What song is this?
May 24, 2021 12:17 PM Subscribe
This song is from the 80s or 90s and has a chorus that repeats a name/word like “Alonna”: a-LON-na! (The word could be moana, ohana, hosanna, or something else similar. I don't know.) Almost like a chant; I want to say this part of the song at least has a vaguely African tribal choral sound. When I sing the notes of the "a-LON-na!" part into an online pitch finder I get G#4 A#4 A#4.
What genre? I can think of Informer by Snow, or Life in a Northern Town by Dream Academy
posted by wellred at 12:38 PM on May 24, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by wellred at 12:38 PM on May 24, 2021 [6 favorites]
I think the obvious ones are covered. A few more edge cases:
Kula Shaker's Tatva?
The Prodigy's Narayan?
posted by bfranklin at 12:55 PM on May 24, 2021
Kula Shaker's Tatva?
The Prodigy's Narayan?
posted by bfranklin at 12:55 PM on May 24, 2021
Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac?
and now I have a new earworm, tyvm.
posted by theora55 at 1:02 PM on May 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
and now I have a new earworm, tyvm.
posted by theora55 at 1:02 PM on May 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
"Vaguely African choral" made me think of Karl Jenkins' Adiemus.
posted by offog at 1:11 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by offog at 1:11 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
The part of Genius of Love where they repeat the name Bohannon?
posted by eschatfische at 1:16 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by eschatfische at 1:16 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
Paul Simon's Graceland album includes some songs with African chants but none that I could find that fit your description.
posted by perhapses at 1:21 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by perhapses at 1:21 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oh man, so many earworms. Thanks everyone. I haven't heard it yet.
wellred: I don't know the genre, but it's moody and maybe even a little dark. Not an upbeat, energetic song. But not slow or mournful either. The a-LON-na! is sung crisply without drawing out any of the syllables. Not like "Rhiaaaaaaaanon" or "Rosannaaaaa".
offog: Yes, the choral sound of Adiemus is pretty close to what's rattling around in my brain!
posted by Trespassers William at 1:24 PM on May 24, 2021
wellred: I don't know the genre, but it's moody and maybe even a little dark. Not an upbeat, energetic song. But not slow or mournful either. The a-LON-na! is sung crisply without drawing out any of the syllables. Not like "Rhiaaaaaaaanon" or "Rosannaaaaa".
offog: Yes, the choral sound of Adiemus is pretty close to what's rattling around in my brain!
posted by Trespassers William at 1:24 PM on May 24, 2021
Sadeness? this might be lodged in your brain from the Pure Moods commercial.
posted by nakedmolerats at 1:37 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by nakedmolerats at 1:37 PM on May 24, 2021
Doesn't follow the "moody and maybe even a little dark," but Kyrie Eleison?
posted by cooker girl at 1:39 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by cooker girl at 1:39 PM on May 24, 2021
It's probably not 'Iesha,' especially since you said moody and dark--two qualities seldom achieved in the kid-soul genre.
posted by box at 1:47 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 1:47 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
This reminds me of the first bit of Biko... but it's really only that one part. Still, in case your memory has done what it often does with my vague recollections of songs long past, I'm throwing it out there.
posted by daikaisho at 1:52 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by daikaisho at 1:52 PM on May 24, 2021
Is it the Tan-an-a in Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes from Paul Simon's Graceland?
posted by zepheria at 2:10 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by zepheria at 2:10 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
The introductory section of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes?"
posted by praemunire at 2:10 PM on May 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 2:10 PM on May 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Whoa, what are the odds of two people suggesting Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes at the exact same time? Not it -- great song though.
posted by Trespassers William at 2:15 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Trespassers William at 2:15 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
Something of a long shot: Johnny Clegg & Savuka, Scatterlings of Africa?
posted by praemunire at 2:18 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 2:18 PM on May 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
Super long shot, but the thing jangling around in my head now is I Zimbra by Talking Heads.
posted by fountainofdoubt at 2:30 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by fountainofdoubt at 2:30 PM on May 24, 2021
praemunire, I was just about to suggest that one!
posted by cooker girl at 2:33 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by cooker girl at 2:33 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Per the suggestion in my "what's this song?" thread yesterday, did you try humming it into the Google app?
posted by limeonaire at 3:12 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by limeonaire at 3:12 PM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
I suspect it's Ramona, by The Stampeders.
posted by AugustusCrunch at 4:48 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by AugustusCrunch at 4:48 PM on May 24, 2021
Such a long shot that I'm hesitant to suggest it, but Africa by Toto?
posted by Jacen at 7:32 PM on May 24, 2021
posted by Jacen at 7:32 PM on May 24, 2021
A very long shot - State of Independence by Donna Summer? It has a choral refrain of a choir singing "Shablamidi, shablamida" with a vaguely African feel to it.
posted by essexjan at 2:35 AM on May 25, 2021
posted by essexjan at 2:35 AM on May 25, 2021
Another long shot - the Gloria from David Fanshawe's African Sanctus?
posted by offog at 3:50 AM on May 25, 2021
posted by offog at 3:50 AM on May 25, 2021
I’m guessing it may be Talking Heads...something from Remain in Light?
posted by childofTethys at 4:06 AM on May 25, 2021
posted by childofTethys at 4:06 AM on May 25, 2021
I always think that George Harrison's "Dream Away" has some sort of actual chorus, like, with words, but it doesn't.
Oh ry in eye ay, oh ry in eye ay
Oh ry in ah key, ooh lay
Ka lay ooh lau ee, oh ry in eye ay
Sal you te lee ay vee show
posted by Western Infidels at 8:09 AM on May 26, 2021
Oh ry in eye ay, oh ry in eye ay
Oh ry in ah key, ooh lay
Ka lay ooh lau ee, oh ry in eye ay
Sal you te lee ay vee show
posted by Western Infidels at 8:09 AM on May 26, 2021
Mona by the Rolling Stones?
(Written by Bo Diddley & covered by many other bands too.)
posted by Paul Slade at 10:45 AM on May 26, 2021
(Written by Bo Diddley & covered by many other bands too.)
posted by Paul Slade at 10:45 AM on May 26, 2021
Deanna by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds?
posted by Omission at 7:07 AM on May 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Omission at 7:07 AM on May 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
Could we get an update on this?
posted by yellowcandy at 9:40 PM on June 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by yellowcandy at 9:40 PM on June 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Hi yellowcandy! I've listened to every single suggestion here and unfortunately haven't heard The Song yet. Either it's just that obscure -- which I doubt -- or my memory and/or description are faulty -- which increasingly seems likely to me.
I can still "hear" that little musical phrase pretty well in my mind, but it is also possible I've corrupted it beyond recognition by thinking about it so much. It is odd that I can't remember much else about the song.
I *think* I last heard it a year or two ago while watching something on YouTube or Vimeo, rather than on the radio. I'm also pretty sure that wasn't the first time I had heard it. I remember hearing it as a background to some dramatic scene -- music video, trailer, short film -- thinking "that's cool, I've heard that before; I should find that song," which I think I did. I sort of remember being disappointed by the rest of the song, and thinking it didn't match the cool dramatic aLONna! phrase. Which is maybe why it didn't make more of an impression at the time, and why today I can't remember the title or any of the lyrics.
Of all the songs listed here, the ones that ping my radar the loudest are "Adiemus" and this part of Baiana as far as similarity to the "aLONna!" sound. And "Life in a Northern Town" and "Rhiannon" *might* have a similar mood.
Anyway, that's all I've got. Thanks everyone for trying to help. Apologies for the fruitless search.
posted by Trespassers William at 2:40 PM on June 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
I can still "hear" that little musical phrase pretty well in my mind, but it is also possible I've corrupted it beyond recognition by thinking about it so much. It is odd that I can't remember much else about the song.
I *think* I last heard it a year or two ago while watching something on YouTube or Vimeo, rather than on the radio. I'm also pretty sure that wasn't the first time I had heard it. I remember hearing it as a background to some dramatic scene -- music video, trailer, short film -- thinking "that's cool, I've heard that before; I should find that song," which I think I did. I sort of remember being disappointed by the rest of the song, and thinking it didn't match the cool dramatic aLONna! phrase. Which is maybe why it didn't make more of an impression at the time, and why today I can't remember the title or any of the lyrics.
Of all the songs listed here, the ones that ping my radar the loudest are "Adiemus" and this part of Baiana as far as similarity to the "aLONna!" sound. And "Life in a Northern Town" and "Rhiannon" *might* have a similar mood.
Anyway, that's all I've got. Thanks everyone for trying to help. Apologies for the fruitless search.
posted by Trespassers William at 2:40 PM on June 27, 2021 [1 favorite]
Alonna + Adiemus + 80s/90s + not obscure made me think of "Only If" by Enya, but it's kinda upbeat...
> as a background to some dramatic scene
"O Fortuna" is the usual suspect for this, but it doesn't sound African-chorus-y...Something else from Carmina Burana, perhaps a cover in a different style?
Argh, I want to know the song!
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 5:04 AM on June 29, 2021
> as a background to some dramatic scene
"O Fortuna" is the usual suspect for this, but it doesn't sound African-chorus-y...Something else from Carmina Burana, perhaps a cover in a different style?
Argh, I want to know the song!
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 5:04 AM on June 29, 2021
Is it “Gimme Hope Joanna” by Eddy Grant? African sound, women’s name, chant-y chorus?
posted by Concordia at 7:34 AM on July 14, 2021
posted by Concordia at 7:34 AM on July 14, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by FencingGal at 12:28 PM on May 24, 2021