# I'll pay someone 1 million dollars if they can identify this song for me. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090 "2008-10-08T23:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/1 "2008-10-08T23:10:14Z")
Okay, that may be a slight hyperbole. Maybe not a million, but at perhaps a free dinner or lunch if they’re ever in the area? Hahah, I’m serious because this song has been stuck in my mind for MONTHS, yet I don’t know: 1. Who sings it. 2. The name of it. 3. Any other lines other than one line (which is basically just one word repeating). I have sang this one line, in tune, to many of my friends and relatives (both in real life and over the phone) and NOBODY has ever heard of it or even the tune…which makes me believe they just don’t listen to that genre of music. But anyway, even though I only know one line and the tune… **I would know it if I heard it again.** So, over the months, many internet friends have been linking me to songs and it’s always the same: I listen to it for a bit and go “Nope, that’s not it.” Okay, enough with the introduction. Now for the song info and what I know about it. I must warn you, though, it’s NOT much. However, I do know these things about it: 1. First off, the line that I know is very simple: “I said hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!..hey, hey, hey, hey…I said hey, hey, hey, hey… _lower octive_ I said hey, hey, hey, hey…” This may or may not be spot on. It could be different variations that start it like “I said now, hey, hey, hey, hey” or “Now hey, hey, hey, hey” But the "hey hey"s remain the same. 2. I know it’s a song that has only been out recently. Like, in the last 6 years, I’d guess. IT’S POSSIBLE it could be older than that, but I don’t think so. 3. The “hey, hey” part/line is either part of the chorus of the song or THE chorus of it, period. 4. The song is a rock song and it’s got the SOUND like it’s sung by one of those popular groups like Matchbox 20, Creed, Nickleback, Pearl Jam, Bush, Collective Soul…although it might not be one of those groups. The sound is like theirs, though…the sort of throaty sound that most of the lead singers of those groups have. It’s also sung by a guy. 5. If anyone would like to call me so I can sing the "hey, hey"s in tune, PM me and I’ll give you my number. The "hey, hey"s are very distinctive sounding so it might help if someone could hear how they’re sung. 6. **A song I know it’s not** : That one by that girl that sings “So I wake in the morning and I step outside and I take a deep breath and I get real high, etc”. I know it’s not that one…I’ve heard that one many times, trust me. It’s not that one. Like I said, this is sung by a guy. Probably a guy in a group…again, it has that sound, however it MIGHT just be a solo guy. I can’t really tell you much more than that. I don’t know any more. But again, I would know it if I heard it, so feel free to link me to millions of songs in here to listen to and I’ll tell you if it’s that or not. The person who can find it will get…I don’t know…something, though. Like me paying for your charter membership for a year or two. 🙂 And my ever gracious apprecation. “I said?/I said now?/Now?..hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy…hey, hey, hey, hey, hey…hey, hey, hey, hey…_lower sung_ I said?/Now? hey, hey, hey, hey…” Please, help me, straightdope. Can YOU figure out what song this is? I know, it’s a challenge…but surely the SDMB can eventually find the answer? Man, I’m hoping. ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/2 "2008-10-08T23:26:46Z")
“Treat Her Right” by the Commitments? I’ll try to find a link. ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/3 "2008-10-08T23:30:25Z")
[Linky.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYncc7dNtI) “Hey Hey Hey Hey” at about 1:35. It’s a much older song though, originally by Otis Reading I think? ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/4 "2008-10-08T23:30:49Z")
Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/5 "2008-10-08T23:38:43Z")
Steve winwood, new orleans? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/6 "2008-10-08T23:39:26Z")
Is it “Rio” by Duran Duran? Well, somebody had to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/7 "2008-10-08T23:40:00Z")
[Talking Heads - “Swamp”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVo-Rr-KKbk&feature=related)? Starting at :40. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/8 "2008-10-08T23:40:35Z")
> [@Galwegian](#): > > [Linky.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYncc7dNtI) “Hey Hey Hey Hey” at about 1:35. > > It’s a much older song though, originally by Otis Reading I think? Originally recorded by Roy Head in 1965, written by the team of Hood/Kurtz. > **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! > **[Roy Head's "Treat Her Right" - bobdc.blog](https://www.snee.com/bobdc.blog/2007/12/roy_heads_treat_her_right.html)** ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BLQgQNuN-M/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/2BLQgQNuN-M?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/9 "2008-10-08T23:55:42Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Originally recorded by Roy Head in 1965, written by the team of Hood/Kurtz. > > [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](http://www.geocities.com/merrystar3/allysongs/TreatHerRight.htm) > > [Roy Head's "Treat Her Right" - bobdc.blog](http://www.snee.com/bobdc.blog/2007/12/roy_heads_treat_her_right.html) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLQgQNuN-M](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLQgQNuN-M) I think this song was used in a commercial (maybe a car commercial?) sometime in the last few years. Could be where the OP heard it, if it’s the right song. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/10 "2008-10-09T00:03:07Z")
The only song I can think of with that line is Weird Al Yankovic’s “Close but no cigar” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymzIkSpBxEI) (Slightly **NSFW** ) Though I suspect this isn’t it either. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/11 "2008-10-09T00:06:50Z")
> [@Galwegian](#): > > [Linky.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYncc7dNtI) “Hey Hey Hey Hey” at about 1:35. > > It’s a much older song though, originally by Otis Reading I think? Not it. The one I’m trying to find is: 1. A much more recent song. 2. A much more slower song. 🙂 Yeah, it’s slower. Not as many intstruments. I think there is a guitar and maybe drums and that’s it. > [@CoG888](#): > > Steve winwood, new orleans? Just listened to it. That’s not it either. It’s not Rio or Swamp, either. It’s not that old of a song…it’s come out in the last five or six years, I’d say. It’s not by a band that was around in the 80s or 90s, I don’t think. This is a song by a popular band or artist (I’m guessing) that is popular TODAY (like Simple Plan or Yellowcard or Jack Johnson) It’s not going to be a band like Simple Minds or Van Halen or Stevie Windwood. It sounds like a lot of those current bands sound like, like I said…kinda like the sound of Matchbox 20 or Nickleback or Bush or Incubus or Hinder. A real recent sound. Trust me, I’ve been looking for this song for months…I’m starting to think nobody knows it and it’s impossible to find knowing only what I know, heh. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/12 "2008-10-09T00:08:16Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > The only song I can think of with that line is Weird Al Yankovic’s “Close but no cigar” > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymzIkSpBxEI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymzIkSpBxEI) > > (Slightly **NSFW** ) > > Though I suspect this isn’t it either. It’s DEFINITELY not Weird Al. 🙂 Although I did listen to it anyway and I knew, immediately, it wasn’t it. Again, it’s a slower paced song. Not as upbeat. It’s got a slow tune and melody. “I said…hey, ay, ay, ay, ay ay…ay, ay, ay, ay…ay, ay, ay, yay… Now…hey, ey, ey, ey…” The hey’s are exact abouts. Like, the right number of times it’s sung (estimating). Thank you, everyone, for the links and suggestions. I don’t hold out hope we’ll find it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/13 "2008-10-09T00:10:44Z")
Hmm, I’ll try to make a sound clip of myself singing it in the tune I know. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/14 "2008-10-09T00:14:27Z")
[I will keep in mind that you owe me a meal if I am ever in AZ! 🙂](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSn7iPHiKOA&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/15 "2008-10-09T00:24:11Z")
If **pbbth** is wrong, try it at [midomi](http://www.midomi.com)[sup]1[/sup] and see if anything pops up. If not get that recording of you up and it’ll probably help. 1 Midomi courtesy of someone on the dope a few weeks ago ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/16 "2008-10-09T00:25:01Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mUnbNg6HHjE/hqdefault.jpg "NEIL YOUNG MY MY HEY HEY") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUnbNg6HHjE) If that’s it, I’d rather have the million dollars than the lunch. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/17 "2008-10-09T00:30:57Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > [I will keep in mind that you owe me a meal if I am ever in AZ! 🙂](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSn7iPHiKOA&feature=related) Good guess 🙂 but… > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > 1. **A song I know it’s not** : That one by that girl that sings “So I wake in the morning and I step outside and I take a deep breath and I get real high, etc”. I know it’s not that one..I’ve heard that one many times, trust me. It’s not that one. Like I said, this is sung by a guy. Probably a guy in a group…again, it has that sound, however it MIGHT just be a solo guy. > [@Morgenstern](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUnbNg6HHjE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUnbNg6HHjE) > > If that’s it, I’d rather have the million dollars than the lunch. > Thanks. That’s not it, either, hahaha. It’s not as old as Neil Young. This is a young, recent group/guy. Deeper voice then Young, too. Guess I’ll try that link that **BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed** posted. I made a clip of me singing it but it doesn’t work when I try to upload it…so if you want to hear it, tell me and I’ll email the clip to you. It should work in Windows Media Player (least it does in mine). So if you’d like to hear me singing the line to hear what it sounds like, I’ll email you, just reply here. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/18 "2008-10-09T00:49:51Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > So if you’d like to hear me singing the line to hear what it sounds like, I’ll email you, just reply here. I won’t be able to check until after work, but mail it to me and I’ll see if I’ve heard it. You’re 100% on the tune of that part? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/19 "2008-10-09T00:59:20Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > I won’t be able to check until after work, but mail it to me and I’ll see if I’ve heard it. You’re 100% on the tune of that part? Yep. And that one site was no help. Says it didn’t find any matches. I tried emailing it to someone else and it didn’t work. I don’t suppose you’d want to call even though I’m someone you don’t know and it’s probably long distance? Heh. ---
**Author:** ![CMG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@CMG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CMG)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090/20 "2008-10-09T01:03:32Z")
Is it Got You Where I Want You from the flys, from like 8 or 9 years ago. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBwMMxOnDQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBwMMxOnDQ) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pay-someone-1-million-dollars-if-they-can-identify-this-song-for-me/467090.md?page=2)