For weeks now I have been trying to remember this one song. Fellow '80s-buff Ben understood the line I warbled but he too couldn't think of it, nor have we been able to find it online anywhere. The lines I can remember: "Voioioioices, I hear voices...." and something about "look straight ahead" rhymed with "the voice instead." Its tune is one of those trying to be deep and meaningful but still with a synthesizer ones. 1984-1986, probably; around the time of Icicle Works' one-hit-wonderness "Whisper to a Scream." Any ideas?

Thank you, Beth, for providing this public service to keep me sane.

-- Anonymous, July 03, 2000

Answers

At first I thought it was 'The Voice' by Ultravox - very 80's, very earnest, very cheesy. But that couldn't be it, as the lyrics didn't match. So I did a song search at ubl.com, but no dice. Therefore a little more information would be helpful - like was the singer a man or a woman? Was it a big hit or not? Right now it rings no bells whatsoever.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2000

The singer is male. I don't know how big it or its band was: the song got played on AOL (album-oriented radio) (specifically WHCN out of New Haven, CT); I didn't listen to top-40 stations and I don't know where this song might have wound up. I know I'm not giving a lot of information, but that's 'cause I don't remember much else. It's just that one line replaying in my head. The top-40 thing makes me think I could check Billboard's archives, if they do archive their lists.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

I think I have it. It's Russ Ballard (from 1984).

The lyrics are here.

And here's more info on Russ Ballard.

Do I win anything?

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

Oh, I'm embarassed to admit this. The song's called "Voices" (could you've guessed?) and it's by Russ Ballard. It's on a self titled LP from 1984.

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
The thing is that the name Russ Ballard means *nothing* to me-- but that's the song all right!

Um, you win my gratitude? A batch of chocolate chip cookies? A card from Blue Mountain?

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2000