What's That Song That Goes "Da Da Da"? 6 Ways to Name It
You know the one. It goes "da da daaa, da da da da", it's been looping in your head since this morning, and you can't remember a single lyric to search for.
This has a name, by the way: an earworm. The good news is that you don't need the lyrics to find it. Here are six ways, from the fastest to the last resort.
1. Hum it (fastest)
If you can hum it, a computer can usually name it. Open SoundCatch on your phone or laptop, tap the button and hum or sing "da da da" for about 10 seconds. It matches the melody itself, so being off-key is fine.
More detail in our guides to finding a song by humming and humming on iPhone.
2. Search any lyric you remember, in quotes
Even three words help. Put them in quotes and add "lyrics": "under the same sky" lyrics. The quotes make the search engine match those exact words. If you're unsure of a word, swap it for an asterisk: "under the * sky" lyrics.
3. Think about where you heard it
- A TikTok or Reel: save the video and upload it to SoundCatch, or check the sound label and comments. See how to find a song from a TikTok.
- A TV show or film: sites like Tunefind list the songs used in each episode, scene by scene.
- An ad: search "[brand] commercial song [year]". Someone has almost always asked already.
- A video or stream on your computer: the SoundCatch Chrome extension identifies the song playing in the tab, even with headphones on.
4. Describe it to an AI chatbot
Chatbots are surprisingly good with descriptions: "an 80s song with a saxophone solo and a woman singing about rain" or "the song from that car ad with the dancing dog". Give the decade, genre, instruments, singer's voice and where you heard it. Double-check the answer by listening, because chatbots can guess confidently and wrongly.
5. Ask real people
Communities like r/tipofmytongue and r/NameThatSong on Reddit are full of people who love solving exactly this. Record yourself humming (a voice memo is fine), upload it to a site like Vocaroo, and post the link with everything you remember.
6. Wait for it to come back
Songs you remember usually come from somewhere you'll be again: a shop, a radio station, a playlist. Next time it plays, open SoundCatch, switch to Listen, and it'll name the actual recording in seconds.
Why "da da da" songs get stuck
Earworms tend to be songs with a simple, repetitive melody and a small surprise, like an unexpected jump or a held note. Your brain keeps replaying the bit it can't "finish", which is also why the melody stays while the lyrics vanish. Naming the song and listening to it all the way through is one of the most reliable ways to make an earworm go away.
FAQ
Can I find a song with no lyrics at all?
Yes. Humming or whistling the melody is enough for hum-recognition tools like SoundCatch or Google's hum to search.
What if humming doesn't find it?
Try humming the chorus for longer, then use lyrics search, the "where did I hear it" clues, or ask r/tipofmytongue.
Read more: Hum to Search Online · Find a Song From a TikTok · Shazam for Desktop
Free music tools: Vocal range test · BPM & key finder · Ringtone maker