The Hook
Blues Traveler Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 (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

Overall Meaning

The song "The Hook" by Blues Traveler is a meta-narrative commentary on the nature of pop music and its relationship with the listener. The lyrics speak to the idea that it does not matter what the singer says, as long as they sing with inflection and emotion that gives the impression that there is some greater meaning behind the words. The singer confesses that they are being insincere and that their confession draws you in, even though they do not mean any of it. By referencing familiar heroes from long ago, such as Peter Pan, the singer confuses the issue further and adds to the listener's underlying assumption that there must be some inner truth or vast reflection behind the words.


The chorus of the song is where the true message lies. The hook, defined as the catchy phrase or melody that causes a listener to remember and return to a song, brings you back. It does not matter if what the singer is saying is true or not because the hook will always be enough to bring you back to the song. The hook is a metaphor for the power of pop music, the way it can manipulate and control the listener's emotions to keep them engaged and coming back for more.


The lyrics of "The Hook" are a searing indictment of the music industry, the way it exploits our emotions and senses to keep us hooked on the latest hit. The song challenges the listener to think critically about the music they consume, to question why they are drawn to certain songs and artists, and to resist the power of the hook that always brings us back.


Line by Line Meaning

It doesn't matter what I say
The exact words I choose are unimportant


So long as I sing with inflection
As long as I use vocal expression, it creates a mood


That makes you feel I'll convey
It leads you to believe I will express


Some inner truth or vast reflection
A deeper meaning, a reflective expression


But I've said nothing so far
Yet, I haven't made an actual point


And I can keep it up for as long as it takes
I can continue with this meaningless facade for as long as necessary


And it don't matter who you are
It doesn't matter who hears this


If I'm doing my job then it's your resolve that breaks
If I am successful at my deception, you will be manipulated


Because the hook brings you back
The chorus is the hook that captures the listener again


I ain't tellin' you no lie
I am being truthful about the hook's power


There is something amiss
You sense something isn't right


I am being insincere
My words are not genuine


In fact I don't mean any of this
I am confessing that the feelings expressed are fake


Still my confession draws you near
Even though I am admitting to being a fraud, it draws you in, perhaps because of the inflection and melody of the song


To confuse the issue I refer
To cloud the truth, I mention vague references


To familiar heroes from long ago
Nostalgia works on many people and distracts from the deceitful present


No matter how much Peter loved her
Referring to Peter Pan to further conjure sentimentality


What made the Pan refuse to grow
A rhetorical question that is unanswered


Suck it in, suck it in, suck it in
Taking in fake ideals and values


If you're Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn
Unrelated absurd reference to pop culture icons


Make a desperate move or else you'll win
Only a risky action will change things, or you will continue to succeed


And then begin to see what you're doing to me
The other party is unaware of how they are affecting me


This MTV is not for free
Reference to the increasing commodification of music


It's so PC it's killing me
The popular music is so sanitized it stifles artistic expression


So desperately I sing to thee of love
Desiring people to embrace love, but also other strong emotions


Sure but also rage and hate and pain and fear of self
These other feelings are included alongside love


And I can't keep these feeling on the shelf
These emotions are too strong to ignore


I've tried, well no, in fact I lied
I have previously pretended to try putting aside these emotions but I wasn't truthful


Could be financial suicide but I've got too much pride inside
It may be unwise commercially, but I am too proud to compromise my values


To hide or slide
To avoid confrontation or take a more commercialized path in music


I'll do as I'll decide and let it ride till until I've died
I will make the artistic choices I prefer, however unpopular, until the end of my career


And only then shall I abide by this tide
Even then, I will still hold onto my personal preferences rather than conform


Of catchy little tunes
Popular music that sticks in your head but lacks depth


Of hip three minute diddies
Brief, trendy pop songs


I wanna bust all your balloons
I want to burst the pretensions and illusions of others


I wanna burn of all your cities to the ground
Wanting to challenge and dismantled cultural institutions


But I've found, I will not mess around
However, I will not compromise my artistic expressions


Unless I play then hey
Unless I am playing and performing music


I will go on all day
I will not rest in my pursuit of my artistic expression


Hear what I say
Listen and absorb my perspective


I have a prayer to pray
I have a message I want to convey


That's really all this was
The song is a message to convey, just like a prayer


And when I'm feeling stuck and need a buck
When I'm struggling and need financial support


I don't rely on luck
I don't trust fate or chance to solve my financial issues


Because the hook brings you back
The song's chorus still retains the power to draw you in


I ain't tellin' you no lie
I am being truthful about the hook's ability


The hook
The catchy element of the song that stays with you


On that you can rely
You can depend on the hook being a successful aspect of the song




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: John C. Popper

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@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



All comments from YouTube:

@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🎉

135 More Replies...

@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

More Comments

More Versions