In recent years, YouTube decided I had an interest in “lost media.” Famous examples of lost media include the episodes of Doctor Who that were not saved by the BBC. Over the years, many episodes have been recovered as copies were found in personal collections or at overseas TV stations. Perhaps my interest in Doctor Who is what led YouTube to decide I was interested in lost media.

In recent years, a video called “the most mysterious song on the internet” caught my attention. I do not remember which video I first watched, but today there are hundreds of copycat videos that regurgitate the same information over and over. Basically, there is a recording of part of a song with lyrics folks think are singing “Like the Wind.” Music identification services like Shazam cannot match the song, so for years folks have been trying to figure out where the song came from.

Wikipedia entry: The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet – Wikipedia

Another example is a song being called “Everyone Knows That” which is an 80s pop sounding song that most thought was a female singer, but today many are thinking it was actually a male. This song, also, has yet to be identified.

Wikipedia entry: Everyone Knows That (Ulterior Motives) – Wikipedia

I wanted to share an example of something that would 100% be considered “lost media” if someone shared a clip today: Y99.

I don’t actually know if that was the name of the song, but I seem to recall it actually singing that — and that would have been a clue to help locate the song. Back in the 1980s, a local radio station in East Texas held “battle of the band” contests. This was before I moved there (Y99 the radio station no longer existed, becoming 99.3 KUEZ which was easy listening then, later, oldies). A winner of the contest got some recording studio time, and a number of vinyl single records were produced of their song.

A guitar player I knew had one of these singles, and he played it for us. This song was also played on the radio as part of the contest prize. Beyond anyone hearing it on that one small East Texas radio station, or owning one of a handful of single copies, the song basically does not exist. If the band did not make it big and bring that song with them, the story of “Y99” would have ended there. (Though, I think folks would have figured out Y99 was a radio station.)

And this was in deep East Texas. Similar contests with recording studio prizes likely happened more often in larger markets, especially back in the day when “battle of the bands” was a more common concept.

“Like The Wind” could has been such a song, and someone recorded it when it played on their local radio station. Just being on radio doesn’t mean it was some big artist backed by a major record label. (Indeed, I have had dozens of things I have made played on local radio stations–usually parody or comedy songs–and those existed nowhere else except there, and on my hard drive.)

“Everyone Knows That” is suspected of being recorded from TV, which makes a “battle of the bands” concept a bit less likely but still possible. Over the years, one-time performances of various songs have appeared on TV for talent shows, fundraisers, etc. so I really have no thoughts on that one.

And of course, anyone who has ever worked in radio probably remembers all the “music libraries” stations would license for use in commercials. Some are just music, and others have vocals–usually with an option to sing at the start and end with music in the middle to talk over (a “donut”), or some combination of that.

Few ever owned any of these records/tapes/discs beyond radio stations. I could pull a track from my “Instant Access Music” collection that I bet no one could find.

Just some thoughts.

I hope one day they find these (and other) similar songs.