I’m not sure how old the song is; presumably not more than a few years old as it would fit pretty nicely into the emo/indie scene. It sounds something akin to Hot Hot Heat / Strokes / Promise Ring. Except its much less guitar rocky and more melodic. There is a single male voice and its somewhat high pitched.
I realize this is fairly vague…the problem being I’ve heard the song a number of times but never been able to identify the lyrics.
“anytime now I wanna to blow this town”
Something sounding vaguely similar to that. Similar beats/rhyming scheme. Think like mishread lyrics - the chorus could be interpreted that way, but I don’t think that’s what he actually sings. Also, the chorus is deffinitely something about daadda ddadda ddaa ddaaa “town”, or “time”.
I will also add that I’ve never heard it get that much airplay, so its probably not one of the big hits that you might be thinking of.
(If someone does get it right, they may very well say it doesn’t match well with the bands I listed above. I don’t really listen to this kind of music, so that was the best comparison I could draw up.)
You need to post a disclaimer that you already know that it isn’t “Rio” by Duran Duran.
Otherwise, there’ll be trouble.
Check out the lyrics to some Dashboard Confessional songs. They’re (he’s) so emo that emo is sad and mopey, wishing it could be sad and mopey like them (him).
It isn’t Rio by Duran Duran 
It’s no more than a few years old. Dashboard Confessional was one of the bands I was thinking of but forgot to mention in my OP.
Not much to work with, but the first thing that comes to mind is “Black and White Town” by The Doves. Check Amazon for sound clips, I’d guess they have them. Although, this is a pretty new song (last 3-4 months, AFAIK)
Sorry, I’m being lazy. Link to page with clip
Maybe I’m just slow, but I don’t see any sound clips there.
Scroll about a third of the way down, the look for “Listen to Samples” Then notice the “listen” link for each song, under the format of your chouce (windows media or Real).
hit the “Black and White Town” song.
Ah, there it is. I’m used to seeing the samples just listed near the top of the page.
Anyway, that’s not song. Damn. I actually like the Doves (didn’t know they had a new album). They have a much more rock-ish sound than the song in question. The song in question has a that very distinct whiny strain to it.
To add some further quantification, the singer of the song in question definitely sounds like the guy from Dashboard Confessional, however the musical styling is distincly not DC.
Could be Further Seems Forever, the band Chris (from DC) played with before. They’re much more rocky and such, but also older.
That probably doesn’t help.
No, no, the whole thing is that its not rocky. Its very slick and heavily produced.
Haha, than maybe you should get some more words from the song!
Indie/Emo bands that you might be talking about:
Death Cab for Cutie
Taking Back Sunday
My Chemical Romance
Thursday
Something Corporate
Saves the Day
Bright Eyes
As I Lay Dying
Deftones
Atticus
Atreyu
Brand New
Fallout Boy
All-American Rejects
Sugarcult
List courtesy of SisterSnappity
Thanks, I’ve actually been going through amazon.com just listening to band after band in the hopes of figuring out who it is.