Talks to Watch

Blues Traveler - Hook (Official Music Video)

64.1M views · Oct 9, 2009 · 4:19 · 0 HN recommenders · 5 mentions · discussed 2016–2026

The official music video for Blues Traveler's song Hook, remastered in HD. The song is known for using the melody of Pachelbel's Canon while its lyrics comment on how hooks work.

Why Hacker News points people here: HN mentions it mainly as a music example in threads on shared melodies and on how to craft a compelling hook, with a few jokes.

“It is especially effective because he is doing all the things he is describing at a high level.”HN comment, 2026

What Hacker News said 5

Cites itdumbotronMay 2023

Example of lyrics that need not be understood first time

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> I suspect what's going on here is that in music, it doesn't matter if you understand it right the first time. So there's this this video and more interestingly link

in “Cantonese Font with Pronunciation” · view on HN
Cites itnyrikkiApr 2025

“The Blues Traveler trolling with the song Hook using the melody from Pachelbel's Canon”

Song uses Pachelbel's Canon melody with lyrics calling it out

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The same applies to risk-adverse, high profit genres and/or producer heavy ones like pop country. Obviously zeitgeist and even conventions and music theory play a role. Sir Mashalot had a few videos a while ago. link The Blues Traveler trolling with the song Hook using the melody from Pachelbel's Canon with lyrics explicitly calling this out wasn't noticed by almost anyone. this video Obviously Pop heavily samples too, E.G. Tom Tom Club Genius of Love being used by Mariah Carey's Fantasy, but it goes beyond sampling. The Rolling Stones pulling from artists like Fred McDowell and Led Zeppelin settled copyright suits on Lemon Song, Whole Lotta Love, Bring it on Home and Dazed and Confused etc... The invention of the Fairlight Sampler may have lead to groups like the Pet Shop Boys sampling dozens of other works, but as the Stones and Led Zeppelin show it wasn't unique. Well I guess the Pet Shop Boys were inspired by Grandmaster Flash, and if you listen to the original recording of West End Girls you can hear James Brown samples...not sure if that counts as "hip-hop" in that case or not. link As a bad guitar player, I can understand why even Rock and Roll pretty much grew out of artists copying R&B/Gospel artists like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, but inspiration vs copying is a fuzzy line. But basically the tooling changed, not the methods which have complex and intertwined causes, motivations, and effects.

Cites itcortesoftApr 2026

“It is especially effective because he is doing all the things he is describing at a high level.”

Song that does what it describes at a high level

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Blues Traveler wrote a song in this format in the 90s: this video It is especially effective because he is doing all the things he is describing at a high level.

in “A compelling title that is cryptic enough to get you to take action on it” · view on HN
JokerandycupertinoFeb 2016
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Also Blue's Traveler's The Hook: this video "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"

in “Was Uber’s Branding Done While Uber High?” · view on HN
JokepaulkrushOct 2023
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After learning about Blues Traveler Hook: this video Duh! Why did I not know this? But then I saw the Velcro video again. Oh my! The hook is about hook and loop.

in “Don't Say Velcro Video-The hook is hook and loop” · view on HN