The song's title refers to a hook in music terminology: the catchy element or phrase of a song which makes it distinctive and memorable. The song's lyrics assert that whatever the singer sings about is effectively meaningless, since the song's musical hook will keep listeners coming back, even if they are unaware of the reason. In the introduction, John Popper sings, "It doesn't matter what I say / So long as I sing with inflection / That makes you feel that I'll convey / Some inner truth of vast reflection."
The song's own hook is the familiar harmonic structure of Pachelbel's Canon in D, which forms the basic chord progression of the song.
The song also references the story of Peter Pan and his arch-nemesis Captain Hook (a second meaning to the title). In the song Popper also sings "no matter how much Peter loved her, what made the Pan refuse to grow, was that the Hook brings you back".
Hook
Blues Traveler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 (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 (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 diddies
I wanna bust all your balloons
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 the hook brings you back (brings you back)
I ain't tellin' you no lie
The hook
On that you can rely
The song "Hook" by Blues Traveler is a commentary on the nature of modern pop music and how it manipulates the listener. The lyrics suggest that it doesn't matter what the singer says, as long as they sing it with the right inflection to make the listener feel like they are conveying some deeper truth or reflection. The first verse sets up this idea, with the singer saying "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." Essentially, the singer is acknowledging that he could sing gibberish, as long as it sounds good, and people will still be drawn to it.
The chorus, "Because the hook brings you back," reinforces this idea. The "hook" refers to the catchy, repetitive melody or phrase that is designed to burrow into the listener's brain and stay there, keeping them coming back to the song over and over again. The singer admits that the hook is a manipulative tool, saying "I ain't tellin' you no lie / The hook brings you back / On that you can rely."
The second verse adds a layer of complexity to the commentary by referencing familiar heroes from long ago, including Peter Pan and Anne Boleyn. The singer is suggesting that pop music has been manipulating people for centuries, and that the same tricks that were used in the past are still being used today. The bridge, "This MTV is not for free / It's so PC it's killing me," is a nod to the commercialization of music and the way that the industry tries to appeal to the widest possible audience by stripping away anything controversial or challenging.
Overall, "Hook" is a clever and incisive critique of the pop music industry and the way that it manipulates listeners. While the song itself is undeniably catchy and includes its own "hook," the lyrics suggest that this is precisely what makes it dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
It doesn't matter what I say
The actual words I use don't matter
So long as I sing with inflection
As long as I sing with feeling it will have an impact
That makes you feel I'll convey
Conveying emotions is my goal
Some inner truth or vast reflection
I want to connect with you on a deeper level
But I've said nothing so far
I haven't actually said anything of substance yet
And I can keep it up for as long as it takes
I can continue this facade indefinitely
And it don't matter who you are
It doesn't matter who the listener is
If I'm doing my job then it's your resolve that breaks
If I'm successful, you'll be emotionally affected
Because the hook brings you back (brings you back)
The catchy part of the song will get stuck in your head
I ain't tellin' you no lie
I'm being truthful about the power of the hook
There is something amiss
Something is not genuine
I am being insincere
I am not being honest
In fact I don't mean any of this
None of this is actually how I feel
Still my confession draws you near
Despite the dishonesty, you're drawn to my vulnerability
To confuse the issue I refer
I'm purposely adding complexity to distract from the lack of depth in the words
To familiar heroes from long ago
I'm referencing classic characters to create nostalgia
No matter how much Peter loved her
Even true love can have its obstacles
What made the Pan refuse to grow
What caused Peter Pan to remain stuck in childhood
Suck it in, suck it in, suck it in
I'm commanding your attention
If you're Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn
I'm highlighting the diversity of my audience
Make a desperate move or else you'll win
Take a risk to create change
And then begin to see what you're doing to me
I want you to understand the impact of your actions
This MTV is not for free
Pop culture comes at a cost
It's so PC it's killing me
Political correctness can stifle creativity and authenticity
So desperately I sing to thee of love, sure but also rage and hate and pain and fear of self
I'm expressing a range of emotions to resonate with you
And I can't keep these feelings on the shelf
I need to express these emotions honestly
I've tried, well no, in fact I lied
I've tried to suppress my emotions, but I've been dishonest
Could be financial suicide but I've got too much pride inside
Being honest may hurt my finances, but I value authenticity too much
To hide or slide
I won't back down or soften my message
I'll do as I'll decide and let it ride till until I've died
I'll make my own choices and stand by them until the end
And only then shall I abide by this tide
I won't follow the crowd or let the status quo dictate my actions
Of catchy little tunes
The power of music to stick in your head
Of hip three minute diddies
The trend of short, upbeat songs
I wanna bust all your balloons
I want to break down the shallow facade of popular music
I wanna burn of all your cities to the ground
I want to dismantle the superficiality of pop culture
But I've found, I will not mess around
I won't be dishonest or inconsistent in my message
Unless I play then hey
Unless I'm performing
I will go on all day
I'll keep making music as long as I can
Hear what I say
Listen to my message
I have a prayer to pray
I want to express something important to me
That's really all this was
The song was just a way to express myself authentically
And when I'm feeling stuck and need a buck
When I need money and inspiration
I don't rely on luck
I won't leave it to chance
Because the hook brings you back (brings you back)
The catchy hook is my way of securing my success
I ain't tellin' you no lie
Despite the less-than-genuine lyrics, the hook really does have power
The hook
The catchiness of the song that sticks in your head
On that you can rely
I'm acknowledging the power of the hook, and hoping it will keep me relevant
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: John C. Popper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@indiegamelab3441
I'm not sure its saying any of that. It's saying that he/they can write a song that is absolute gibberish, but if the song has a good hook, you will listen to it over and over. The lyrics say over and over the song is just him saying random stuff, but he knows that it is the song's hook that matters, not the lyrics.
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 the hook brings you back
I ain't tellin' you no lie
The hook
On that you can rely
@jcnz84
@bryank971 go back a bit further
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
He's warning you he's trolling with the Peter Pan line
@steezyfawkes4459
Anyone here in 2024 listening to this?!
@user-jo8vl5zv5i
Yeah
@melissam5491
I mean He ain't lyin. I'm here too.
@Famousapparatus
Hell's yes
@ThePriceisRightB
Yeah buddy!!
@ikust007
Yup🎉
@whatever
Crazy to think this came out over 20 years ago...
@poketube4200
Did not expect to see you here
@murrothbro195
+whatever People with 3 million subscribers make comments that go completely unnoticed too?
@805Goodland
+Ginger Fitzgerald 2 likes only? Lmao