Classical Rock…

This post is not about classic rock. The title reads “classical.”

As in classical music.

Today I happened to hear a song I’ve not heard in years. It’s called Hook, by Blues Traveler. If you’re not familiar with it, you might let this video play as you read.

The first time I heard it was in a concert that was on PBS, I think. Blues Traveler was one of many artists performing. I was amused by several things:

  1. That lead singer is not making his living on his looks. (This song was popular when MTV was littered with the likes of John Michael.)
  2. This guy knows how to play the mouth harp. I’ve played WITH a harmonica, but this man PLAYS the harmonica. He makes that harp obey him. (You need to be really good on the harmonica to get away with wearing such a nerdy shirt/coat.)
  3. These satirical lyrics resonate with me. As a society, it doesn’t matter what an artist says or does, if we like something incredibly shallow about the artist, we’ll buy.

But today I noted something else about this song. It’s the guitarist. Can you hear it? Over and over again. He’s having the greatest time dancing around to those few chords he’s playing over and over again. Those same chords. Over and over again. Can you hear what they are? Can you hear that song? It’s Canon In D by Johann Pachelbel. I am sure you noticed it the first time you heard the song, but I just noticed it today.

In any case, I’ll never hear Pachelbel played again without thinking of John Popper. I can see it now — I will be performing a wedding and the bridesmaids will be coming down the aisle with Canon playing and I will thinking of the words to Popper’s Hook.

2 thoughts on “Classical Rock…

  1. I never noticed. That’s pretty good though.

    Blues Traveler came to the Balllroom at Gettysburg College during my time there (probably in 99 or 2000). I had seen the man on TV before that but John Popper was probably 1/3 of the weight he was on this video. I remember the guitar player too- he was 100% rock star.

    You know, we had some pretty cool concerts back in the day at G-burg. They had the ballroom in the back of the College Union Building, and used to get a couple big-name acts every year to come and play there, and disaster would usually ensue. BT was probably the only one that came off smoothly, and was a really good time (I think it might have been free). Fiona Apple came one year, but got mysteriously sick about 2 hours before the show and had to cancel– the rumor was that she was at a frat all day. Busta Rhymes came another time, and there was almost a riot because he charged $90 and then rapped for only half an hour. And when I was a freshman, Blind Melon was supposed to come, but their singer died, so Widespread Panic came instead. Which was cool.

  2. he was 100% rock star

    No kidding. He looks like he either thinks he is the coolest guitarist on the planet or else he is having the time of his life.

    Watching him made me get out my guitar for the first time in a while and play along. 🙂

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