Just Passin' By

ⓘ This lostwave is classified as solved.
Just Passin' By
A frame of the former 3 second clip, showing Asif Illyas with a guitar.
Alternative name(s)	The World Was So Easy
Artist(s)	Big Picture
Genre	Pop Rock, Folk Rock
Length	4:40
Year	1994
Status	Solved
Original poster	e-robotic
Search duration	2021 - 2024
File:Justpassinby.mp3

Just Passin' By (formerly known as "The World Was So Easy"), is a solved lostwave by Canadian pop-rock band Big Picture that was accidentally recorded over a Reddit user's baby video.

Background

On February 12th, 2021, Reddit user e-robotic posted the song to r/tipofmytongue, explaining that he was looking for a 3-second snippet of a music video that had been accidentally recorded over a video of him as a baby. He revealed that he was Canadian, born in 1993, and the only lyrics they recognized were "The world was so easy".

On the same day, Reddit user DO_FLETCHING identified the watermark seen in the snippet as coming from a TV channel called NCN (New Country Network), which existed from January 1st, 1995 to September 14th, 1996 before having its name changed to CMT. Additionally, Reddit user KIevenisms204 identified the guitar used in the video as a Parker Fly, which were first manufactured in 1993.

On March 18th, 2021, e-robotic discovered an extended version of the snippet on another recording of the same tape and posted it to r/tipofmytongue.

The search remained dormant until December 4th, 2023, when the OP uploaded the entire unedited footage of his tape recording, revealing that it also included footage of the 1996 Scott Tournament of Hearts, a women's curling championship broadcast on February 20th, 1996.

Discovery

On February 20th, 2024, Reddit user JadeLily_Starchild identified the song as belonging to the band Big Picture after contacting the bass player of the Canadian alternative rock band Sloan. On the same day, Reddit user leerosevere identified the song as "Just Passin' By" by Big Picture after discovering the complete album featuring the song in his record collection.

On February 21st, 2024, the full music video in low quality was uploaded by the band's guitarist, Asif Illyas, who has since uploaded an acoustic cover, behind the scenes footage of the music video filming and the song's recording session, as well as a video discussing the song's inspiration and composition.

Lyrics

Official Lyrics (Verse 1)

Just the other day, I was passin' you by

Thinkin' of the things that I knew were true

Just the other day was a time in my life

When I thought the song that I sang was new

And I thought, "I won't be lonely anymore!"

But oh no!

(Verse 2)

Just the other day, I was passin' you by

Looking for a change in this part of my life

I never thought the world was so easily won

Just by realizing that you've got someone

To say, "You won't be lonely anymore!"

But oh no!

(Chorus)

'Cause it would be so hard to be feeling so good

When I know that seeing you means waiting, waiting...

Waiting so long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

(Verse 3)

Just the other day, I was passin' you by

Thinkin' that the path I took was right

Always on the road that nobody'd taken

No one ever said it led back to me

But you said, "You won't be lonely anymore!"

But oh no!

(Chorus)

'Cause it would be so hard to be feeling so good

When I know that seeing you means waiting, waiting...

Waiting so long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

(Bridge)

I'd tell myself that I was wrong when I was right

I found it hard to convince myself

So I'm wondering why

I'm wondering why

I was just passin' by?

(Violin Solo)

(Chorus)

Waiting, waiting so long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

So long, so long

(Outro)

'Cause I was just passin' by

I was just passin' by

I was just passin' by

Personnel

Benjamin Fong – lead vocals

Asif Illyas – guitars, backing vocals

Christopher Church – violin

Shehab Illyas – fretless bass

Joel Allen – drums

References

• Old Leads Document