They played this one at double speed because the tv network only gave them a short time slot to get it done. But my favorite Focus song is the "Hamburger Concerto"...
Amazingly talented group, one of my favorites. Thijs Van Leeer - Organ, Vocals, Flute, etc., Jan Akkerman - Guitar, Bert Ruiter - Bass, Pierre Van Der Linden - Drums. Nobody who hasn't seen it before has any idea what awesomeness they are about to see :-) Love this. Thanks!
This completely blew EVERYONE AWAY when they gave this performance! It is, I believe, DOUBLE-TIME to what we'd all heard on the radio....The Midnight Special asked that they "cut the song" to fit into the time slot on the show - and, rather than cut it - they double-timed it. You can see the drummer glancing at the clock, occasionally....and, EVERYONE LOVED IT!! I think it was the ONLY standing ovation on The Midnight Special - and, EVERYONE was talking about this performance at school, on Monday, after the Friday night show!! :D LOVE IT!!
The time slot thing is an urban legend that won't die. They'd experimented with speeding it up many times before this appearance, it was nothing new. The crowd reactions to the faster version made Thijs van Leer want to do it that way more often, and he also wanted to take advantage of the high-profile Midnight Special appearance to shoehorn another song in and get maximum exposure, so ramping the speed up this time was a conscious choice. If you get WAY too obsessed and put a timer on it, this one is about 40-50% faster than the studio version (it picks up speed during the performance here) - van der Linden is looking at Akkerman, not a clock.
Now, imagine the first time you heard this was as you were driving. Like me. I nearly crashed for laughing so hard; I managed to cope with the yodelling, but when it suddenly entered munchkin land, I totally lost it.
This has to be one of best songs for young people to react to, and astonishing performance from the band and an incredible song.Your open mouth expression at his yodeling says it ,all more nice surprises to follow.
Legends are the stories people tell when they've seen something so unusual that it's difficult to reconcile with anything in their known world. Whatever their sales, I guarantee you'll talk about this one, and if anyone listens, so will they. I bought this album when it came out, and I still have it. Thanks for the fun!
The sixties and seventies were a real trip even without the drugs. Experimentation in music was at an all-time high and rules were made to be broken or ignored. So many great bands and talent, which today's music industry can't match the volume. The internet is opening the options for talent to put more music in front of the people again.
This is what happens when you have 8 minutes to play a 14-minute song! They were told to cut it down but they couldn't find a good place so, they played it double time! It's one of the most hilarious things anyone's ever seen and we all still love it!
This song made them a legend in the U.S. for awhile. The audio version is much better because Midnight Special required them to speed up the song for the show, but the live performance gives you a good feel for what great musicians they were. Your reaction was priceless! After the first yodel, I said to myself, "Oh honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet!" You had me in stitches! LOL Thanks for another great reaction! ✌💙✌
The video is an edit version of the whole audio song which is about 8 minutes. They were basically a one-hit wonder in the states. Another great video you have to checkout to see a multi-instrumentalist at work is "Frankenstein" by Edgar Winter Group. That will blow your mind also.
The biggest influence in the evolution of music was the military draft ending in 1972. It physically, mentally and spiritually changed everything. Music exploded! No rules, no boundaries…. complete freedom to express yourself 70s music was a celebration. There was less division, everybody got together to create music. There’s a debate over which era is best but, 1970s music was is the most healing era of music
I think the U.S. policy on conscription was either the focus or influence on much of the music pre-1973. Those songs, and their ability to express the thoughts and feelings of the generation most affected, was a main reason the draft ended when it did, not to mention the Vietnam War. Music was exploding both pre and post 1973. I know, I was experiencing it. I think the major reason for the explosion in music, and in talent was sheer numbers. The baby boomers were in the 12 to 32 age group.
Great reaction! This is such a classic song. I just saw Focus at the end of July. I attended the meet and greet and got to talk to Thijs Van Leer, and asked him about the Midnight Special performance. He told me that the speedy version was NOT to fit it into the time slot, but the band had been making it a challenge to just play it faster and faster. Another great Focus song you should react to is “Eruption”, which is almost 25 minutes long.
Two thoughts: 1) With your mouth hanging open after the first "verse," Drew, it looked like you were trying to lipsynch 🤭 2) Giggling in anticipation of your reaction of the song going full Looney Tunes on verse 3 🤣
This is the best end of song reaction I've ever seen...Mind Melted...They had a time limitation on this live performance. They kicked up the tempo, from the studio version by about 50% to fit it in into their allowed time slot, and pulled it off majestically.
I've always liked this song and I also owned the Hamburger Concerto album, but it just suddenly hit me - there is no way the Butthole Surfers weren't influenced by this, lol. 😂
I've always wondered, why they had to play that fast (in comparison to the studio version). Then somebody told me, that there was a time restriction for performances in this TV show. They didn't want to change the song, so they changed the tempo... 😂
I saw Focus last week in London (10 Nov 2024) and they're still great. Menno Gootjes on guitar is very nearly as good as Jan Akkerman (who I'm going to see in London in February). Thijs van Leer still yodels at the age of 76 and Pierre van der Linden is a phenomenal drummer especially as he is now 79. Moving Waves was the first album I bought. I'd bought the single Sylvia because my piano teacher had been at the studio when they recorded it and played it to me on a reel to reel tape player. Excellent band and that was one of a very few performances on Midnight Special that got a standing ovation at the end.
Audiences like to be entertained. Music tastes vary, but whether or not it was your favourite music, it was entertaining, and those guys workd their asses off to make it happen. A little bit of creativity is always special.
This will wake up the whole dorm on a Sunday Morning. All those hung over folks get to be given the 8:00AM Wake up and shake en' out of the bunk. I know for a fact as it was always able to get the job done. PS, I still have the original vinyl release.
The TV show would only give them a certain amount of time. Rather than cut parts out, they just sped it up! The craziest rock hit next to Frankenstein! 1:47 in and you ain't seen nothin' !😊
This is how you perform an 8 minute song in 4 minutes without leaving anything out - you play it twice as fast! And this was in the before autotune so you HAD to be able to sing IN tune and REALLY be able to play. Any short-comings would soon get found out.
This is the much faster live version because producers only gave the band 5 minutes to perform the song. The original 7 minute version is a bit slower You like surprises in music ? Check ✔️ out Blondie - Rapture
A shame you didn't play the studio version as this was a super-sped up version that really doesn't show them in the best light. For many, if they did know them, this was the one hit they had. Stylistically, they're similar to an Italian group P.F.M. (Premiata Forneria Marconi) who had a hit with the song "Celebration".
You just watched what a real band can to in real time. Real time plus four. Real artists at work. No special reverb, no special rap re-tracks. Full on the real thing. Did you learn something today?
Not quantised, pitch corrected, drum machine infected ... not an autorune in sight ... as it should be. Any fool can make muzak on a computer, but only someone who has put in 10,000 hours on their craft can play this live.
That must be the most slack-jawed brain dead reaction I've ever seen. Was it on purpose to illustrate the mind-blowing speechless impact of shock and awe virtuosonic innovation? Or just the level of freedom which these guys had to do it..
I'm so sorry but I refuse to watch this stupid TV version where they were pissed off at management who wouldn't let them play the song to the original length. So they wanted to play the whole song and they crammed it into the short length of time they had which means they had to speed it up even faster than normal and it's just stupid. It's silly, but the original one was a piece of art. This is just a stupid protest and I'm tired of this being people's first exposure when the first one is really kind of cool
When I saw the title I knew exactly how you were going to react, and I wasn't disappointed. That really is the only reaction anyone can have.
Absolutely loved the way Your jaw hit the floor when he started singing! 🤣🤣🤣❤️
wish I could give more than just a thumbs up - your reaction is PERFECT for this song!
I prefer the studio version more but this live version is also quite entertaining
"quite entertaining", is, to me, a bit of an understatement...
And remember, this was way before Red Bull
😂
But not cocaine!
Gotta love that he hit those high notes without autotune at double speed of the original recording
They played this one at double speed because the tv network only gave them a short time slot to get it done. But my favorite Focus song is the "Hamburger Concerto"...
"He's fucking yodeling !" -
And then you realize that he (and the rest of the band) were just warming up...
Amazingly talented group, one of my favorites. Thijs Van Leeer - Organ, Vocals, Flute, etc., Jan Akkerman - Guitar, Bert Ruiter - Bass, Pierre Van Der Linden - Drums. Nobody who hasn't seen it before has any idea what awesomeness they are about to see :-) Love this. Thanks!
Everybody just came to see your reaction when the first yodel started.😂😂😂😂
This completely blew EVERYONE AWAY when they gave this performance! It is, I believe, DOUBLE-TIME to what we'd all heard on the radio....The Midnight Special asked that they "cut the song" to fit into the time slot on the show - and, rather than cut it - they double-timed it. You can see the drummer glancing at the clock, occasionally....and, EVERYONE LOVED IT!! I think it was the ONLY standing ovation on The Midnight Special - and, EVERYONE was talking about this performance at school, on Monday, after the Friday night show!! :D LOVE IT!!
The time slot thing is an urban legend that won't die. They'd experimented with speeding it up many times before this appearance, it was nothing new. The crowd reactions to the faster version made Thijs van Leer want to do it that way more often, and he also wanted to take advantage of the high-profile Midnight Special appearance to shoehorn another song in and get maximum exposure, so ramping the speed up this time was a conscious choice. If you get WAY too obsessed and put a timer on it, this one is about 40-50% faster than the studio version (it picks up speed during the performance here) - van der Linden is looking at Akkerman, not a clock.
Your hands and facial expression react better than any words!
Now, imagine the first time you heard this was as you were driving. Like me. I nearly crashed for laughing so hard; I managed to cope with the yodelling, but when it suddenly entered munchkin land, I totally lost it.
Rather that shorten the song for a tv show they just sped it up , because it was the 70 s 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
LOL like watching yodeling at 2x speed. Your reaction is hilarious!
Your reaction to this was perfection! Literally stunned speechless!😂😂😂
This has to be one of best songs for young people to react to, and astonishing performance from the band and an incredible song.Your open mouth expression at his yodeling says it ,all more nice surprises to follow.
Legends are the stories people tell when they've seen something so unusual that it's difficult to reconcile with anything in their known world. Whatever their sales, I guarantee you'll talk about this one, and if anyone listens, so will they.
I bought this album when it came out, and I still have it. Thanks for the fun!
Best reaction ever!!😂
When I saw them do this on late night TV as a young teen, a concurrent shift in the matrix occurred.
LMAO-- that was hysterical to watch,bro..thanks!! I had a feeling you'd react that way. Too funny...T
At the time Akkerman was considered the best guitarist in the world.
The sixties and seventies were a real trip even without the drugs. Experimentation in music was at an all-time high and rules were made to be broken or ignored. So many great bands and talent, which today's music industry can't match the volume. The internet is opening the options for talent to put more music in front of the people again.
Can't WAIT to see THIS REACTION!!! :) THANKS for THIS ONE!!! :)
This is what happens when you have 8 minutes to play a 14-minute song!
They were told to cut it down but they couldn't find a good place so, they played it double time!
It's one of the most hilarious things anyone's ever seen and we all still love it!
I always watch reactors when they listen to this song! They all looked gobsmacked
This song made them a legend in the U.S. for awhile. The audio version is much better because Midnight Special required them to speed up the song for the show, but the live performance gives you a good feel for what great musicians they were. Your reaction was priceless! After the first yodel, I said to myself, "Oh honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet!" You had me in stitches! LOL Thanks for another great reaction! ✌💙✌
The video is an edit version of the whole audio song which is about 8 minutes. They were basically a one-hit wonder in the states. Another great video you have to checkout to see a multi-instrumentalist at work is "Frankenstein" by Edgar Winter Group. That will blow your mind also.
The biggest influence in the evolution of music was the military draft ending in 1972.
It physically, mentally and spiritually changed everything.
Music exploded! No rules, no boundaries…. complete freedom to express yourself
70s music was a celebration.
There was less division, everybody got together to create music.
There’s a debate over which era is best but, 1970s music was is the most healing era of music
I think the U.S. policy on conscription was either the focus or influence on much of the music pre-1973. Those songs, and their ability to express the thoughts and feelings of the generation most affected, was a main reason the draft ended when it did, not to mention the Vietnam War. Music was exploding both pre and post 1973. I know, I was experiencing it.
I think the major reason for the explosion in music, and in talent was sheer numbers. The baby boomers were in the 12 to 32 age group.
Sometimes insanity just rolls off the tongue.
BETTER THAN TODAY'S GARBAGE WORTHLESS MUSIC!! JUST SAYING!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I believe there is quite an art to yodelling !
This absolutely rocks.❤
No one is ever prepared for Hocus Pocus.
Jan Akkerman influenced by the way a certain Brian May
Thank you.
For playing the longer version
Great reaction! This is such a classic song. I just saw Focus at the end of July. I attended the meet and greet and got to talk to Thijs Van Leer, and asked him about the Midnight Special performance. He told me that the speedy version was NOT to fit it into the time slot, but the band had been making it a challenge to just play it faster and faster. Another great Focus song you should react to is “Eruption”, which is almost 25 minutes long.
7 minute song and to fit it in a 4 minute time slot. So Instead of cutting out parts of the song, they sped it up
Two thoughts: 1) With your mouth hanging open after the first "verse," Drew, it looked like you were trying to lipsynch 🤭 2) Giggling in anticipation of your reaction of the song going full Looney Tunes on verse 3 🤣
I've watched a lot of these reaction videos and so far this is my favorite. 🤣🤣
This is the best end of song reaction I've ever seen...Mind Melted...They had a time limitation on this live performance. They kicked up the tempo, from the studio version by about 50% to fit it in into their allowed time slot, and pulled it off majestically.
They played this 3 times the tempo t o hit the break of the show.And it's better I think
Dr Hook and the Medicine Show lead singer is also a great yodel , but that’s a different animal ☮️
Before there was WTF, there was "Say What ??" and that applies here.
I've always liked this song and I also owned the Hamburger Concerto album, but it just suddenly hit me - there is no way the Butthole Surfers weren't influenced by this, lol. 😂
Love the look on your face. Thought your wrap was going to pop. Watched that originally. They shaved min 38 off the length to fit tv time ✨️🎶✨️
That’s the look
Reminds me of Dr. Demento’s music hour!
This was the wrong version to react to. The song was sped up to fit in the tv shows time limit. The full song is 9 minutes
I've always wondered, why they had to play that fast (in comparison to the studio version). Then somebody told me, that there was a time restriction for performances in this TV show. They didn't want to change the song, so they changed the tempo... 😂
I saw Focus last week in London (10 Nov 2024) and they're still great. Menno Gootjes on guitar is very nearly as good as Jan Akkerman (who I'm going to see in London in February). Thijs van Leer still yodels at the age of 76 and Pierre van der Linden is a phenomenal drummer especially as he is now 79. Moving Waves was the first album I bought. I'd bought the single Sylvia because my piano teacher had been at the studio when they recorded it and played it to me on a reel to reel tape player. Excellent band and that was one of a very few performances on Midnight Special that got a standing ovation at the end.
It’s the 70s man.
Alot of the younger people today just don't know how us older folk rocked a long time ago.
Audiences like to be entertained. Music tastes vary, but whether or not it was your favourite music, it was entertaining, and those guys workd their asses off to make it happen. A little bit of creativity is always special.
It started as a warm up but were persuaded to put it in the set. You can see why people were talking about them next morning after America saw this.
This will wake up the whole dorm on a Sunday Morning. All those hung over folks get to be given the 8:00AM Wake up and shake en' out of the bunk.
I know for a fact as it was always able to get the job done.
PS, I still have the original vinyl release.
You're good! Lots of us still have to work for a living! Prayers you get to quit your job and do this full-time 🙏 ❤
The TV show would only give them a certain amount of time. Rather than cut parts out, they just sped it up!
The craziest rock hit next to Frankenstein!
1:47 in and you ain't seen nothin' !😊
i'm glad you watched this copy as there is one where one of the yodle sections has been cut.
This is how you perform an 8 minute song in 4 minutes without leaving anything out - you play it twice as fast! And this was in the before autotune so you HAD to be able to sing IN tune and REALLY be able to play. Any short-comings would soon get found out.
A great TV show is on Friday nights at midnight.
😮
😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
That Was hocus pocus , you could not focus , it's magic
This is the much faster live version because producers only gave the band 5 minutes to perform the song. The original 7 minute version is a bit slower
You like surprises in music ?
Check ✔️ out
Blondie - Rapture
If you dig this, there's another similar band from Italy the same era called Goblin that did horror soundtracks that is well, well worth your time.
Your reaction was priceless. Only in the 70's! Have you reacted to Jethro Tull?
A shame you didn't play the studio version as this was a super-sped up version that really doesn't show them in the best light.
For many, if they did know them, this was the one hit they had.
Stylistically, they're similar to an Italian group P.F.M. (Premiata Forneria Marconi) who had a hit with the song "Celebration".
That's what art can do to you (and hear that guitar)
❤
John denver can yodal But not like that Dude , there is some hocus pocus going on And that guy's rippen on the guitar
They are Dutch
The birth of Prog Rock!
This song is a real classic. The studio version is much better.
You don't get it--- LOL chaos
My throat hurts just thinking about singing like that 😅😅😅
A song nothing like their other work. Check out their album Moving Waves
Hamburger Concerto
Sounds better with headphones, most music does.
Right...The Netherlands....and that's where Beth Hart was live at the paridiso.....in the Netherlands
Thinking they into some stuff...those Dutch
The look on your face!
Im laughing my ass off when you first paused the music and covered your mouth!!!
I can tell your mind is completely blown. Awesome!!
should check out Jewel yodeling.
You just watched what a real band can to in real time. Real time plus four. Real artists at work. No special reverb, no special rap re-tracks. Full on the real thing. Did you learn something today?
There is a hocus pocus too also, Mostly all the same characters
People will sell anything for a buck 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It’s great though, right 😊
You realy must watch Humble Pie
Not quantised, pitch corrected, drum machine infected ... not an autorune in sight ... as it should be.
Any fool can make muzak on a computer, but only someone who has put in 10,000 hours on their craft can play this live.
C'mon Andrew, Focus! It's not magic!!
ITS JUST BACH,
PLAYED AS JAZZ...
I'll have whatever it is that he's having but make it a double....
You have to understand, they didn't have a lot of time. lol
That must be the most slack-jawed brain dead reaction I've ever seen. Was it on purpose to illustrate the mind-blowing speechless impact of shock and awe virtuosonic innovation? Or just the level of freedom which these guys had to do it..
It's not part of a movie.
I'm so sorry but I refuse to watch this stupid TV version where they were pissed off at management who wouldn't let them play the song to the original length. So they wanted to play the whole song and they crammed it into the short length of time they had which means they had to speed it up even faster than normal and it's just stupid. It's silly, but the original one was a piece of art. This is just a stupid protest and I'm tired of this being people's first exposure when the first one is really kind of cool
I like them both, but yeah. Everybody should probably hear the original first, just to be able to contrast the two.
Apparently not true. Elsewhere the yodeler says it was a band challenge.
Your reaction 😂😂😂😂 🎯
it only proves ONE thing - talentless people can get rich !!
Talentless, heh. I'll bet you can't do any part of it. 😜
just like (c)rap artists. lol.
Get a sense of humor MOB