That You’re In Love

Mark James a Houston, Texas-born songwriter wrote ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ which became a big hit for Billy Joe or BJ Thomas.  Other James originals and co-writes that almost everyone recognizes are Elvis Presley’s ‘Suspicious Minds’ and Willie Nelson’s ‘Always on My Mind’.  BJ Thomas recorded this song first and he took it to the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100.  In 1959, Francis Zambon changed his name to Mark James and he became friends with BJ Thomas.  After his service in the Vietnam war, James was signed as a staff songwriter working for Chips Moman.  Mark James wrote ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ for his childhood sweetheart Karen Taylor who he went on to marry and he’s still married to Karen James.

This song has a connection with the 1959 song ‘Running Bear’, which has a Romeo & Juliet theme where the two young lovers are separated by a river that was too wide, but their love forced them to try to cross and meet, however they both drown.  J. P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, wrote this, the guy who died in the plane crash that along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.  The Big Bopper sang novelty songs and he thought this was too serious for him so he passed ‘Running Bear’ to Johnny Preston.  The recording featured background vocals by Richardson and George Jones and the session’s producer Bill Hall, who provided the “Indian chanting” of “uga-uga” during the three verses, as well as the “Indian war cries” at the start and end of the record.  It reached #1 for three weeks and Billboard ranked ‘Running Bear’ as the #4 song of 1960.  In 1971, Jonathan King an English singer and Pop mogul took the “Ocka Chunka” backing from ‘Running Bear’ and added it to the B.J. Thomas song ‘Hooked On A Feeling’.  His cover reached #23 in the UK and three years later Swedish group Blue Swede topped the American singles chart with their version again with the “Ocka Chunka” backing.

BJ Thomas sang the theme song for the ‘80s sitcom Growing Pains with both Jennifer Warnes (seasons 2 and 3) and Dusty Springfield (season 4).  He also had big hits with ‘(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song’ and ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’.  BJ was a five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee and at the age of 78, he passed away on May 29, 2021 following a battle with lung cancer.

I can’t stop this feelin’
Deep inside of me.
Girl you just don’t realize
What you do to me.

When you hold me in your arms so tight
You let me know everything’s alright.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII’m…!
Ed on a feelin’
I’m high on believin’
That you’re in love with meeeeeee.

Lips are sweet as candy
The taste stays on my mind.
Girl, you keep me thirsty
For another cup of wine!
I got it bad for you, girl
But I don’t need a cure.
I’ll just stay addicted
And hope I can endure!

All the good love, when we’re all alone.
Keep it up, girl, yeah you turn me on.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII’m…
Ed on a feelin’
I’m high on believin’
That you’re in love with meeeeeee.

All the good love
When we’re all alone
Keep it up, girl
Yeah you turn me on.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII’m…
Ed on a feelin’
I’m high on believin’
That you’re in love with meeeeeee.
I’m hooked on a feelin’!
And I’m high on believin’
That you’re in love with meeeeeee.
I said I’m hooked on a feelin’
I’m high on believin’
That you’re in love with meeeeeee.

Written for Song Lyric Sunday where the theme is Other, That, This.