PlumberSoCal2
- Posts
- 7,209
- Reactions
- 38,961
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2020
- Points
- 313
We had the best music back in the day.
"Dutch rock band Focus debuted their unusual and beloved song, "Hocus Pocus" in 1971. The song, which showcases singer and keyboardist Thijs van Leer's serious yodeling and flutist skills, was ranked as the number one "weirdest song of all time" by American Songwriter in 2024.
Other tunes that made the list include “Bike” by Pink Floyd, released in 1967, Napoleon XIV's 1966 song, “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!," and “Muffin Man” by Frank Zappa, off the 1975 album, Bongo Fury." I still love Muffin Man
Dutch prog rockers Focus knocked it outta the park with this one
Not a yodeling fan but damn, the story behind the song is amazing:
In a 2021 interview withVRP Rocks, Van Leer, now 71, opened up about the creation of "Hocus Pocus." He recalled that one day the band's guitarist Jan Akkerman began playing what ended up being the song's opening notes, which Van Leer described as "one of the greatest licks in guitar history." According to Van Leer, their drummer, Pierre van der Linden, then joined in with a drum solo. The musician said that he eventually began yodeling.
"I started yodeling behind my organ. For the first time in my life. And that was it. That was the song. And we recorded it for the studio. And it became a big hit," said Van Leer in the 2021 interview.
He said that while he had never yodeled before that, he managed to be "kind of in tune."
"The high notes, I can not make anymore. Since my 50s. The yodeling I can do, but the go up, it doesn't happen, anymore. The guitarist is helping me and the public [at concerts],"
Yodeling and the flute, who'd of thought this song would ever make it to radio? But it still ROCKS
"Dutch rock band Focus debuted their unusual and beloved song, "Hocus Pocus" in 1971. The song, which showcases singer and keyboardist Thijs van Leer's serious yodeling and flutist skills, was ranked as the number one "weirdest song of all time" by American Songwriter in 2024.
Other tunes that made the list include “Bike” by Pink Floyd, released in 1967, Napoleon XIV's 1966 song, “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!," and “Muffin Man” by Frank Zappa, off the 1975 album, Bongo Fury." I still love Muffin Man
Dutch prog rockers Focus knocked it outta the park with this one
Not a yodeling fan but damn, the story behind the song is amazing:
In a 2021 interview withVRP Rocks, Van Leer, now 71, opened up about the creation of "Hocus Pocus." He recalled that one day the band's guitarist Jan Akkerman began playing what ended up being the song's opening notes, which Van Leer described as "one of the greatest licks in guitar history." According to Van Leer, their drummer, Pierre van der Linden, then joined in with a drum solo. The musician said that he eventually began yodeling.
"I started yodeling behind my organ. For the first time in my life. And that was it. That was the song. And we recorded it for the studio. And it became a big hit," said Van Leer in the 2021 interview.
He said that while he had never yodeled before that, he managed to be "kind of in tune."
"The high notes, I can not make anymore. Since my 50s. The yodeling I can do, but the go up, it doesn't happen, anymore. The guitarist is helping me and the public [at concerts],"
Yodeling and the flute, who'd of thought this song would ever make it to radio? But it still ROCKS