*You can support the channel with TH-cam Channel Memberships or through Buy Me a Coffee. Never expected, but always appreciated.❤Links in Description!* This song jams and I love the lead singer's voice!! What should I listen to next from them?!
I am 57 years old. I remember very well when this band hit the scene. MTV did not want him to be shown much in his own videos because of his weight. This was Blues Traveler's second video and the only reason they showed him as much as they did was because the public demanded it. Eventually they stopped trying to hide him. Some things in this song are about that. this is a double entendre song with the lyrics.
In case you didn't know or notice, the guy on the couch was Ken Ober (comedian/actor who was famous for hosting an early MTV show called Remote Control). And appearing later in the video during the bridge section was Paul Schaffer (Musician/actor and band leader for the David Letterman show.)
Gotta read the lyrics...great songwriting in this one. John Popper is a master. [Verse 1] 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, it's your resolve that breaks [Hook] Because the Hook brings you back I ain't tellin' you no lie The Hook brings you back On that you can rely [Verse 2] 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'll refer To familiar heroes from long ago No matter how much Peter loved her What made the Pan refuse to grow [Hook] Was that the hook that brings you back I ain't telling you no lie The hook brings you back On that you can rely [Instrumental] [Verse 3] 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 of rage and hate and pain and fear of self And I can't keep these feelings 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 until I've died And only then shall I abide this tide Of catchy little tunes Of hip three minute ditties I wanna bust all your balloons I wanna burn all of your cities to the ground 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 [Hook] The hook brings you back I ain't telling you no lie The hook On that you can rely
They put on one hell of a concert! I saw them with The Black Crowes back about the time this came out around 1995. Harmonica work from Mr. Popper is insane. Thanks for all the reactions.
6:50 “the music is so unique” and that’s the brilliance of this song, because it’s NOT unique in any sense of the word. It is quite literally Pachabel’s Canon in D in its chord structure and almost note for note. That particular piece of music has been used for centuries as an example of aesthetically pleasing music and has been quoted and copied over and over by countless artists throughout the years, so much so that it’s ingrained in our subconscious and we basically automatically like anything that uses that theme. What Popper has done here is take one of the most common tunes of all time, written a bunch of meaningless lyrics to it, heavily criticized the music industry and the average listener, TOLD you exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it, and we ignore all of it all love it because it just tics all those boxes for us. It’s like he weaponize pop music to make a point. Absolutely brilliant! One of the many reasons this is one of my all time favorite bands. 8:15. “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’ll sing to thee of love! Sure, but also hate and rage and pain and fear of self, and I can’t these feeling on the shelf. I tried, well, no in fact I lied, it’d be financial suicide but I’ve got too much pride inside to hide or slide. I do as I’ll decide and let it ride until I’ve died, and only then shall I abide this tide of catchy little tunes, of hip 3 minute ditties. I want to bust all of your balloons, I want to burn all of your cities to the ground. I’ve found I will not mess around unless I play and hey, I could go on all day. Hear what I say, I have a prayer to pray, that’s really all this was. When I’m feeling stuck and need a buck, I don’t rely on luck because the hook brings you back. That section covers everything he said in the previous verses and contains every little manipulation he points out that he will do. So damn good!
They're a solid band with many great songs. This was one of their biggest hits along with "Run-Around" & "But Anyway". They were pretty huge in the '90s but are still actively making music.
It’s about songwriting and how a song’s hook can draw you in “when I’m stuck and need a buck, I don’t rely on luck because the hook brings you back.” Btw, the entire melodic line is based on Pachelbel's "Canon in D." 🙂 John Popper is not only a phenomenal singer but has to be one of the world’s best harmonica players as well.
This album is incredible. This is a lesser known single. It's also a middle-finger to the industry. They had gotten lumped in with the grunge bands and hated it. The music is heavy rock'n with a feel of blues.
This band is incredible! This was released in 1994. They are/were ahead of their time. They have other pieces that you would definitely enjoy. One is Run-Around. John Popper is a master of the harmonica~a genius, actually. We were able to see them without knowing as they were playing at a local casino where we lived. It was fantastic to stumble upon them. They are amazing live.
The shallow record label didn't want him in the videos because he was large. But they couldn't stop us from wanting to see HIM!! Not everyone judges talent by looks. I love John's voice and musicianship. Check out their song The Mountains Win Again.
John Popper is a virtuoso of the harmonica. One of the best thats ever been, like top 3 all time. And the other band members are extremely talented as well! It gets lost real easy underneath Popper's vocals, the lyrics, the harmonica, how every section of the song seems to have its own surprise, but the bass is funky as hell, and the drummer grooves. Hook is a song you can listen to again and again and keep discovering something new about it, whether in the lyrics, or the music, or the video.
They play Red Rocks every 4th of July been doing for over 10 years I have been fortunate to see them 4 times. I is awesome you can see fireworks all over the city of Denver while they are playing makes for an awesome music and fireworks show!
Lead singer John Popper also Paul Shaffer (who you may recall fronting the house band on The David Letterman late night talk show). Been a long time since I've seen this one. Did not recall John and Paul doing that scat section together. Blues Traveler was a great band. John also has some solo work he's done since Blues Traveler.
I don't think Shaffer played or sang on the actual recording though did he? Pretty sure he just appeared in the video. This album was the one that put them on MTV, so when it was recorded they probably weren't expecting to be making music videos with Paul Shaffer. Did they play together any? That would be awesome!
Wikipedia-The first chorus of the song's lyrics, aimed directly at the listener, assert that the lyrical content of any song is effectively meaningless, as 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 or vast reflection." The second verse admits the singer is "being insincere" and describes how the lyrics are intended to manipulate the listener. These lyrics are a satirical take on the formulaic way much popular music is generated. Further on during the bridge, the lyrics become even more blatant by criticizing MTV and claiming formulaic music is an easy way to make money: "When I’m feeling stuck and need a buck/ I don’t rely on luck, because/ the hook brings you back..." The musically "lazy" chord structure viewed in combination with the meta-lyrics reveal the true extent of what a critic for The A.V. Club describes as song's "genius": "the commentary is a big joke about how listeners will like just about anything laid on top of the chords of the infinitely clichéd Pachelbel canon, even lyrics that openly mock them for liking it." The ultimate irony is the lyrics actually do have something insightful to say about the listener's relationship to pop music.
PAUL SCHAFFER, AGAIN!!🤣🤣 First with Earl Scrubbs and now here. I think he's following you, brother. 😁 I saw these guys by chance in the late 90s and I was blown away. John's singing and harmonicas are amazing!! Run Around has to be the next one, judging by the comments already. ✌
So glad to see Blues Traveler! Love this song. I thought it was about a relationship at first but it's actually about writing a hit song, I think I read. That it doesn't matter what the words are, necessarily, as long as there is a hook of some sort that makes some people like the song. It's commentary on pop music, I believe. Ironically, it became one of their most popular songs, lol. But it works with politics as well, absolutely.
Check out Blues Traveler, Run Around. th-cam.com/video/ousaiByU1ko/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7NEcdy_nf95NiMPe Interesting video. Note that the guy on stage is NOT the guy making the music. He is a front man for what the hip, young club goers wanted to see. Sadly, this video is more real than anyone at the time thought. John Popper suffered silently with his appearance and weight. He died way too young.
This song is a cheeky middle finger to the music industry😂 saying your song doesn't need to have any kind of substance as long as you have a good hook. Another layer that you might have missed is it basically follows the chord structure of Canon in D by Pachabel. In the faster part part he mentions about if I'm down on my luck and need a buck all I need to do is write a song with a catchy hook. 😂
*You can support the channel with TH-cam Channel Memberships or through Buy Me a Coffee. Never expected, but always appreciated.❤Links in Description!*
This song jams and I love the lead singer's voice!! What should I listen to next from them?!
I am 57 years old. I remember very well when this band hit the scene. MTV did not want him to be shown much in his own videos because of his weight. This was Blues Traveler's second video and the only reason they showed him as much as they did was because the public demanded it. Eventually they stopped trying to hide him. Some things in this song are about that. this is a double entendre song with the lyrics.
In case you didn't know or notice, the guy on the couch was Ken Ober (comedian/actor who was famous for hosting an early MTV show called Remote Control). And appearing later in the video during the bridge section was Paul Schaffer (Musician/actor and band leader for the David Letterman show.)
The interviewer isn't Uncle Miltie. I'm not sure who it is.
@@sean3038 Yup, you're right. IMDB has the credit listed wrong. Wikipedia references it as being wrong, but does not make any corrections. Thank you!
Also played piano in the Foggy Mountain Breakdown video
RIP Ken Ober
The lead singer, John Popper, is not only a great singer, but he's also a phenomenal harmonica player!
Such a beast!!
Run Around is my favorite Blues Traveler.
Gotta read the lyrics...great songwriting in this one. John Popper is a master.
[Verse 1]
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, it's your resolve that breaks
[Hook]
Because the Hook brings you back
I ain't tellin' you no lie
The Hook brings you back
On that you can rely
[Verse 2]
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'll refer
To familiar heroes from long ago
No matter how much Peter loved her
What made the Pan refuse to grow
[Hook]
Was that the hook that brings you back
I ain't telling you no lie
The hook brings you back
On that you can rely
[Instrumental]
[Verse 3]
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 of rage and hate and pain and fear of self
And I can't keep these feelings 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 until I've died
And only then shall I abide this tide
Of catchy little tunes
Of hip three minute ditties
I wanna bust all your balloons
I wanna burn all of your cities to the ground
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
[Hook]
The hook brings you back
I ain't telling you no lie
The hook
On that you can rely
Blues Traveler…the only band with a lead harmonica player !!!!🔥🎶🔥😆
They put on one hell of a concert! I saw them with The Black Crowes back about the time this came out around 1995. Harmonica work from Mr. Popper is insane. Thanks for all the reactions.
6:50 “the music is so unique” and that’s the brilliance of this song, because it’s NOT unique in any sense of the word. It is quite literally Pachabel’s Canon in D in its chord structure and almost note for note. That particular piece of music has been used for centuries as an example of aesthetically pleasing music and has been quoted and copied over and over by countless artists throughout the years, so much so that it’s ingrained in our subconscious and we basically automatically like anything that uses that theme.
What Popper has done here is take one of the most common tunes of all time, written a bunch of meaningless lyrics to it, heavily criticized the music industry and the average listener, TOLD you exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it, and we ignore all of it all love it because it just tics all those boxes for us. It’s like he weaponize pop music to make a point. Absolutely brilliant! One of the many reasons this is one of my all time favorite bands.
8:15. “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’ll sing to thee of love! Sure, but also hate and rage and pain and fear of self, and I can’t these feeling on the shelf. I tried, well, no in fact I lied, it’d be financial suicide but I’ve got too much pride inside to hide or slide. I do as I’ll decide and let it ride until I’ve died, and only then shall I abide this tide of catchy little tunes, of hip 3 minute ditties. I want to bust all of your balloons, I want to burn all of your cities to the ground. I’ve found I will not mess around unless I play and hey, I could go on all day. Hear what I say, I have a prayer to pray, that’s really all this was. When I’m feeling stuck and need a buck, I don’t rely on luck because the hook brings you back.
That section covers everything he said in the previous verses and contains every little manipulation he points out that he will do. So damn good!
Shewee!!! Layers upon layers! Thanks for the insight and you’re absolutely right! Incredible! 😳
John popper ladies and gentlemen 👏👏👏 one of the best ever to do it.
They're a solid band with many great songs. This was one of their biggest hits along with "Run-Around" & "But Anyway". They were pretty huge in the '90s but are still actively making music.
It’s about songwriting and how a song’s hook can draw you in “when I’m stuck and need a buck, I don’t rely on luck because the hook brings you back.” Btw, the entire melodic line is based on Pachelbel's "Canon in D." 🙂 John Popper is not only a phenomenal singer but has to be one of the world’s best harmonica players as well.
Oh wow!! Super cool! Thanks for the insight!
John Popper, the man who sings with inflection like the instrument he plays, a harmonica.
This album is incredible. This is a lesser known single. It's also a middle-finger to the industry. They had gotten lumped in with the grunge bands and hated it. The music is heavy rock'n with a feel of blues.
Been watching reaction videos, because I love this song! Blues Traveler is one of my favorite bands. Take care.
You’re gonna laugh… but they were featured in an episode of the original Roseanne and he was wearing the vest 😂😂
Oh snap!! 🤣
Blues Traveler was in the movie Blues Brothers 2000
Your smile as you're watching says it all.
This band is incredible! This was released in 1994. They are/were ahead of their time. They have other pieces that you would definitely enjoy. One is Run-Around. John Popper is a master of the harmonica~a genius, actually. We were able to see them without knowing as they were playing at a local casino where we lived. It was fantastic to stumble upon them. They are amazing live.
Caught me by surprise when this came out. Great music👍👍
RIP Ken Ober, early death so sad.
He showed up in The Blues Brothers 2, or whatever the called the sequel.
I have been listening to these guys for years after seeing then on Blues Brothers 2000, great catalogue!, you should check out anything by Chris Rea
The shallow record label didn't want him in the videos because he was large. But they couldn't stop us from wanting to see HIM!! Not everyone judges talent by looks. I love John's voice and musicianship. Check out their song The Mountains Win Again.
You might be thinking about an episode of Rosanne where they appeared playing in the local bar in the closing scene.
John Popper is a virtuoso of the harmonica. One of the best thats ever been, like top 3 all time. And the other band members are extremely talented as well! It gets lost real easy underneath Popper's vocals, the lyrics, the harmonica, how every section of the song seems to have its own surprise, but the bass is funky as hell, and the drummer grooves. Hook is a song you can listen to again and again and keep discovering something new about it, whether in the lyrics, or the music, or the video.
They play Red Rocks every 4th of July been doing for over 10 years I have been fortunate to see them 4 times. I is awesome you can see fireworks all over the city of Denver while they are playing makes for an awesome music and fireworks show!
Wow!! That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Blues Brothers 2000, and Kingpin. With Woody Harrelson, Bill Murray, Randy Quad
John Popper would wear vest with different harmonic's in it.
Love that!!! Ready at any time! 🔥
Masterpiece of a song love you
John Popper
I absolutely loved this. Another band that was new to me. Going to deep dive into their catalogue.
Lead singer John Popper also Paul Shaffer (who you may recall fronting the house band on The David Letterman late night talk show). Been a long time since I've seen this one. Did not recall John and Paul doing that scat section together. Blues Traveler was a great band. John also has some solo work he's done since Blues Traveler.
I don't think Shaffer played or sang on the actual recording though did he? Pretty sure he just appeared in the video. This album was the one that put them on MTV, so when it was recorded they probably weren't expecting to be making music videos with Paul Shaffer. Did they play together any? That would be awesome!
The only place I've ever seen them on TV was Roseanne if you watched that lol That was my gateway to them
Wikipedia-The first chorus of the song's lyrics, aimed directly at the listener, assert that the lyrical content of any song is effectively meaningless, as 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 or vast reflection."
The second verse admits the singer is "being insincere" and describes how the lyrics are intended to manipulate the listener. These lyrics are a satirical take on the formulaic way much popular music is generated. Further on during the bridge, the lyrics become even more blatant by criticizing MTV and claiming formulaic music is an easy way to make money: "When I’m feeling stuck and need a buck/ I don’t rely on luck, because/ the hook brings you back..." The musically "lazy" chord structure viewed in combination with the meta-lyrics reveal the true extent of what a critic for The A.V. Club describes as song's "genius": "the commentary is a big joke about how listeners will like just about anything laid on top of the chords of the infinitely clichéd Pachelbel canon, even lyrics that openly mock them for liking it." The ultimate irony is the lyrics actually do have something insightful to say about the listener's relationship to pop music.
PAUL SCHAFFER, AGAIN!!🤣🤣 First with Earl Scrubbs and now here. I think he's following you, brother. 😁 I saw these guys by chance in the late 90s and I was blown away. John's singing and harmonicas are amazing!! Run Around has to be the next one, judging by the comments already. ✌
Formed in Princeton NJ, the hotbed of band development...not. Buy my home state has created some great groups
It took me 20 years to actually listen to the lyrics of this song. It sucks that I fell victim to EXACTLY what he was singing about.
Exactly! 🤣
So glad to see Blues Traveler! Love this song. I thought it was about a relationship at first but it's actually about writing a hit song, I think I read. That it doesn't matter what the words are, necessarily, as long as there is a hook of some sort that makes some people like the song. It's commentary on pop music, I believe. Ironically, it became one of their most popular songs, lol. But it works with politics as well, absolutely.
Definitely such a unique song that can have a few different perspectives! And what an incredible voice the lead singer has!! Unbelievable!! 🤯
Santeria was by Sublime.
Check out Blues Traveler, Run Around.
th-cam.com/video/ousaiByU1ko/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7NEcdy_nf95NiMPe
Interesting video. Note that the guy on stage is NOT the guy making the music. He is a front man for what the hip, young club goers wanted to see. Sadly, this video is more real than anyone at the time thought. John Popper suffered silently with his appearance and weight. He died way too young.
This song is a cheeky middle finger to the music industry😂 saying your song doesn't need to have any kind of substance as long as you have a good hook. Another layer that you might have missed is it basically follows the chord structure of Canon in D by Pachabel. In the faster part part he mentions about if I'm down on my luck and need a buck all I need to do is write a song with a catchy hook. 😂
Pure genius!!! 🤣
Milton Berle is NOT in this video.
You are confusing this band with The Blues Brothers with Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi. Song is from 1994
Gotcha! Appreciate the insight!
Read the lyrics, this song is all about the music industry and how fake and programed it all is.
What part of the south east you from? i hear the accent
I'm guessing somewhere along the Atlantic coast, Georgia?