# Actual Names of Some Well-Known 'Cliché' Songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178 "2014-04-02T16:31:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/21 "2014-04-02T19:36:59Z")
Nah, that’s _duh-nuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh duh-nuh duh-nuh dun-uh dun-uhhhhhhh_ (etc.) 🙂 I think he means the one where the first four "dun"s are ascending tones and the last ones descend back down the scale (but more quickly). ETA: and the first and fourth “dun” are an octave apart, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/22 "2014-04-02T19:46:08Z")
And I’ll add Boccherini’s String Quintet in E, Op. 11 No. 5, which you’ll surely recognize as the snobby violin music from many movies & TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/23 "2014-04-02T19:49:07Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > “Waking up to a beautiful, sunny morning,” or, “Running through a lovely meadow,” music is from Rossini’s “[William Tell Overture](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoBE69wdSkQ).” It’s called, “The Call to the Cows,” and it’s at 6:10. The last time I heard it was in a Hershey bar commercial as the ants at a picnic are making off with HBs, and SMILING ABOUT IT! The little bastards. The piece right after this is immediately recognizable (starts at 8:45), and if you don’t yell the correct phrase when it starts, you must turn in your Little Orphan Annie Decoder Pin at once. Also, Edvard Grieg’s [Morning Mood](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEzh3MwILY&feature=kp) from his _Peer Gynt_ is a stereotypical “morning song”. Speaking of Peer Gynt, if you were a big gamer in the 1990’s you might recognize the [Death of Ase](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aKxf1h5r4g). _Descent_, level 8 level music ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/24 "2014-04-02T19:52:27Z")
Also, another videogame tune that wasn’t originally a videogame tune is Nikolay Nekrasov’s Korobeiniki. Tetris ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/25 "2014-04-02T19:53:48Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Nah, that’s _duh-nuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh duh-nuh duh-nuh dun-uh dun-uhhhhhhh_ (etc.) 🙂 > > I think he means the one where the first four "dun"s are ascending tones and the last ones descend back down the scale (but more quickly). > > ETA: and the first and fourth “dun” are an octave apart, if that helps. Ah, it’s either Mysterioso Pizzicato or Mysterioso Burglar Music 1. There’s conflicting [info](http://soundandthefoley.com/2013/04/04/villains-theme/). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/26 "2014-04-02T19:59:07Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Does anyone know the origin of the “stealth” theme (dun…dun…dun…dun… duuuhhhhhhhh, dun-dun-dun-dun)? Certainly one of the most widely used examples of the OP’s quest. [Here’s](http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l269/hosmackah/unknown2/) an example of the “sneaky/villain” music. Spanky is playing the bad guy. Also listen for the familiar tear-inducing “Hearts and Flowers” at the end of this snippet. Anyway, this tune has come up before, and someone in an earlier thread found it in a directory of ‘stock silent movie music.’ I don’t think the source gave it a title. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/27 "2014-04-02T19:59:20Z")
Another tune widely used in cartoons, especially those set in the West or in the country: “The Arkansas Traveller” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/I0aK61MrTyY/hqdefault.jpg "Arkansas Traveler") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0aK61MrTyY) ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/28 "2014-04-02T20:04:33Z")
[Stock magic or dreamland music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33R3woDeFs) [For all your 50s era PSA needs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELDqIyrtNA) [Is it…could it be…? Yes, oh rapture, it’s my true love!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHvnMi9_9mM) ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/29 "2014-04-02T20:04:38Z")
One of the most stereotypical Highland bagpipe tunes is, in fact, Amazing Grace - the same tune you might sing in church. Scotty played it on the pipes in one of the Star Trek movies, iirc. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/30 "2014-04-02T20:05:55Z")
Also, Edvard Grieg’s [Morning Mood](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEzh3MwILY&feature=kp) from his _Peer Gynt_ is a stereotypical “morning song”. Funny, it sounded like an Olive Garden commercial to me. 😃 Thanks for the name of the tune. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/31 "2014-04-02T20:08:36Z")
Whenever there’s a conga line in a cartoon, you’ll hear “Ahí, Viene La Conga,” written by Raúl Valdespí and popularized by Xavier Cugat. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Okoh5HN1mo/hqdefault.jpg "Original Bugs Bunny conga line") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Okoh5HN1mo) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/32 "2014-04-02T20:09:41Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > One of the most stereotypical Highland bagpipe tunes is, in fact, Amazing Grace - the same tune you might sing in church. Scotty played it on the pipes in one of the Star Trek movies, iirc. Also used widely: “The Campbells Are Coming” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HmxQi1RSg_0/hqdefault.jpg "The Campbells Are Coming") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmxQi1RSg_0) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/33 "2014-04-02T20:15:36Z")
In sea-related cartoons, you often heard “The Song of the Marines.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cAm-bzk63OI/hqdefault.jpg "Song of the Marines 1937 - 2929") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAm-bzk63OI) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/34 "2014-04-02T20:18:00Z")
The actual title of “L’amour” from _Carmen_ is [“Habanera.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjOrOt6wFw) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/35 "2014-04-02T20:19:42Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > The actual title of “L’amour” from _Carmen_ is [“Habanera.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjOrOt6wFw) You mean it’s not “I Ask To Be, Or Not To Be?” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/36 "2014-04-02T20:21:22Z")
Oh, and the one bagpipe piece everyone has heard is called [“Scotland the Brave.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSH0eRKq1lE) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/37 "2014-04-02T20:24:29Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > You mean it’s not “I Ask To Be, Or Not To Be?” I was once at a party where practically everyone had an advanced degree, and the youngest people were at least college students, and it turned out that \*everyone \*knew all the words to all the songs from the particular production of _Hamlet_. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/38 "2014-04-02T20:34:43Z")
O Fortuna, from Carl Orff’s _Carmina Burana_, is commonly used in trailers for fantasy or period pieces, in big dramatic scenes with people riding horses and fighting in slow motion. [Like, a lot.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Orff%27s_O_Fortuna_in_popular_culture) Sorry, can’t get to YouTube at work. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/39 "2014-04-02T20:35:04Z")
I’m racking my brain trying to remember that stereotypical spooky organ music. The one that opens with a long held chord, then a series of quick, mostly rising ones. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178/40 "2014-04-02T20:38:17Z")
[Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzR9bhei_o) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actual-names-of-some-well-known-cliche-songs/685178.md?page=3)