There’s no way you guys will get this one, but I’ve never seen you not get one, so here goes:
My wife’s coworker hummed a song and my wife recognized it. Neither of them knew a single word, though, so they couldn’t look it up. Unfortunately, my wife cannot remember the melody, and so she can’t reproduce it for me.
Here’s what we know:
It’s an 80s song or close enough.
It’s not very popular, but enough that millennials recognize it anyway.
It’s almost entirely synth, or as she says “It sounds like there aren’t any real instruments in it at all.”
The male singer sings pretty high, like Naked Eyes high.
It’s a love song or ballad.
“Never Dance Again” by George Michael reminds her of it.
It’s probably not Phil Collins.
The lyrics may or may not say something about searching and/or dreaming. Perhaps it has the words “you’ll be” or “I’ll be.” It might say “see you in my dreams.”
Wow, Bumbershoot, good one! I admit to thinking that was a stupid guess, but shows what I know. Stepping Out was mostly (real) piano wasn’t it? Not synthesizer.
Nor is it popular, nor known by millennials, nor a love song, nor about dreams or searching. So basically, he nailed the “80s ballad, not Phil Collins” angle.
Same here. I certainly recognize the song. I’m surprised that it was his best charting song in the US. I would have guessed “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” That’s the first song I think of when I think Joe Jackson, but I assume it’s one of those retrospective things where it’s just been more long-lasting than the more chart-popular “Stepping Out.” I still can’t believe how quickly this song ID was answered, given the misremembered details in the OP. Amazing.
It’s an extremely bland song. The notes the songs hit are matched exactly by the singing. No counterpoint or even a change in key. Almost perfectly written to be inoffensive muzak.