What is the best “hook” ever on a rock song ?
What’s best? The most recognizable? The one that makes you wanna boogie? The most memorable? The one you like the most? The one you instantly know the name of?
Yep!
Here’s my vote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3RLIU7T39INo wrong answers! Just interesting responses.
"You know what I'm talkin' about!"
"But I might be mistaken!"
Josie,
Keep um' comin".
No wrong answers!
Josie?
What happened to your response? It was a good one! Remember there are no wrong answers.
Sorry, Bob, I misread the question. I don't have a favorite. I like too many to list
Josie,
It's not your favorite song. It's the "hook". The part of the song that jumps out at you. That you can't forget!
A C A D A C A says it all, almost,
Whole Lotta Rosie by AC DC
I tried to find a decent version on Youtube of the Hayseeds Dixie's version of Whole lotta Rosie but couldn't find one decent version, sadly.
BUT found
Walk this way by them BRILLIANT
But these come a close second "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones, "I feel fine" by the Beatles, "All Right Now" by Free, "The boys are back in town" by Thin Lizzie, "Black night" by Deep Purple.
So many more tho'
Tooo many rank equally, including those already mentioned! How about a mention for Jimmy Page's 'Whole Lotta Love' - I just love this clip from 'It Might Get Loud' where the expressions on the faces of Jack White and The Edge say it all...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePsHKqbdRfAJohn
As everyone has mentioned there's way too many to have a favorite but I think several stand out enough to make a top ten list. Or a top twenty. Or forty. How about a top 1000 lol.
Anyways, my pick for the country field would have to be the opening notes and rhythm of Folsom Prison Blues, played by Luther Perkins. There's actually been a few articles written about that, with some folks speculating that Luther may have been the most copied guitar player in the world for a while there. I don't know about that, but I do know I'd like to have a penny for every time that song has been played any where in the world.
R&R
Several by Chuck Berry - my number one pick being Johnny B Goode.
Several by John Fogerty - my fav - Green River.
Several by Roy Orbinson = my fav = Pretty Women.
Ok, enuff for now, but you know, now that I think about it, Pretty Women has to be way up there.
jim,
luther did that 3 octave descending run intro to "Home of the Blues" and that always "hooked" me. i was fortunate enough to have seen johnny cash, luther and marshall grant (The Tennessee Two) perform live in minneapolis as a lad. the most memorable thing was how luther got everybody dancing kn the aisles while he stood stick-straight, unsmiling and just brought the house down. any guitarist who plays the muted bass "boom-chucka" sound is influenced by luther, knowingly or not. in that sense he was highly copied in his time. i am hearing a lot of great "hooks" in today's county and the introduction of 'unorthodox' instruments. i am thinking de-tuned strats and resonator guitars being fretted and played like a regular guitar. i'm also hearing arpeggiated piano more. a refreshing sound is the addition of nature in songs, rain, wind and thunder. kewl!
luther's long descending run intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WBKRAOMu2Y&feature=related
There's a great 'top 100' guitar hooks series of blog entries out there on either Rolling Stone's website, or similar. I recently went through all of them and while I didn't necessarily agree with the order, I couldn't argue with many of them.
Some are technically savvy, some are just in your face 'Louie Louie' for example.
My faves have changed over the years, and while I'm too young to have appreciated them the first time around; many Beatles and Led Zeppelin guitar hooks are in my book in the category of: "Man, I wish I came up with that first!"
I don't have a favorite but these always bring a smile: "Daytripper", "Kashmir", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Walk This Way", "Little Wing (the entire chord progression is a hook to me)".
Some of these are happy sounding, some are dark. Can you think of a heavier hook than the guitar interplay with the Bonham groove on "Kashmir"? No fist-pumping leather wearing, multiple-piercing band can claim that they invented 'heavy'. Kashmir sets the bar. Then that orchestral descending line just perfectly leads into the buh-duh-dup, buh-duh-dup, buh-duh-dup, dee-de-dee-dee-de-dee-dee-dew hook. It's a masterpiece of heavy; iconic; almost Beethoven-like in it's recognizability.
My teenager is listening to 'metal-core'; incredibly complex and rhythmically intricate 'music', that thinks and labels itself as heavy, but it has absolutely nothing on Kashmir.
Then all of those 'happy' Beatles intro hooks - magical in how they instantly make one's eyebrows go up and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The twang of that intro to "Ticket to Ride", or the mojo in the hook in "Daytripper", or even the harmonica on "Love Me Do" - icons, each and every one of them.
-Scott
Lotsa good stuff being posted, but I listened to Walk This Way by the Hayseed Dixie's and gibson was right. It was a brilliant rendition.
If you guys didn't watch it, check it out. It's a hoot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muyqMrsuLXw
Smoke on the Water riff.
Sunshine of Your Love riff.
And as it pertains to the classic hook in Aerosmith's "Walk This Way", let us not forget one of the best collaborations on this song - with Run DMC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-GkYou have the Hayseed Dixies and Run DMC both grooving to the same hook - proof enough that it's a hook of the ages.
Scott,
Thanks for the clip. It went straight to my favorites folder.
But one thing I didn’t realize until I got the lyrics to this song after listening to the Hayseed version was just how “raunchy” this song is. The words go by so fast that I hadn’t caught it before.
Fun thread with lots of good songs posted. It's been years since I listened to "Home of the Blues" and it brought back lots of good memories. I've enjoyed listening to all the links. I hadn't heard "Walk This Way" before. (Where have I been lol) Yeal, it's a little raunchy but lots of fun.
I bet you've heard Walk this Way before, just not like that version (that WAS different!)
I like this one -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-GkIt's fun that they used Aerosmith (original artists of the song) in the video.
lol. What a hoot. I liked where he knocked a hole in the wall so he could sing.
Yeah, that's an older 70's song (may explain why you weren't familiar with it; us old guys know it by heart). It is a really easy lick to learn, and is definately fitting to the topic, well for those of us around then. It's fun seeing all the remakes of it, including the previous one. Actually the main signature lick is easier than the verse counterplay but it's all fun.
I've played a few different versions with various bands in my day.
Glad you enjoyed it.
There are many that I like but the one I can really relate to the most is
this!
rharv, did you read my post?
The intro to Aretha's Chain of Fools.
Almost all the beginnings of all "ZZ Top" songs.
Wayne,
I love their cover of "Viva LasVegas".
Not a guitar riff, but if you were listening in the 80's you'll recognize it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqDjMZKf-wg&feature=player_detailpage
It's shocking to me that no one has mentioned 'Gimme Shelter'. The best hook of all time.
Just like a one wing dove ,flies around in a tight circle ,ouch tree limb,ouch tree limb, ouch ! On the edge of 7T . I always wanted to do a cover of that song but the band said the dress made me look fat .
