# Song. Stuck. In. Head. Must. Identify. NOW. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251 "2005-05-10T17:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/1 "2005-05-10T17:24:30Z")
I’m 99% sure is by Earth Wind and Fire and I’ll be shocked if that’s wrong. It starts off with this harmonious scat - “BAH da ba ba ba ba ba. Bah da ba ba ba. Bah da da da dah.” etc. before moving on to… “Ba yi ya. Ba yi ya. Ba yi ya yi ya yi ya yi ya yi ya. Ba da ba ba ba.” The whole song is like that and its hard to Google. Last time I heard it was at the beginning of Tommy Davidson’s Illin’ In Philly comedy special back in the early nineties. I haven’t thought about it in years-- it’s like my brain has this virus in my skull. Halp! ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/2 "2005-05-10T17:29:40Z")
Hard to ID bah’s, dah’s, di’s et al on a flat tonal line. If you have a hunch it’s EW&F, you may wanna try going to [Barnes & Noble.com](http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=2y0LfMRBRi&EAN=696998666122&ITM=1) and listen to the 30 sound clips? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/3 "2005-05-10T17:29:47Z")
Can you give us any clues? What are the notes? What is the rhythm? ---
**Author:** ![MikeTheTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@MikeTheTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeTheTiger)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/4 "2005-05-10T17:33:52Z")
Could that possibly be “September”? It is an EW&F sond and has some scat like that. ---
**Author:** ![MikeTheTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@MikeTheTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeTheTiger)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/5 "2005-05-10T17:37:32Z")
EW&F song. I even previewed! Here are some lyrics: [http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/SEPTEMBER-lyrics-Earth-Wind-And-Fire/590B6E52FF65643E482569660028A689](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/SEPTEMBER-lyrics-Earth-Wind-And-Fire/590B6E52FF65643E482569660028A689) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/6 "2005-05-10T17:45:59Z")
**MikeTheTiger:** Definitely not “September” – that was my first guess, too. But the scat is in the same vein. **Liberal.** Sorry dude. I did the best I could in the OP. **JohnBckWld.** Hmmm. I can eliminate two thirds of the list at a glance, but let me try some of these more obscurer ones. Hold on… There is a slight possiblity I’m just dead wrong about the group. I lost a bet swearing up and down Am I The Same Girl? was by Lisa Stansfield when it was Swing Out Sister. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/7 "2005-05-10T17:49:55Z")
… is there some reason I can’t seem to get the audio clips to run? ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/8 "2005-05-10T17:55:58Z")
They worked for me, just as a test, try this clip link [for my 1st hunch (until I counted the ba-dahs)](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=wg7l77qhjsjpmugy1yvzj7v&r=20.asx)…if you have the much hated WMP, it should work. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/9 "2005-05-10T17:58:34Z")
Could it possibly be Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple? I’ve heard this credited to EW & F before and the notes seem to match up to your “singing”. Link [here](http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=e56bTRKBdB&EAN=81227979928&ITM=1) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/10 "2005-05-10T18:09:11Z")
**JohnBckWLD.** Okay – your link won’t even let me open it. I’m trying to hunt it down the hard way through AllMusic… **Jaade.** LOL. Nope, sorry. LOL. My Ba da das are definitely people vocallizing in harmony which is why I called it “scat” although it’s more like harmonious chanting. It might be on the Essentials link JohnBckWLD sent but for some reason I can’t get it to play the clips. Where’s **Biggirl?** Where’s **Marley23?** ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/11 "2005-05-10T18:31:37Z")
Well, could it be **Seal** ’s “[Kiss From a Rose](http://seal-lyrics.wonderlyrics.com/Kiss-From-A-Rose.html)”? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/12 "2005-05-10T18:39:49Z")
Twelve posts before someone [positively identified your song.](http://www.project80s.com/bandinfo/lyrics_rio.htm) No need to thank me. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/13 "2005-05-10T18:47:58Z")
**Zabali\_Clawbane.** Definitely, definitely, not Seal’s Kiss From A Rose. The song as I recall it (It’s been at least 14 years since I least heard it) has no actual lyrics, just vocalizations. For some reason my brower’s acting up today with Windows Media Player links – but I listened to all the clips from Essential album on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) and … nuttin.’ I’m beginning to think it’s either 1) Not EWF or 2) an even more obscure song by them that I thought. I appreciate all the help. Please don’t let my cries of help to Biggirl and Marley23 dissuade you-- I realize I might have come off kinda rude just now. But **Biggirl** is about my age and may know exactly what I’m talking about and **Marley23** has shown an eerie ability to name these sorts of songs. **Happy Scrappy Hero Pup.** Oh, you dick. LOL!!! ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/14 "2005-05-10T18:58:53Z")
Could it be something by **War** instead of **Earth, Wind & Fire**? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/15 "2005-05-10T19:40:16Z")
I tend to doubt it but I won’t discount it. The harmony in the song I’m thinking of is a bit smoother that what I recall War doing. That said, I am looking up War’s discography riiiiiiight nnnooooow. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/16 "2005-05-10T19:59:23Z")
Going by the last series of Ba da ba ba ba, they don’t immediately follow it with “I’m lovin’ it,” do they? Because you might be confusing Earth, Wind and Fire with Fries, Coke, and burger. I do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/17 "2005-05-10T20:06:25Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > Going by the last series of Ba da ba ba ba, they don’t immediately follow it with “I’m lovin’ it,” do they? Because you might be confusing Earth, Wind and Fire with Fries, Coke, and burger. I do it all the time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/18 "2005-05-10T20:20:13Z")
“Fantasy” You can hear a snippet at [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) if you search “Earth Wind and Fire Greatest Hits” ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/19 "2005-05-10T21:05:10Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > “Ba yi ya. Ba yi ya. Ba yi ya yi ya yi ya yi ya yi ya. Ba da ba ba ba.” The whole song is like that and its hard to Google > [@plnnr](#): > > “Fantasy” _Fantasy_ has actual lyrics. 🙂 But it might be _Caribou_, from their album “[Open Our Eyes](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002527/qid=1115759278/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/102-7369106-4611301)” (the link takes you to Amazon, where you can listen to a clip). ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251/20 "2005-05-10T21:07:46Z")
A slightly better clip of “Caribou” is also available at iTunes, if you have that. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-stuck-in-head-must-identify-now/303251.md?page=2)