# Fiendishly hard song id (last ten years or so) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517 "2012-04-12T00:48:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 12, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/1 "2012-04-12T00:48:22Z")
I don’t know any of the words, only that it has some background music that sounds like a combination of carnival/circus music and early 1980s video games. It’s probably five years old, and maybe even 10. Possibly a little older, but it’s most definitely not “Tears of a Clown” or “Goodbye, Cruel World.” ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/2 "2012-04-12T00:52:31Z")
The word you want is hurdy gurdy music. Could it be something off this album: > **[The Crane Wife](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crane_Wife)** > > The Crane Wife is the fourth album by the Decemberists, released in 2006. It was produced by Tucker Martine and Chris Walla, and is the band's first album on the Capitol Records label. The album was inspired by a Japanese folk tale, and centers on two song cycles, The Crane Wife and The Island, the latter inspired by William Shakespeare's The Tempest. National Public Radio listeners voted The Crane Wife the best album of 2006. > The album cover was designed by the Portland artist Carson Ellis, C... ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/3 "2012-04-12T01:01:18Z")
Sea Wolf “[Winter Windows](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GcQQFdUvmw)”? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/4 "2012-04-12T01:07:01Z")
I was going to guess something by the Fiery Furnaces, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/5 "2012-04-12T01:08:53Z")
Sounds like ‘Carousel’ by Mr Bungle. I’d be amazed if it was though. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/6 "2012-04-12T01:15:41Z")
Male singer? Female singer? Did you hear it on the radio? If a movie or on TV? I’m sure there’s a **little** more leads you can provide… ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/7 "2012-04-12T01:48:59Z")
some idea of genre would maybe help as well ---
**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 12, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/8 "2012-04-12T02:09:31Z")
Male singer, I think. I first heard this on piped-in music in “Outback.” Then, I heard it tonight in traffic. Someone near my was playing it in his vehicle. (Nothing in the above list was a hit, but thanks for the responses.) ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/9 "2012-04-12T02:12:26Z")
I have no idea about the song, but want to give a shout out for the application [Shazam](http://www.shazam.com/). It probably wouldn’t have helped in the OP’s situation, but sometimes you hear a song on a commercial or something and it works! ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/10 "2012-04-12T03:10:41Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I first heard this on piped-in music in “Outback.” I’m gonna say that it wasn’t Mr. Bungle then. Although that would be hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/11 "2012-04-12T03:26:28Z")
So, was the carnival/circus music only during the intro, or throughout the song? ---
**Author:** ![Lottie\_D\_Urberville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@Lottie\_D\_Urberville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lottie_D_Urberville)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/12 "2012-04-12T03:29:45Z")
Long shot… but maybe Running by No Doubt [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H2l9Lo-jPk&ob=av2e](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H2l9Lo-jPk&ob=av2e) The beginning is kind of video-gamey and it came out in 2003ish ---
**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 12, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/13 "2012-04-12T14:10:34Z")
I’ve never heard the whole song, so I don’t know whether or not it occurs throughout. What always got my attention is a five-seconds or so interlude that is just the circus music–and by that time, half the song is over. I think it does occur thru at least some of the vocals though, although at a lower level. I might have to hum it and post a video. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/14 "2012-04-12T14:21:54Z")
Any lyrics? Even a couple of words would help a lot. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/15 "2012-04-12T18:39:03Z")
Unlikely, but how about Blood, Sweat and Tears - “Spinning Wheel” ? David Clayton-Thomas could belt it out. Edit: Missed the age of the song your looking for. Have a listen anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/16 "2012-04-12T18:44:42Z")
KISS’ [‘Psycho Circus’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdmjlwbQN8Y) ? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/17 "2012-04-12T19:12:28Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > I’m gonna say that it wasn’t Mr. Bungle then. Although that would be hilarious. Knick knack paddywhack, and give your dingo a bone. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/18 "2012-04-12T19:21:31Z")
A long shot since the song is much older than what you described … The Millionaire Waltz by Queen? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yh7hwAo8L68/hqdefault.jpg "Queen- The Millionaire Waltz") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh7hwAo8L68) ---
**Author:** ![Cabot\_Covian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@Cabot\_Covian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabot_Covian)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/19 "2012-04-12T22:32:50Z")
Fireflies by Owl City? ---
**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:** [April 14, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517/20 "2012-04-14T03:51:18Z")
I did a search to see if any recentish songs use the calliope and found this song by Vernian Process. It would certainly catch my attention if they played this at Outback! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qsRh83BXvOE/hqdefault.jpg "Vernian Process - Something Wicked (That Way Went)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsRh83BXvOE) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-hard-song-id-last-ten-years-or-so/618517.md?page=2)