's recording of "Hooked on a Feeling". A website featuring the dancing baby and the Blue Swede recording became an internet meme.[36]
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Covers
In 1971,British musician Jonathan King recorded a cover version of the song,also with ooga chaka chants.[47] King described it as "a reggae rhythm by male voices". His version reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1971.[48]
References
↑ Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2024. The ooga-chaka-ing cover of B.J. Thomas' '60s top 5 hit that takes a good pop song and makes it immediately unforgettable.
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