3 Addictive Rock Hooks From 1972 You Won’t Be Able To Get Out of Your Head

In the mood for some addictive rock hooks from 1972? The following three songs are great examples of how the hook of a rock song can turn it into a hit, even if you might have forgotten about these songs in the decades since they were released. Let’s take a look!

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“Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” by The Hollies

How about some good ol’ swamp rock? This swampy delight of a song is particularly guitar-driven, and that riff is almost immediately recognizable, as is its hooky chorus. It’s no surprise that “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” by The Hollies became the band’s biggest hit in the US. “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” by The Hollies hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year, and did similarly well internationally, especially in Canada and South Africa.

“Easy Livin’” by Uriah Heep

This hard rock classic is as punchy as it gets for the era it was released, and the riffs really drove the hook home and turned the song into a hit. In fact, “Easy Livin’” by Uriah Heep was the band’s very first US hit. This prog hard-rockin’ tune peaked at No. 39 on the Hot 100 and did even better internationally, particularly in countries like the Netherlands and Denmark. The band would score additional low-level hits afterward, and I think they might just be one of the most underrated classic rock outfits out there.

“Go All The Way” by The Raspberries

The Raspberries knew their way around power pop before the true “heyday” of that genre came around, and “Go All The Way” has the harmonies and hook-filled chorus associated with power pop. They were pioneers, in a way, and this particular tune was one of their biggest hits. This example of amazing rock hooks from the year 1972 peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 and the Canadian charts, and did quite well in Australia, too. The song was also banned by the BBC for its sexually explicit lyrics, which, at the time, could be seen as a rite of passage for a genuinely good rock band. As a result, the song saw limited success across the pond.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns