Blue Swede's 'Hooked on a Feeling' Was Originally by a Famous Singer

Music

Blue Swede was not the first act to record "Hooked on a Feeling." The writer of the song was behind major hits by Elvis Presley.

Published on July 20, 2023

Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” is one of the most famous classic rock one-hit wonders of the 1970s. Notably, Blue Swede was not the first act to record the song. In addition, the writer of the song was behind major hits by Elvis Presley.

The original version of Blue Swede’s ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ was interpreted as a drug song

Mark James wrote “Hooked on a Feeling.” He’s most known for writing hits from Elvis’ comeback period, including “Suspicious Minds,” “Raised on Rock,” and “Always on My Mind.” During a 2014 interview with Spin, he revealed his love for his childhood crush inspired “Hooked on a Feeling.” “It’s a true story,” he said. “It’s more or less a song about someone I wanted to be with.”

The original version of the track was by B. J. Thomas, the pop singer who gave us the hit version of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” According to James, President Richard Nixon wanted radio stations to ban songs about drugs, and they targeted “Hooked on a Feeling.” “Somebody said, ‘Maybe we can crack down on drugs, and all of a sudden … ‘Hooked on a Feeling? That’s a drug song!'” he recalled.

Blue Swede turned the song into a classic

After Thomas recorded the song, the band Blue Swede put their spin on the track. It’s a lot more muscular than the original song. Blue Swede added the famous buildup to the chorus that we all know and love.

Thomas’ low-key version of the track has been forgotten because it’s not as interesting. Sadly, Blue Swede never replicated the success of “Hooked on a Feeling.” However, the band can take pride in creating one of the most memorably loopy tracks of the 1970s.

Why ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ appeared in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” became famous again after its appearance in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. In 2014, director James Gunn told Rolling Stone the movie’s soundtrack is filled with 1970s pop hits because Star Lord’s mother was from that era. “To me, there’s also a very pop art, spacey and fun feeling to those songs that seemed to fit well with Guardians,” he added. “The unexpected contrast of those songs to our aliens and outer-space apes also made it fun.”

The inclusion of “Hooked on a Feeling” and other 1970s tracks in the movie sparked controversy. “One of the Marvel folks who gave notes on the script kept saying we were crazy to put ’70s songs in the movie, that it was going to be alienating to kids,” the director remembered. “I guess he thought [Peter] Quill should have learned how to download Beyoncé and Kesha off iTunes. Now I see little kids all over the world singing me ‘Hooked on a Feeling.’ Nothing could make me happier than to have folks take a second look at these songs.”

Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” is a timeless classic and that’s why multiple generations embraced it.

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