This song is driving me crazy because I can’t get it out of my head and it’s even worse because I can’t find out the damn name of it or anything. I heard it on the radio recently and I know it’s well-known because I’ve heard it more than once.
It’s of the singer/songwriter genre as in James Blunt, Jason Mraz, John Mayer. It has a kind of quiet melancholy to it. I’m relatively sure it’s about losing a girl or a break up or something like that but I can’t guarantee that because I can’t remember the lyrics. I’m relatively certain it came out within the past 5 years. Finally, the hook/chorus is tonal, onomatopoeic, almost scat with the sounds of “oh oo oh, oh oo oh.” Again with a very laid back pass and kind of downbeat peacefulness to it. I’ve tried finding the song artist and or title and no luck.
You’ve, unfortunately, described nearly every single by Jason Mraz, but the two that are getting the most play right now are I’m Yours and In Love With My Best Friend. Granted, neither is about break ups or losing love, but “I’m Yours” is exactly as you described the chorus of the song you can’t think of.
Jason Mraz always feels so bouncy rather than melancholy to me.
The melancholy aspect made me think of “Collide” by Howie Day. It still seems to get a lot of play.
Dreaming with a Broken Heart by John Mayer? Melancholy, but no scat-ish parts.
Other potential singers are Five for Fighting or Jack Johnson, if you just want to spelunk around youtube.
It’s not either of the Jason Mraz songs, the Howie Day song or the Mayer song.
I’m beginning to realize that the chorus may be more of a drawn out single word rather than moaning syllables. Something akin to “Sloo oh oo oh ww” Perhaps that’s a stretch but I don’t know.
I’m normally very good about finding out this stuff but i’m just not coming up with any luck right now. I think some part of the song lyrics might contain “it’s better late than never” but again I can’t find any results backing that up.
Another idea is that in the chorus he’s quoting what the girl will be saying. Like the lead-in to the chorus/hook says “And you say/And you go/It makes you go/It makes you say…” I’m clutching at straws but this is driving me crazy.
It’s closer to the Howie Day song and Five for Fighting in terms of mood but the singer in the one I’m talking about is very plain-spoken and steady in the style. Almost like he’s trying not to oversing it, sort of like Elliot Smith. His natural range or register is lower than Mraz of the lead singer of Five for Fighting.