# Battle Without Honor or Humanity or What's the name of that tune? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182 "2009-10-18T00:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/41 "2009-10-19T01:12:37Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > [Edvard Grieg “Morning Mood”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAbwMGZtIsY) (that spring song) Rossini’s [William Tell Overture (2nd movement)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4PS8-_5UFw) (that other spring song) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/42 "2009-10-19T01:40:05Z")
Some movie cues, from [Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx89RcYZC5A) (about 1:30 in), [Zorba the Greek](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXNApZ2ALiQ), and [The Big Country](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQTH3a0mjR8). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/43 "2009-10-19T01:55:06Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Rossini’s [William Tell Overture (2nd movement)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4PS8-_5UFw) (that other spring song) What are these things called? Is there a term for musical shortcuts that plant specific images into a listener’s head? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/44 "2009-10-19T02:01:42Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > What are these things called? Is there a term for musical shortcuts that plant specific images into a listener’s head? “Cliches”? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/45 "2009-10-19T02:04:19Z")
“[The Good the Bad & the Ugly](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hYV-JSjpyU&feature=related)” ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/46 "2009-10-19T02:24:05Z")
The go-to ‘sad violin music’ used to be Albinoni’s [Adagio in G](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz4dpbk8YBs), although Samuel Barber’s [Adagio for Strings](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRMz8fKkG2g)[sup]\*[/sup] (made famous in _Platoon_) gives it a run for its money. Patrick Doyle’s score for Henry V has been used in a number of soundtracks & movie commercials, usually the sweeping and uplifting bit in [“The Day is Yours”](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuRPVpPyu6A). Almost every modern ‘martial theme’ used in movies or video games references Gustav Holst’s [Mars, the Bringer of War](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NeQ1h6lzLI), if it’s not just used directly. \*That recording was made Sep. 15, 2001; so the intercut scenes of the WTC do make some sense for the video. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/47 "2009-10-19T03:03:11Z")
[1812 Overture](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-vQKZFF-9s) baby. What can I say, it has real live cannons. Great piece of music. For whimsy, you can’t beat the [Pink Panther](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhHwnrlZRus) theme. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/48 "2009-10-19T03:11:11Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Don’t know how you’d measure it at this point, but if you included youtube playings, wedding dances, graduation slideshows, sporting events–this track has to be the biggest hit in the history of the world. I would need one hell of a cite that it surpasses oh let’s just take Happy Birthday for example. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/49 "2009-10-19T04:38:06Z")
Gounod’s “[Funeral March of a Marionette](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTvmPsIKydU#t=0m30s)” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/50 "2009-10-19T06:40:47Z")
Here’s some the Brits might recognise. [Accroche-Toi, Caroline](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0P9-gskYpk) [Left Bank 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcCHRW8G9yY) [Cavatina](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UB3js8v6R0) [Java](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jRB_8ovX_M) ---
**Author:** ![Eman\_Resu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Eman\_Resu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eman_Resu)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/51 "2009-10-19T21:34:12Z")
Several years back, this was in a Volkswagen commercial, in which a young man picks up his grandpa from a nursing home–[Charles Mingus’ II B.S.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIf3a9FUJj4), also known as Haitian Fight Song. I’m pretty sure the [Foxtrot](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyjxUFS7GiE) from Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No. 1 has also made it into at least a couple commercials–maybe some bank or credit card commercials? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/52 "2009-10-19T23:54:33Z")
Quoth **Captain Amazing** : > [@](#): > > And, while it’s not an instrumental, Carl Orff’s “Oh Fortuna!”, aka, Some bad shit is going down! You’ll also sometimes hear Verdi’s [Dies Irae](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1Uc-grcMs) used in the same contexts. And it has the added advantage that it really is about “some bad shit is going down”. Well, if you consider the End of the World “bad”, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/53 "2009-10-20T00:00:37Z")
Air on G String [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MYzkBiJn5Y) Popcorn [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZT4owFcD4M) Outta Space [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=podVGuZS6g8) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/54 "2009-10-20T00:05:07Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Gounod’s “[Funeral March of a Marionette](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTvmPsIKydU#t=0m30s)” This reminds me of [The Syncopated Clock.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty8S_njUj68) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/55 "2009-10-20T00:35:48Z")
“[The Typewriter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtOV6wyoww&feature=related)” ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/56 "2009-10-20T00:45:30Z")
I hear this used in commercials (BOAC used this as a theme some years ago) [The Flower Duet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qx2lMaMsl8) from Lakmé ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/57 "2009-10-20T00:54:34Z")
> [@CWN](#): > > I hear this used in commercials (BOAC used this as a theme some years ago) > [The Flower Duet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qx2lMaMsl8) from Lakmé I have that very same version on a CD called Beautiful Music (or something like that). Do you know where this version is from and who sings it? P.S. I love how the typewriter player is reading the music. Do you think that’s what he’s typing? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/58 "2009-10-20T03:32:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **Captain Amazing** :You’ll also sometimes hear Verdi’s [Dies Irae](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1Uc-grcMs) used in the same contexts. And it has the added advantage that it really is about “some bad shit is going down”. Well, if you consider the End of the World “bad”, at least. Similarly some Beethoven: [Symphony No.7 in A Major, Op. 92 II. Allegretto](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWUDnCnAUxI): used more than once, I think for impending creeping amazing doom. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/59 "2009-11-13T06:20:36Z")
[Chopin’s Funeral March](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgw_RD_1_5I), the “you’re about to die” song. [Chopin’s Minute Waltz](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWM-cQpqixU&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182/60 "2009-11-14T05:44:56Z")
I picked up a used copy of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” back in June and it hasn’t left my car’s CD case yet. A few tracks: 1. The Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Christmas is Coming” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJjA9\_Plixc&feature=PlayList&p=FE2F0DAF313BA91C&index=17](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJjA9_Plixc&feature=PlayList&p=FE2F0DAF313BA91C&index=17) 1. And of course “Linus and Lucy” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B0lTjqajPg&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B0lTjqajPg&feature=related) Peanuts kids dance! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G8XH4WDxP4&NR=1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G8XH4WDxP4&NR=1) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battle-without-honor-or-humanity-or-whats-the-name-of-that-tune/514182.md?page=2)