# Help ID a song I don't know the words to

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-a-song-i-dont-know-the-words-to/178782>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 31, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-a-song-i-dont-know-the-words-to/178782 "2003-05-31T15:37:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-a-song-i-dont-know-the-words-to/178782/1 "2003-05-31T15:37:52Z")

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It’s a song I know I’ve heard before, but I could barely hear any of the lyrics. The only words I could make out are “oh what can it be”, which don’t help me much on google.

I last heard it on an episode of Conan O’Brien. It was one from January, with Heather Graham, Sam Rockwell, and Russel Simmons. It’s here [http://www.nbc.com/Late\_Night\_with\_Conan\_O’Brien/episode\_guide/794.html](http://www.nbc.com/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/episode_guide/794.html).

It was rerun just the other night, so someone out there might be able to remember it.

The particular song was in the opening segment, where Conan brings a winnebago and entertains some people lined up to get tickets to his show in there. I believe they closed the segment playing this song.

It’s a song from the 60’s, or at least sounds like it. I think what they call “garage band”.

Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

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**Author:** ![zebraplooker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@zebraplooker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zebraplooker)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-a-song-i-dont-know-the-words-to/178782/2 "2003-05-31T18:05:36Z")

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I don’t watch that show, but it might be “Permanent Waves” by **The Kinks**.