You know that old band from the 70s called Focus? My dad turned me on to their song, "Hocus Pocus," the one with all of that stoned-out yodeling, wild guitar, and flute on their "Live at the Rainbow" album way back when I was a kid. Led by the multi-talented Thijs Van Leer with the awesome Jan Akkerman on guitar, that eight-minutes of absolute mania never failed to knock my socks off. I was probably in my early teens when my dad introduced me to bands like Weather Report, Yes, and Focus from his collection of vinyl records. Previously obsessed with the heavy metal fare of the times (Dokken, Motley Crue, Ratt, etc.), this new-to-me aural discovery did lots to teach me to keep my ears open to the rest of the weird and wonderful out there in the music world.
Now, a good twenty-five years later, imagine my surprise to hear "Hocus Pocus" playing on my TV this morning. The bigger shock is that I heard it in a new McDonald's commercial featuring Line Rider game. I can't find a good clip of the ad on YouTube, otherwise I'd share it here.
Anyway, thanks to McDonald's I was inspired to buy the song on iTunes today. You might like to do the same. It's a really great song. And a great memory for me.
4 comments:
Damn, son...I'm glad I had SOME kind of positive effect...I sure as hell never took ya fishin"..!!
THANK YOU! I've been searching for that song for 3 days now, and due to this post, I was able to find it. Thanks again.
Dad: Well you did take us kids to fish in stocked ponds. But some folks say that don't count. ;)
Courtney: Glad I could help. That song is an absolute blast.
Ok, I'm probably really showing my age now, but I remember having that song on a "45 record" when it came out in the 70's. I'll never forget it "Hocus Pocus" by Focus!!!! Also remember when Yes released "Fragile". Everyone in school had it.
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