In the early 2000s, my Dad had a mix CD that we'd listen to every morning when he'd drive me to school.
One song in particular I always loved, and at some point I learned the whole thing on guitar.
Fast forward 20 years, and this track has randomly popped back into my head - triggered my circumstance. An unlocked memory I didn't know I had.
But here's the thing - I can't find this song anywhere.
Seriously. Googling the lyrics doesn't bring it up, I can't find the CD, and my Dad died in 2010 so he's no help either.
I've played it for a few people and no one recognizes it.
I also don't think I have all the lyrics correct, so that's a problem too (see the bottom of this post for the supposed lyrics).
After obsessing about this for days, I went into a self-destructive spiral (what I call a "Brender") and spent ten hours recreating the song in Ableton. I now have a full demo of a song I definitely did not write, but also can't find any evidence of in the universe either.
Is this a Mandela Effect type thing?
I've posted several videos about it, and you can listen to my demo here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@brendancescon/video/7420259657807138078?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7279079721150809646
https://www.tiktok.com/@brendancescon/video/7420462312152206622?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7279079721150809646
I have a few theories about why I can't find this song:
THEORY #1:
It's possible I misremember so many of the lyrics that it doesn't come up on search anywhere.
THEORY #2:
It's actually a jumbled memory - multiple songs that my head has combined.
THEORY #3:
It's actually a song me or a friend wrote that was never published online. I doubt this because I subjectively FEEL like I would remember this, but it's possible. I do know several of my friends' songs by heart to this day, with varying degrees of accuracy.
THEORY #4:
The artist was small enough that Google, ChatGPT, and YouTube are unable to find any trace of it. Maybe it's not even online anywhere. I don't recall my Dad listening to a lot of small artists, but it's possible. His mix CDs were a lot of Eagles, Van Morrison, etc... All well knowns.
THEORY #5:
Something else that I haven't thought of. I don't know.
Here's what I THINK the lyrics are:
"Well we're driving at high speed excessively
Highway one, radio up
*Pure bliss*
Remember this endless summer's kiss
While real life waits to call our bluff
It's alright
Do you know why
You're the candy in my ear
Do you know why
You're my bubblegum song
Do you know why
I'm in radio heaven
When you turn it on
*Desperate as Miami Vice*
*Caught in the light exploding*
Slipping out of style
*Love is a vinyl 45 chorus's*
*Scratches that's catchy enough to survive*
It's alright
Chorus
Stay the night listen up
*Marvin Gay*
Let em play on, Stevie Wonder get your groove on
Growing up
It's a sign
Supergroup reunion
Let's keep the state of our union
Crazy and alive
Chorus
Chorus"
A few notes on lyrical accuracy:
I've added asterixis to lines that I think could be inaccurate. The line "Pure bliss" is actually not what I remember at all. I remember it sounding like "Popalis," but after throwing that into ChatGPT and talking with my wife, we doubt that's the real lyric. The only line we could come up with that makes sense and sound similar is "Pure bliss." Well, "Powerless" is another option, but that makes less sense.
I also didn't remember him saying "Marvin Gay" in the bridge, I remember it sounding like "Mama Gay," but again, after consulting with my wife and looking at the context, "Marvin Gay" makes more sense. Also I doubt I knew who Marvin Gay was when I was a kid, so it makes sense that I would mishear this.
If you know what this song is called and who the artist is, PLEASE CONTACT ME.