Hocus Pocus, The Crazy 1971 Focus Song That Pairs Yodeling With a Prog Rock Band

In 1971 the incredibly talented Dutch progressive rock band Focus recorded “Hocus Pocus”, their most well-known, if not most eccentric song. The original song (and its 1972 re-recording) featured the incredible yodel, scat, and whistle stylings of vocalist, keyboardist, and flautist Thijs van Leer melding in perfectly with Jann Akkerman‘s effortlessly brilliant guitar and that of drummer Pierre van der Linden.

The song made a resurgence during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when Nike used the song prominently in a commercial and again in 2016 when it was featured on the HBO series Vinyl.

Also in 2010, Thijs van Leer spoke with FaceCulture about how “Hocus Pocus” originated.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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