All too often I get about 5 seconds of a song in my head, but there's a few problems: I don't know what song it is
I don't know who sings it
Yet again, I seem to have misplaced my pants
the only part of the song I remember is the part where they say "yeah baby"

However, no matter how horribly you screw up trying to hum a part of a song, someone, SOMEWHERE in the world would know what song you're talking about. Unfortunately for you, that person is not anyone you know. Here's the intersection where problem and solution meet (that could be a slogan for a company, hmmm...).

This website, uglyheadmug.com or whatever you want to call it, will enable people to post the few words they can remember from the song, audio files of them attempting to "hum" or "sing" the mystery song, or post erotic fan-fiction of Squarebob Spongepants. Other users can then respond with their thoughts of what the song could be, berate the poster for having ugly shoes even though they can't see their shoes, or even eat tacos while reading.
-- AfroAssault, Sep 16 2001

CBC Radio One: Basic Black's "Humline" http://radio.cbc.ca..._black/humline.html
Been baked for nine years on CBC-1... [MrWrong, Sep 16 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

songs identified by description here http://www.mojo4music.com
[snarfyguy, Sep 16 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Baked http://news.bbc.co....1681000/1681395.stm
[hippo, Nov 29 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

For selement http://www.google.c...l%22%2B%22lyrics%22
Take your pick. [DrBob, Jul 16 2002, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Baked in full. http://www.name-this-tune.com/
[Cedar Park, Oct 17 2004]

Another one http://www.wildbits.com/tunatic/
Tunatic [RayfordSteele, May 12 2006]

'Na Na Na' by Cozy Powell http://cozy-powell-...s.com/Na-Na-Na.html
For selement. [DrBob, May 12 2006]

YouTube: "Melody" by "Boys Brigade", 1983 http://youtube.com/watch?v=yoaBdVzF0J0
For twruble. [jutta, Jan 31 2007]

midomi http://www.midomi.com/
Music search by humming. [jutta, Feb 04 2009]

/r/TipOfMyTongue https://www.reddit.com/r/tipofmytongue
A subreddit for this sort of request (not just music) [notexactly, Apr 23 2019]

Frankie Howard
-- po, Sep 16 2001


Croissant for you, if you agree to include soundbites from films.
-- March Hare, Sep 16 2001


Evil Interrogator: "Svpill your svecrets, Britisher pig, or we are playing another fifty sound files from uglyheadmug.com!"

Captured Spy: "No! Sweet baby Jesus, not more humming! AAAAHHHHH!"

The horror, the horror.
-- Dog Ed, Sep 16 2001


Hummm, hummm, hummm-hum
hummmmmm, hum-hum-hum, now.

-- DrBob, Sep 17 2001


[DrBob], that was "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies
-- barnzenen, Sep 17 2001


I could've sworn it was "I Wanna Be Sedated" ...
-- 1percent, Sep 17 2001


No, no, 1percent. Anything Ramones is far too good for this sort of thing. I had in mind something much more hideous.
-- DrBob, Sep 17 2001


The Plasmatics? They blew things up
How about 'Blow Up' by the Dils (I think)
-- thumbwax, Sep 18 2001


Heard a song on the radio I haven't heard in a looong time. Detachable Penis by King Missle. Thought I Was one of the only people on earth to have heard it, and then they go an play it on the radio. Wow, brings back memories.
-- barnzenen, Sep 20 2001


Yes! King Missile, haven't heard that band in several years. Better fire up Morpheus....
-- AfroAssault, Sep 20 2001


I was thinking the same thing about the Plasmatics.

Oh, the hum-hum-hum bit is "illusion", if that helps.
-- DrBob, Sep 20 2001


Do you think they could also provide a service that could drive evil songs out of ones head? I once had Cher's 'Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves' stuck in my head for a whole day! You start praying for death!
-- RobGraham, Sep 20 2001


Count yourself lucky. I've had Kylie Minogue singing "Na na na, na na na na na" incessantly in my head for most of the last week.
-- -alx, Sep 20 2001


I've got a song that'll get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I've got a song that'll get on your nerves, get, get, get on your nerves...
-- DaveSt, Sep 21 2001


At first I thought <DrBob's> song was "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol, but he shattered my "illusion."
-- zaphod12, Nov 15 2001


I'd forgotten all about this. Just in case anyone was really hung up on this, it was the middle bit from When A Child Is Born. Sorry!
-- DrBob, Nov 15 2001


Could it handle the songs used in TV commercials? I want to know what that very wonderful song is in the current (U.S.) Jaguar Type-S commercials.
-- bristolz, Nov 15 2001


According to Adcritic.com, if it's the one where 'Sting dreams about driving in an S-Type Jaguar' it's the second track on his CD 'A Brand New Day', which seems to be named 'Desert Rose'.

Glad to be of service.... <Hey, does this mean I get another chance at the email thing?>
-- StarChaser, Nov 15 2001


Anyone else who needs a song identified should take a break from the 'Bakery and head over to the website of the British music magazine Mojo. There's an on-line community over there in a section called "Enlightenment," which has a subsection called "What's that sound?"

It's pretty much all people saying "What was that song in the car commercial where..." or "It starts with a tuba and the guy sings about shirts" or whatever. Pretty much all queries are resolved by a very knowledgeable crew.

See link...
-- snarfyguy, Nov 15 2001


In other words, baked, except for the audio files part.
-- snarfyguy, Nov 15 2001


Aha! Nope, it's not Sting. Must be a different Jag spot (I haven't seen that one). A friend identified the song for me. The music on the Jaguar spot I'm talking about is by Chris Isaak from his album "Heart Shaped World." The song is called "Wicked Game." I'm going to buy it.
-- bristolz, Nov 16 2001


Ag! Ik! Ptoo! I HATE that song...

...not so much for the song itself, but because it was played -constantly- around here when it was new, and people apparently threatened to storm and burn down the radio station...
-- StarChaser, Nov 17 2001


Fortunately I heard it first on the Jag spots and have getting sick of it at my own pace to look forward to. I have never even heard the entire piece yet.
-- bristolz, Nov 17 2001


It's actually a good song, but as StarChaser mentioned, the "good song gone bad" potential is pretty high. If I remember, the video was banned from MTV for a while, and that was a really long time ago...
-- AfroAssault, Nov 17 2001


Thanks for that Mojo link - hadn't thought to look it up on net - it is a great magazine. Wicked Game is a very easy song to play/sing - if I remember correctly he recorded demo in his kitchen where he had come up with the song moments before or something to that effect.
-- thumbwax, Nov 17 2001


This song has been in my head for days and it is driving me crazy! I think it is from the 80's-

Starts with .... "There was a girl" chorus .. Melody(?) danced away right into my heart. Melody took my heart and danced away"
-- twruble, Apr 14 2002


I can't remember any words from this song, what it's called, or who it's by. All I know is that it's been in my head all week. I'll try to 'na' it.

Na, na na na, na na na, na na, naa, na na, Na na na, Na na na na na na, na na, na na

Can anyone help me? I know it's hard....
-- selement, Jul 13 2002


Selement, I think the tune is na na na na, na na na na, hee-eey, goodbye. By Bananarama. Who were a completely crap pop group in the eighties, whose only useful purpose was to annoy everyone so much that we all went out, took ecstasy and invented techno cos it had no words.
-- briandamage, Jul 14 2002


No...that's not it. I was 'na-ing' the tune, it doesn't actually say 'na' in the song. Sorry... I wasn't very clear. I think I have a different way of finding out though. If anyone here still wants to try and help then I can tell you that it's a very old song.
-- selement, Jul 16 2002


I can't remember lots of songs.
-- calum, Jul 16 2002


If I get a song in my head and I can't remember the performer, about the last thing I would do is waste the next half hour trying in vain to remember who it was. Instead, I just jam a bamboo skewer in my ear and swish it around until the song isn't in my head anymore. MMmmm... bamboo good me music forget.
-- gastronaut, Jul 17 2002


[UnaBubba] - I agree about the Wiggles, they should be hung with their coloured turtlenecks. But if you think "hot potato" is bad, you should hear their version of the (Australian) national anthem brrr...

[briandamage] - hey I like Bananarama :p
-- madradish, Jul 17 2002


this is so strange, I had a dream last night where I was singing a song (well typing it) on the HB to find out what is was but the last bit went 'to di do di do' and i apologised because I shouldn't have mentioned it as it was instrumental. The annoying thing is I can't remember what the song was (although I vaguely knew at the time).

Imagine my surprise when I opened up this topic this morning (which I have never seen until now)!

I think it might have been something by Iggy Pop but I really couldn't be sure...
-- timo, Jul 17 2002


I heard this la-la-la-la-la on a DJ cassette that was in Phil Fearon & Galaxy's "What Do I Do" and am wondering if it is really part of the 12" version.
-- Amishman35, Jul 18 2002


I was at a party a while back when someone was asking for a tune to be named. In the end we phoned directory enquiries whoh new the answer after the first couple of notes
-- dare99, Jul 18 2002


I was at a party a while back when someone was asking for a tune to be named. In the end we phoned directory enquiries whoh new the answer after the first couple of notes
-- dare99, Jul 18 2002


this is kinda baked, there is a phone number u can call like shazam or something but the song has to be PLAYING. huh, when i tried to hum it they hung up.
-- ninjafishcake, Jun 07 2003


if you're ever unsure what that song is whilst in the UK, dial 2580 on your mobile and let your phone listen to the tune. After 20secs it'll hang up and text (SMS) you the name and artist. Brilliant service.
-- jonthegeologist, Dec 26 2003


Dammit, I'll never get to sleep now, I've got a Bananarama/ Wiggles/Iggy Pop supergroup rehearsing in my head
-- BunsenHoneydew, Apr 08 2004


Brilliant. Would be vastly improved by a top10 list of "most incomprehensible renditions" of people trying to hum a song who can't find their vocal cords with both hands.
-- 5th Earth, Apr 09 2004


Reminds me slightly of this service they have in the UK. You dial 2580 from your mobile and hold it up to the loudspeaker for a few seconds then hang up. Using some biviefious computer they manage to 'tag' the song and text you the details; song title, artist, album. If they cant find it you dont pay for the service. I've used this many a time. Maybe your idea can be adapted to something like this.
-- shinobi, May 12 2006


I usually remember songs when appropriate and it doesn't bother me. Like when I'm playing a game, just hum some rock song in your head :)

I remember the song Space jam, from that movie with the cartoon characters (bugs bunny, daffy duck, michael jordon). My friends and I used to whip beanie babies at each other, until they started to burst. We frequently listened to that song, and I remember that I thought the words were: "Dance with your pants to the space jam". People thought it was funny :)
-- EvilPickels, May 12 2006


Basically baked. See Tunatic for this.
-- RayfordSteele, Jun 05 2006


Looks the end of "Hey Jude" to me.
-- DrBob, Feb 01 2009


I saw a demonstration of a song recognition program - you could hum a few lines of the melody, and it would present you with the most likely contenders. That was 10 years ago, so it should be thouroughly baked now...
-- loonquawl, Feb 02 2009


I vaguely remember seeing an iphone commercial where someone held a phone up to the radio and the automated voice gave them the title and artist of the song.
-- Jscotty, Feb 03 2009


Jscotty, you're referring to an iPhone app called "Shazam" that does exactly as this idea describes.
-- tatterdemalion, Feb 03 2009


You can't hum the tune for Shazam, it has to be the actual song.
-- nomocrow, Feb 03 2009


A service called "midomi" purports to do humming (see link).
-- jutta, Feb 04 2009


Wow. It got "I vow to thee my country" in about three seconds.
-- nomocrow, Feb 09 2009


So do I get money from this thing now?
-- AfroAssault, May 15 2019


No, sorry, you missed the window. Nobody cares for more than 10 seconds anymore as another song is only a click away. Progress huh?
-- notripe, May 19 2019



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