Finding rare songs on YouTube

In the small hours of a summer night when I was in college, I heard a song play on San Francisco's famous Live 105 that seemed, at the time, one of the most profound, melodic, and catchy tunes I'd ever come across.

It was called Dancing on the Planet, and even back then--in the late 80s or early 90s--a rare track I never again heard on the radio.

For years, it was jammed in the back of my memory, always there as this incredible song that I just had to find.

Some time after the Google era kicked in, I began looking for it, finding it listed here or there on some random music site, the artist identified as Dave Storrs. But there were few clues as to how I could get a copy.

Once, I found a European site offering a compilation that included Dancing on the Planet. I tried buying it, but it didn't pan out. I also scanned various file-sharing sites and caught the occasional whiff of it. But still, the song was no more than an unimpeachable memory.

But a couple of weeks ago I had the inspiration to search for the song on YouTube. A quick, 21-character search string. Suddenly, with no fanfare, nothing to herald the conclusion of what had been at least a 15-year hunt, it popped up (see video below): the elusive song itself, accompanied by an obviously unofficial 1980s-era space-themed digital video.

Suffice it to say, it's hard to live up to the profundity of college-era memories, and Dancing on the Planet turned out to be a fun, if not great, dance track. But this sudden, unexpected end to a very long-standing personal mystery left me startled.

In the comments section, I discovered I was hardly the only one who had used YouTube to reunite themselves with Dancing on the Planet.

"Damn," wrote someone calling themselves gforcekaras. "(I) never thought I live (long) enough to hear this song again. Thank you so much for uploading this!"

In retrospect, I shouldn't have been so surprised that YouTube would prove to be the terminus for the search. In fact, after finding Dancing on the Planet, I immediately checked off another decade-plus hunt on the site as well: Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's original studio version of The Show, one of the first great rap songs.

And it turns out that YouTube, a service that was never really supposed to be about music, is many people's choice for tracking down the songs they've longed to hear for years, but couldn't find.

"Probably 15 years ago, I remember seeing The Wedding Present perform (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah) on the Conan O'Brien show," said Kevin Lien, who runs the music blog, The Sound of Indie. "I put a video tape in to try and record it, but...I missed it and have been on the lookout for it for nearly 15 years. Then all (of a) sudden, it pops up on YouTube one day."

Lien said he'd actually tried finding it on the service several times before, to no avail. But then one day, someone posted it.

"After searching for so long for that recording," Lien said, "I was thrilled to finally see it again. This four-minute piece of footage was my Moby Dick. I knew it was out there, but it had always eluded me."

For Molly Steenson, a Ph.D. student at Princeton, YouTube has provided her and her boyfriend a way to DJ at home. They can track down songs they previously had no other way to find.

"It started when I was in Bangalore, India (in) 2006," Steenson said. "My friend Udai...wanted to show me a Raj Kumar song (and YouTube) was the best way to find it. It's only increased since then. And now it's a few times a week that (her boyfriend) and I end up DJing back and forth on YouTube....It helps to find specific live performances we remember from TV shows, things that once upon a time I had on bootleg VHS."

And YouTube is also helping Steenson rediscover songs that she remembers from spending her high school years in Germany.

"It's been great fun," Steenson said, "to dig up songs I've had in my head since 1990 and that I've not heard since."

Serial song searching
For some people, tracking down missing songs is a serious pastime, since music is so important to so many and we all have those tunes we heard one time when on vacation or danced to with a certain special someone.

To Chris Taylor, a San Francisco journalist, the meeting of the Palm V and Napster, circa 2000, was a "perfect storm" for being able to easily write down the names of songs to hunt for later and then to actually try to find them.

But Taylor said one song he'd been seeking for at least eight years--5 Minutes (Uncle Eric), by Mainframe (see video below)--had eluded even his most assiduous attempts to find it.

"I had been looking on every file-sharing service in existence, from Napster on," Taylor said. "I found a 12-inch remix on BitTorrent, but like most 12-inch remixes of the day, it's a bit crap. I remember the song as being a bit spooky and surreal and time-travel-like."

Taylor said his eagerness and persistence about tracking down 5 Minutes was due to the song's quick rise and fall.

"It sank without a trace shortly after making an impression in the charts," Taylor said. "It's so funny how that happens. You hear a song on the radio every day for two weeks, then nothing at all ever. Like it went into the memory hole. It never existed."

But exist it did. And because it was one of the very few songs on the list on his Palm he couldn't find, "its mystique increased."

For Taylor, the resolution came one day when he decided to Google the song.

"Presto," he said. "The YouTube version."

Like my experience with Dancing on the Planet, though, Taylor said finally uncovering 5 Minutes was somewhat bittersweet.

"Not only is the track rarely as good as you remember," he said, "but also, you hear it on YouTube, but you can't download it to iTunes...Like, why did you post it (there) and not on LimeWire?"

But one friend I contacted for this story pointed out that there is a solution for some feeling Taylor's frustration.

He noted that one YouTube user, known as herecomesmongo79, rips old vinyl and posts the songs on YouTube along with purchasing information online. The idea is that this user is trying to promote the purchase of rare, out-of-print vinyl that would otherwise go completely unheard.

Another friend who heard that I was looking for people who had used YouTube to find rare music, asked if there wasn't some risk that by writing this article, many of the songs I identified in it would be removed, since many of them were posted by people other than the legitimate rights-holders.

In response, a YouTube spokesperson told me that, "We offer copyright holders choice as to what they want done with their videos: Whether to block, promote, or create revenue from them, in a way that is simple and straightforward. We cooperate with all copyright holders to identify and promptly remove infringing content as soon as we are notified."

Reading between the lines of that comment, my sense is that since the songs I'm writing about are all way, way below most people's radar, it's unlikely anyone is going to complain. Plus, some of the songs were posted by the record labels themselves.

Then there are the songs that still, inexplicably, haven't turned up on YouTube.

Lien, of The Sound of Indie blog, said he'd set up Google RSS feeds that automatically alert him if, for example, a song he'd been looking for turned up on YouTube.

And Steenson suggested that it's just a matter of biding one's time.

"Is there anything I'm looking for that I can't find?" Steenson said. "Some, yes: Indie bands from Minneapolis and elsewhere in Minnesota that are long forgotten. But someone will put them on YouTube, I'm sure."

Note: If you've used YouTube to find a song you'd been long searching for, please leave a comment with the name of the song and a link to it.

[jhoeforth]

Great post! I have a similar experience, although not as huge as yours.

I was looking for a song I heard from a Sprite commercial (the one where they were playing basketball and the court turned into a pool). I tried everything: Limewire, torrent and even forums but no luck. I found out that a lot of people were also looking for the song. The song is "Falling Away" by Benjamin Pacheco. It turns out that the song was never released and was only made exclusively for the commercial. After a while, I had given up looking. Then one day, I remembered the song again and tried looking it on Youtube and viola! There?s the song that keeps lingering on my mind.

[michael_j_x]

Great comment!!!! I remember looking for this song as well. I actually managed to find the 3d studio max files for the commercial (how they made the court turn into a pool) , but no luck with the song, as there were so many other songs with same or similar title. I ll listen to it now. Thanks .

Kent Duchaine/I'll be true to you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIep1DFxQTI

[terminalblue]

no reason for everyine not to watch this

Tom Lehrer - "Wernher von Braun"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTKn1aSOyOs

[paulsecic]

Try finding Mombo SantA

[eric225]

I listened to the video, as weird as that sounds, the music reminded me of DJ Taucher remix of DJ Tandu?s "Ayla" project. It is a Euro group so finding their music here in the states is hard.

Ayla ? Ayla (DJ Taucher mix full)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eue53EYpHUw

One sad thing I have noticed in lieu of song not turning up on YouTube is that some artists have had their videos taken down, "Judy and Mary" out of Japan did. I use to go on to YouTube and listen to their videos a lot, then one day they were taken down for copyright reasons. I was lucky and grabbed a copy before it went down. I had to import their music from Japan at almost $50 a CD on Amazon, and had family in Japan send me DVD?s.

Here is one not caught yet...
hitsotsu dake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqtJXdbc5_M

[kelaltieri]

that DJ Taucher song is awesome. thanks! :)

[Broward Horne]

Baxter Robertson - Silver Strand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjNWyhe6y-8

[cyberspittle]

How about this punk new wave band ... "The Suburban Lawns" from LA.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+suburban+lawns&search_type=&aq=2&oq=The+Suburban+

Bet you never heard of them

[Life_on_Mars]

Yes! I remember that song well, it reminds me of a 25 year search for another obscure LA band, Tupelo Chain Sex. When my brother was in college in Durango, a friend of his would record hours of KROQ whenever he went home for break and hand over tons of cassettes with music we'd never hear in Colorado (even at Wax Trax). One of the songs was "Everyday's a Holiday", and I couldn't find it anywhere. I've searched all of the music outlets, digital and physical since then to no avail and then forgot about. One day I watched something on YouTube (can't remember what) and one of the comments mentioned that the poster had seen this Band with Tupelo Chain Sex back in the day, Eureka! I did a search on YT, nada on the song I wanted, but plenty of more recent releases. So I Googled and found them on MySpace, and there was the song streaming on their site! And I must say that there wasn't any nostalgia tainting the remembrance of the song, it's still totally cool! Check them out at:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=362371078

As far as songs on YouTube, I did find some clips of the 80s cult classic, Dogs in Space. Still can't find a soundtrack to that movie, although I haven't looked for some time. The best clip is The Primitive Calculators doing "Pumping Ugly Muscle". It's at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWGP0ajNXA

I bought the Dogs in Space CD soundtrack on eBay a few years ago.

I just checked exactly when and what I paid for it and what it is going for now and two and a half years ago I paid half of what it it is sold for now.

[jvearley]

A song that I have not been able to find was the live KSAN version of Terry Reid's 'The River' which (in memory) is far superior to the recorded or live version that I did find. I was cool to see Terry play though!

[Bh01]

Actually even if you can't download the songs you can record them. Plug a cassette tape or mini disk recorder into the sound out of the computer and you can at least get a copy of the music before it disappears again. Not cd quality perhaps but at least you will have the song until you can find a way to buy it!

[stlhobbit]

I was astonished & thrilled when my search for Pino Donaggio?s 1963 love song "Io Che Non Vivo Sensa Te" (which reportedly sold 80 million records worldwide and popularized in English as ?You Don?t Have to Say You Love Me? by Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley) ended with a YOUTUBE B&W video clip of a 1964 performance by Donaggio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O_27c0XiFI

[cwbutler]

I've found lots of things I thought I'd lost - I can't post links from work but:

The slickee boys have 3 or 4 videos (regional surf-punk band)

Mountain's 20 minute long epic "Dream Sequence" from a show that was evidently broadcast or atleast recorded for TV (it's only 10 minutes here, so it just squeeks in).

Visqueen doing new songs

Little Feat from english TV, and a note-for-note cover of "Dixie Chicken" from a japanese band (I think they're japanese anyway)

The original marshal tucker band doing "Can't you see"

and - for a giggle - pick a song and look for covers - my favorite so far is "River Deep, Mountain High" - there must be 100 different versions of it from all over the world.

[itworker--2008]

Thank you for posting this article.
I too had a song stuck in my mind for many years Neil Young's "sample and Hold" which was a big departure from his usual sound. Your article renewed my interest once again....Just listened to it for the second time in many many many years

[itworker--2008]

BTW, if anyone is interested, which I doubt :)
The original video I saw on MTV (when they still played videos) can be seen here
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=9275129

[deborahjw36]

I was having trouble finding a recording online of Stroke 9's "Little Black Backpack" song, which I love beyond any reasonable understanding (although now I'm not sure why it was all that hard). Anyway, Google sent me to a really cute video by an rgraverson on YouTube of a bunch of girls singing it. My kids made fun of me for singing this song in the 90s; now they're making fun of me again. That's OK, guys. Just don't expect to get your bloody black backpack back.

[istill316]

I've found several things on youtube:

1) My dad would always sing the old Post Raisin Bran commercial at breakfast, that I'd never seen. And here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGXl311mM3A

2) Dancing: I couldn't find the song "Only You" by Captain Jack, which is an excellent jive/swing song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71qDtDttI_s

3) And finally, from the cartoon Fairly Odd Parents, Chip Skylark and My Shiny Teeth and Me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNS5WJTjtRY

[inachu]

One very rare song I can't find due to I do not know the performers name but the lyrics go something like this:
Voices! I hear voices! Don't look back look straight ahead don't look back yesterdays gone.
You see theres this house. and in that house theres a room and in that room in the corner you will se a voice is there waiting for me to set it free I got the key I got the key....

Voices I hear voices!

No idea who sings it. I hear it now once every 5 years.

[karma667]

Russ Ballard - Voices:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK1D4lQMgDo

Great tune, had to find it for you.

[djjackd]

"Running Down The Enemy"?.. nope...
"Running With The Enemy"?... nope...
"Sleeping With The Enemy"?... ahhhh! There it is!
Roger Hodgson - Had A Dream (Sleeping With The Enemy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XwfXVUL7mg

Just watched the video and now have the song playing over and over in the background as I type this. Always loved the song, and Supertramp also, but never realized the two were connected until I googled him just now. Exploring some of his other songs on YouTube now. And, just as radio and Mtv drove us to the record store in the past, YouTube will now be driving me to the iTunes store to make some purchases.
Hmmm.. "Record store"... reminds me of the first record I ever bought.... and... ahhh! There it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qW0Edq1KqI

[inachu]

Other songs that are nice and you can't find in stores anymore are like Johnny Reno and the Sax maniacs with the hit song- WISH ME LUCK.

Awsome song.

[da9ve]

It's a great way to troll around for cover versions, too - search capabilities/tags/etc., are valuable!

F'rinstance (and I'm at work or I'd do the search myself and post a link), the amazing Mike Keneally doing a cover of the Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing" and playing both lead guitar lines at the same time.

[ssichler]

Off - Electrica Salsa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwXYx71A1Zo

Somehow the mind forgets how cheesy 80's synths sounded but it was great to find this song again.

[mcclurec]

Psychic TV - "Joy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTsFhKPDCuU

[mcholyg]

This article has put a huge smile on my face, because I have only recently started viewing anything on YouTube, and specifically for finding old music/videos. I don't have access to YT at work, so I just never got into using it frequently for viewing home made or commercial videos.

But I recently got a text msg from an old college roommate who asked me about a video I showed him 10 years ago, which I had taped (vhs) from MTV "Amp". It took me a minute to guess at the artist and title, but a Google search found it, sure enough, on YT.

"Kung Fu" by 187 Lockdown. Search it. The video is hysterical.

I hope YT will always be able to provide this medium for us, this kind of sharing is what makes the internet so great. Some anonymous posted it, so that other anonymous's can benefit from it. (so anti-capitalist - gasp!)