Songs with 'killer' hooks

[jchitty]

A few people have said to me that the words in the verse of a song really don't matter that much, that no one remembers most of them anyway...that a 'killer hook' in the chorus is what sells a song, and a good or bad song can become a hit....because people will always remember the hook, no matter what....a hook stays in your mind and makes you remember the song for years to come. Anyone care to list a song they think has the best killer hooks ever recorded? Here's a list of mine:1. "867-5309, eight six seven five three oh ninyein....8675309..." From "Jenny,"Tommy and the Tu-Tones."2. "I got you babe...," Sonny and Cher3. "Stop in the name of love...", The Supremes4. "Lord, I was born a rambling man", The Allman Brothers.5. By the time I get to Phoenix, she'll be rising..." Glen Campbell, songwriter, Jimmy Webb6. "Jeremy spoke in class today..." Pearl Jam7. "I'm so lonesome, I could cry..." Hank Williams Sr.8. "She a brickhouse...," The Commodores9. "What if God was one of us..." (sorry, forgot the artist)10. "Girls just wanna have fun, oh girls just wanna have fun"...Cyndi Lauper11. "I can't get no, satisfaction..." The Rolling Stones12, "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away." The BeatlesThis a short list, can still think of lots more.

[jchitty]

I'll add that I'm not arguing pro or con for the words being well written in verses. I was just making observations about killer hooks. As a songwriter, I try to strive for both good lyrics in the verses, the chorus and hopefully, 'a killer hook.'

[og]

How about one from those paragons of deep, insightful lyrics, ZZ Top--Every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.

[arkjack]

I'll take it one level higher, just to see..... but maybe it goes hand in hand with "guitar thread"..... but although all the above named songs are great.... its only the hook that you remember..... so what comes to mind is the songs that you remember the whole song... this is a list of songs that I could type out the hole set of lyrics right here and now...... 1. Ramblin Man2. One Way out3. Take It Easy4. Peaceful easy feeling5. Can't you see?6. Don't Think Twice its alright7. Layla8. Wonderful Tonight9. Folsum Prison Blues10. Lovin' Feeling11. Saw Her Standing There12. I've just seen a face13. Freebird14. Friend of the Devil15. Crossroads16. Marguerittaville17. All along the watchtower18. Stormy Mondy19. Sweet Home Alabama20. Louie Louie.....This is the list of what we used to call the fifty dollar songs..... you got paid $50 if you didn't know how to play it.... Kind of like all time jam songs.... any group of players gets together and says 'duuuhhh.... whaa doo weee playy??? pick one.... ArkJack

[jchitty]

Good stuff, OG and AJ. "Sharp Dressed Man" is one of my faves, along with "La Grange."I forgot about 'Sweet Home Alabama'....how could that happen? And being a former Parrot Head (still am in some ways) I forgot about Margaritaville. BTW, Arkjack, you said on another thread that you could play "Statesboro Blues." That's one my fave Allman Brothers' tunes. I shouldn't admit to owning one of their original vinyls...."Brothers and Sisters." Good stuff in there like "Jessica" and "Whipping Post." Do you like Little Feat? I own just about every 'album' they ever made. "If you'll be my Dixie chicken, I'll be your Tennessee lamb.." Lowell George was the best.

[arkjack]

You must've known I'm a Lowell George fan.... I was going to put 'Dixie Chicken' on the list of songs I know with one hand tied behind my back .... lyrics and licks.... but its not a $50 song.... now of you want some more of a list of "killer hooks" but not necessarily the songs that someone off the street would know all the words to every verse..... here's a few.....Six days on the road.... Wild horses.... We Don't Get Fooled Again... Baba O'rielly... Who Are you.. (for the CSI fans...) Always on my mind...( what a cliche...) Tangled up in blue... Let it be.... Ripple.... Like a Rollin' Stone... Leavin on a jet plane.... Truckin Summertime blues Sunshine of your love... Stairway to heaven... I grant that not all these songs have "killer" hooks.... some of it is probably the fact its been grilled into our skin over the past 30 years..... (ok ... so I'm gettin old.... ) wait where's that from????? ahhhhhh.... Niel Young... Heart of gold.... and it goes on.... on ...on on.... sometimes its not just the hok... but a series of great lines in the song....ArkJack

[grandmatarkin]

Whenever there's a song stuck in my head, I'll hum the following song to myself and it instantly replaces it:Just let your LOVE FLOW like a mountain stream, let your LOVE FLOW, etc...Ahh, it's burrowing into my brain this very moment...

[sgs4u]

My first band in Vangroovy was a 1, 2 3 punch. Covers by 3 bands only. Feat, Allmans, & Skynyrd. Then we'd play our cool original tunes and get yelled at to play more Skynyrd.(or Seger) Moral didn't stay very high. OK, I forgot, we used to play Tush, for encores.The piano solo in "I Know a Little" is my favorite bit of piano on any rock record.nice pic, Dave. Can't really thank you for reminding me of that Bellamy Bros classic tho. I've forgotten all my own songs for the moment. steveyeah, I know, where's the killer hook info

[jeffe]

Has anybody tried to imagine Ben E. Kings "Stand by me" without the bass?That Bassline is the song.

[horacejesse]

How about the guitar riffs in Main Street (Seeger), Satisfaction (Stones), Pretty Woman (Orbison), Slow Down (Beatles), I Feel Fine (Beatles) and Smoke on the Water stamps?Keyboards in the intro to Light My Fire, Whiter Shade of Pale, Ricky Don't Lose That Number and...Lyrically, Welcome To The Jungle may be the strongest I can think of at this moment. I don't favor the group or the song--but what a hook! Excuse me for not knowing, but did they make that up or was it a saying prior to their saying it?