“Hooked on a Feeling” is one of the most recognizable pop songs of the late 1960s and 1970s. The song was originally written by songwriter Mark James and first recorded in 1968 by legendary singer B. J. Thomas. Thomas, who attended Lamar Consolidated High School in LCISD, became one of the most successful vocalists to come out of the Houston area. He was known for numerous hit songs including “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” but “Hooked on a Feeling” became one of his earliest crossover pop hits, reaching the Top 5 on the Billboard charts.

B.J. Thomas’s original version featured a smooth pop sound with a distinctive electric sitar, popular during the late 1960s. A few years later, the song was reimagined by the Swedish group Blue Swede, whose 1974 recording added the famous “Ooga-Chaka” chant at the beginning. That energetic and quirky introduction transformed the song into an international phenomenon and helped the cover version reach #1 in the United States.

Decades later, the Blue Swede version found a whole new audience when it was featured prominently in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The song became closely associated with the film’s main character, Star-Lord, and the movie’s retro “Awesome Mix” soundtrack. Its use in the trailers and throughout the movie helped introduce the classic hit to a new generation of listeners and sparked a major resurgence in popularity. The soundtrack itself became a cultural phenomenon, eventually reaching #1 on the Billboard charts.

Today, “Hooked on a Feeling” remains a timeless crowd favorite, blending classic pop nostalgia with the excitement and energy of modern film culture. Its connection to both a hometown LCISD alumnus and one of the most popular movie franchises of the last decade makes it an especially meaningful and entertaining selection for tonight’s jazz performance.