It has been recorded by many other artists, including Blue Swede, whose version reached No. 1 in the United States in 1974.[4]
Production
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] and first released on October 29 of that year. Country artists Louise Mandrell and RC Bannon also recorded and released this song in 1979.
In 1973, the Swedish pop rock group Blue Swede did a cover version, which included the ooga chaka introduction from a 1971 cover by Jonathan King. King had heard Johnny Preston'sRunning Bear, which was the inspiration for the ooga chaka chant.[15] The Blue Swede version of the song also tweaked the lyrics to avoid a drug reference.[16] This version reached No. 1 in the United States.[4]Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1974. On 25 July 2012, the 1974 live performance by Blåblus video was officially uploaded to YouTube; it has generated nearly 6 million views as of October 2022.[17]
Record World said that "the opening hook will have buyers crying for the 'oogah chugga' record."[18]
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, further cementing the scene in pop culture history.[19]
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Covers
In 1971, Jamaican reggae band Twinkle Brothers released a reggae cover of the song with ooga chaka chants and a brass arrangement also known from later cover versions.[40]
In 1971, British musician Jonathan King recorded a cover version of the song, also with ooga chaka chants.[41] King described it as "a reggae rhythm by male voices". His version reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1971.[42]
In 1985, Mexican Group El Tiempo released a cover on their album Cada Día Más (translated as Every Day More). It is listed as the song "No Puedo Evitarlo".[43]
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.
