# Famous riffs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208 "2016-03-16T20:16:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/81 "2016-03-18T22:22:58Z")
When all hell breaks loose: [Carmina Burana - O Fortuna](https://youtu.be/GD3VsesSBsw?t=164) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/82 "2016-03-19T00:45:56Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > You accidentally posted the Wikipedia entry twice. Here is a [live performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2LJ1i7222c). [I prefer Liberace’s version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANaL80AsKVM). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/83 "2016-03-19T17:55:46Z")
When things get dreadful and despairing and sad, [Lux Aeterna](https://youtu.be/bbS-Zhz31CA?t=1m28s). And when things get insane and the Nazgul are about to rip your guts out, [Lux Aeterna](https://youtu.be/pAptWeZfrUE?t=45s). ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/84 "2016-03-19T20:21:12Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > When things get dreadful and despairing and sad, [Lux Aeterna](https://youtu.be/bbS-Zhz31CA?t=1m28s). > > And when things get insane and the Nazgul are about to rip your guts out, [Lux Aeterna](https://youtu.be/pAptWeZfrUE?t=45s). HOLY CRAP I’ve always wondered where that theme came from. Thank you!!! ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/85 "2016-03-21T03:11:15Z")
This might be of interest to some of you [79 Instrumental songs everyone knows](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzOh9cTbX60), but no one knows the name of (TV Show & Advertising Music) It has many of the “riffs” posted here. And it has sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/86 "2016-03-21T05:43:41Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > There’s one I’d like to know the title of… > It’s played as background music when cats appear in old movies… > Da-da-da da-DA-da– > Meow! Meow! [Me-ow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVXLubZdSIE)? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/87 "2016-03-22T00:55:32Z")
[“Me-ow” in a 1931 Betty Boop cartoon.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-4PgSfXCgg&t=5m46s) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/88 "2016-03-22T03:30:47Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [“Me-ow” in a 1931 Betty Boop cartoon.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-4PgSfXCgg&t=5m46s) I wonder how common vacuum cleaners were in 1931? I wonder if most people would get the joke? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/89 "2016-03-22T05:32:08Z")
That’s it, all right. 🙂 Our cat Archie, who controlled the neighborhood in the mid to late 60s, was so afraid of the vacuum cleaner that if we brought a part of the tubing near him he would back up and swat at it. ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/90 "2016-03-23T09:30:37Z")
Need to steal a dusky senorita from some bandidos or get beaten up by some muleteers? [Malaguena](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgREn75f7-s) is the tune for you! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/91 "2016-03-23T10:47:33Z")
> [@Jaguars](#): > > Need to steal a dusky senorita from some bandidos or get beaten up by some muleteers? > [Malaguena](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgREn75f7-s) is the tune for you! I would have gone with [El Jarabe Tapatio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Rqdgna3Yw) for all things south of the border. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/92 "2016-03-23T13:13:33Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I would have gone with [El Jarabe Tapatio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Rqdgna3Yw) for all things south of the border. Or [Cielito Lindo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5RC3BJ2PMo). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/93 "2016-03-23T13:38:07Z")
Oh yeah, and when they don’t do generic steel guitar music to say, “Hawaii”, they play the [Hawaiian War Chant](https://youtu.be/aTU7nahUw20?t=32s). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/94 "2016-03-23T14:57:45Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Oh yeah, and when they don’t do generic steel guitar music to say, “Hawaii”, they play the [Hawaiian War Chant](https://youtu.be/aTU7nahUw20?t=32s). This is a bit off-topic (certainly not a “riff” as such) but something about HWC made me think of one of the most spine-tingling pieces of music I have ever heard. From the looks of the counts on the page – 384 views in a year’s time – few others feel that way, but on the outside chance others here may share my tastes for this sort of thing, I suggest you spend the 7 minutes to get involved in [Grand Canyon Sunrise.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKWF3xVfCjc&list=PLScqU9pyhK2Ct6mjjR5iW2YqWzYXLNTxr) Don’t start it unless you have a few minutes to get into it. Wait for the organ to kick in – at around 2:11. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208/95 "2016-03-24T12:32:49Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Also [The Funky Drummer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funky_Drummer) > > My favourite use of it being [Fool’s Gold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSD11dnphg0). For these sort of breaks the website “Who Sampled” is amazing. For example, for the Amen Break and Funky Drummer: [http://www.whosampled.com/The-Winstons/Amen,-Brother/](http://www.whosampled.com/The-Winstons/Amen,-Brother/) [http://www.whosampled.com/James-Brown/Funky-Drummer/](http://www.whosampled.com/James-Brown/Funky-Drummer/) Although I am sorry to say that Fool’s Gold doesn’t use the Funky Drummer break, instead it is the also extremely popular (and similar) Hot Pants: [http://www.whosampled.com/sample/57319/The-Stone-Roses-Fools-Gold-Bobby-Byrd-Hot-Pants-(Bonus-Beats)/](http://www.whosampled.com/sample/57319/The-Stone-Roses-Fools-Gold-Bobby-Byrd-Hot-Pants-(Bonus-Beats)/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-riffs/749208.md?page=4)