# "Eastern" Music ID Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 14, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890 "2002-07-14T06:08:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890/1 "2002-07-14T06:08:05Z")

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There’s a cliched piece of music used whenever one wants to give something the feel of the Middle East. The one time I can remember it being used (but I’ve heard it used in other places) is in a Bugs Bunny cartoon where he dresses up like a snake charmer and plays it on a recorder to send an electric razor after Elmer Fudd. Anybody know the origin of this music? I know that there was a classical composer that Carl Stalling used to quote from, but I don’t know if this is the source or not. (And I can’t remember the guy’s name.)

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**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890/2 "2002-07-14T14:04:01Z")

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Well, the cartoon you’re referencing is the Chuck Jones classic _Rabbit of Seville_. The music from the sequence you mention has been known variously as _Snake Charmer_, _Snake Dance_, etc. As far as I’ve been able to tell, the composer/origin of the song is unknown. People have suggested it may be traditional or a steal from some forgotten composer but nobody seems to know for sure. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable than I will have some further info.

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**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890/3 "2002-07-14T15:05:00Z")

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You mean “There’s a place in France, where the ladies wear no pants”?

I think that’s the tune Little Egypt used to do her strip-tease to at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

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**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890/4 "2002-07-14T15:14:49Z")

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I just did some googling and found [this.](http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles3/streets-of-cairo.htm)

Hope it helps!

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**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eastern-music-id-question/118890/5 "2002-07-14T15:14:49Z")

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I just did some googling and found [this.](http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles3/streets-of-cairo.htm)

Hope it helps!