Yep, one of my all time favorite songs with that "Ooga Chaka." And, it was on the WLS Top Ten charts for a long time 50 years ago. When I played it while deejaying, I had a special cut where the "Ooga Chaka" played three times over at the beginning.
From The American Songwriter "The Story Behind the One-Hit Wonder "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede.
The song was a cover version of the 1968 hit by B.J. Thomas which was written by Mark James (who also wrote Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds"). That song peaked at number five in the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
The famous "ooga chaka ooga chaka" was the result of another cover of the song by English singer/songwriter Jonathan King who recorded it in 1971 and added it. So, Blue Swede was doing the cover of a cover of the song.
King had been inspired to add it after listening to Johnny Preston's 1959 song "Running Bear." Listen to it and you will see.
It was Blue Swede's first and only song to reach #1 in the U.S. where the song had the most success. It remained on the Billboard charts for a remarkable 18 weeks.
Blue Swede only remained as a band from 1973 to 1975.
The song was featured on the movies ""Reservoir Dogs" in 1992 and 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Still Loving That Ooga Chaka. --RoadChaka
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