Mayer Hawthorne (real name Andrew Mayer Cohen) grew up in Ann Arbor, Michig… Read Full Bio ↴Mayer Hawthorne (real name Andrew Mayer Cohen) grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and vividly remembers, as a child, driving with his father and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. “Most of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,” claims the singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, who counts Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences, but draws the most inspiration from the music of Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland Jr.

The “retro” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974, and Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw Records label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. “He showed me two songs and I didn’t understand what I was listening to,” Wolf recalls. “I asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of – I couldn’t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.”

And after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne’s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla – equal parts “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Fall in Love.” “It’s soul,” he explains, “But it’s new.”

Hawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn’t formally trained, and never sang in a choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element but himself and a few hired hands. “I think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I’ve signed after hearing only two songs,” says Peanut Butter Wolf. “Sometimes, you just know it’s the right thing to do.”

And for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It’s not just throwback music anymore – this revival is all about progression.

Hooked
Mayer Hawthorne Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uh baby
I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Maybe it looked like we were through
But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Ain't a thing I can do

When we go out at night
You never talk to me

But when you hold me tight
With all my might
I can't seem to break free

You got me hooked but I don't care
Cause I don't wanna go nowhere
But I can't stay for another day
I got to get away

But baby
I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Maybe it looked like we were through
But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Ain't a thing I can do

I give you all my love
You never give it back
But when you hold me close
You almost give me a heart attack

You got me hooked but I don't mind
Cause I don't wanna leave your side
But I can't stay, even one more day
I've got to say goodbye

You know
You're such a bad girl, bad girl
You got me in your trap girl, bad girl
Why don't you let me be, bad girl, bad girl
Why do you torture me, bad girl, bad girl

You got me hooked but I don't care
Cause I don't wanna go nowhere
But I can't stay for another day
I got to get away

But baby
I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Maybe it looked like we were through
But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Ain't a thing I can do
Baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Maybe it looked like we were through

But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you
Ain't a thing I can do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Hooked" by Mayer Hawthorne express the singer's inability to break free from a toxic relationship. Despite being mistreated and neglected, he remains hooked on the person and cannot seem to stay away from them. In the chorus, he acknowledges his addiction to this person, singing "You got me hooked but I don't care / Cause I don't wanna go nowhere / But I can't stay for another day / I got to get away." The singer describes his partner as a "bad girl" who has trapped him in her love, but he still cannot resist her. The song is filled with a sense of longing and desperation, highlighting the unresolved feelings of the singer.

The lyrics also showcase the struggles of the singer's relationship. He sings that when they go out at night, she never talks to him, but when they are alone together, she holds him tightly. He is torn between wanting to leave and wanting to stay. The chorus represents the push and pull he experiences, as he wants to leave but cannot bring himself to stay away from the person who has captured his heart. Despite the pain and suffering he goes through, the singer still can't help but be hooked on his partner.

Overall, "Hooked" is a song that explores the complexities of relationships and the strong emotions that come with them. The lyrics detail the conflicting feelings the singer experiences while being in a toxic relationship. It conveys the idea that emotional connections can be difficult to break, even when they are not healthy.

Line by Line Meaning

Uh baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Maybe it looked like we were through But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Ain't a thing I can do
Regardless of how things may have appeared, I am consumed with the desire to be with you and cannot resist the pull back to you.

When we go out at night You never talk to me But when you hold me tight With all my might I can't seem to break free
You show me little attention in public, but as soon as you embrace me, I am completely under your spell and cannot resist you.

You got me hooked but I don't care Cause I don't wanna go nowhere But I can't stay for another day I got to get away
Although I am fully committed to you, I know I cannot stay in this unhealthy relationship and must break free.

I give you all my love You never give it back But when you hold me close You almost give me a heart attack
I am always pouring out my love to you, but you rarely reciprocate. However, when we physically connect, the intensity nearly overwhelms me.

You know You're such a bad girl, bad girl You got me in your trap girl, bad girl Why don't you let me be, bad girl, bad girl Why do you torture me, bad girl, bad girl
You are manipulating me and holding me captive with your actions, but I continue to stay even though I know I should leave.

You got me hooked but I don't mind Cause I don't wanna leave your side But I can't stay, even one more day I've got to say goodbye
While I am content to be with you, I recognize that the relationship is toxic and it is time for me to move on.

But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Maybe it looked like we were through But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Ain't a thing I can do
No matter how much I may want to break free of this cycle, I cannot resist the pull back to you and am once again drawn back into the cycle.

Baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Maybe it looked like we were through But baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Ain't a thing I can do
Despite my attempts to move on, I inevitably find myself back in your grasp and unable to break free.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW M COHEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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