3 Hooks From the 1990s You Can’t Stop Singing Even Though You Have No Idea What They Mean

How many times have you sung something without knowing the meaning behind the lyrics you’re singing?

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The limitations in writing lyrics often leave behind a kind of mystery to be solved. Chunks of abstract lines, like scattered clues, to produce countless Reddit threads decoding the cryptic. Similar to poetry, song lyrics are restricted by meter, but also by the tuneful syllables allowed in a vocal melody. Hooks get condensed even further because, by definition, they should hook the audience. And if you want to catch fish, you’d better offer something digestible. In the spirit of lyrical murkiness, here are three hooks from the 1990s you can’t stop singing, even though you have no idea what they mean.

“Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana

Enter one of the most iconic hooks of the 1990s. Kurt Cobain had already established how one crafts a generational anthem out of nonsensical lyrics in “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Similarly, Cobain’s hook in “Heart-Shaped Box” is easy to remember but hard to understand alongside the abstract verses. One example occurs in the second verse, where meat-eating orchids may allude to a psychosexual dynamic that includes an umbilical noose. Elsewhere, there are lines about cancer and tar pits and astrology. But for many, it was Cobain’s instinct for melody that transcribed various abstractions into profound meaning.

“Shakermaker” by Oasis

You already know the melody in “Shakermaker”, which Noel Gallagher had repurposed from “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)”. With a tune already embedded in your memory, you don’t need to understand Gallagher’s Brit-centric references to sing along. Here, Liam Gallagher longs for a plasticine house and name-checks The Jam’s “Mr. Clean”, Sifters record shop in Manchester, and the children’s book and animated television character, Mr Benn. But like most Oasis tunes from this era, it’s unforgettable.

“Forty Six & 2” by Tool

Generally, when one speaks of New Age anything, I slowly back away toward the nearest exit. I mention this because of Tool. The band’s mathematical banger supposedly alludes to the New Age teachings of Drunvalo Melchizedek, something to do with the next “version” of humans, added chromosomes, and the like. Outside of Tool diehards, most probably aren’t familiar with Melchizedek. It doesn’t matter because the cycling riff in “Forty Six & 2” could go on for twice as long as far as I’m concerned. And maybe the only lyric you know is: “My shadow / Shedding skin / I’ve been picking / My scabs again.” Meanwhile, I just like to imagine Homo habilis banging rocks to drummer Danny Carey’s pounding outro.

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