# Help me locate/identify a Western Movie music cue **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638 "2011-06-07T17:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/1 "2011-06-07T17:46:36Z")
What I’m trying to find is something I tried to describe in > **[Your favorite sound effects as a kid!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=560333)** > > I remember regularly imitating these sound effects: \[ul\]\[li\]peerown(say it real fast) - the sound of a bullet ricochet/other fast things\[/li\]Usage - “The pit bull down the street got loose and I was like peerown.” \[li\]buuuud-unh - revving/changing... Your favorite sound effects as a kid! 04-20-2010, 09:51 AM at [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12362678&postcount=5) > [@Zeldar](#): > > There’s a little musical bit that’s almost a sound effect the way we used it. You’ve heard it countless times. It’s that “Dahnn-dahn-dahnna-Dahn” thing when the shitload of Indians appears on the cliffs above, or when the bad guy (usually another Indian) comes out from hiding with malice in his heart, or when the camera pans slowly across a desolate portion of prairie or desert or mountainside and suddenly discloses another shitload of Indians. or in > **[Villains and Theme Music](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=611231)** > > I went to a workshop last summer where an author talked to us about villains, and he said that one of the most important parts of creating a good villain is the theme music. Who is your favorite villain and what is their theme music? Alternatively,... Villains and Theme Music 06-05-2011, 05:48 AM at [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13880349&postcount=3) > [@Zeldar](#): > > Something I haven’t heard in a long time and not quite a “theme song” and not quite villains, but in many old Cowboy and Indian Westerns, whenever the Indians would threaten to do something, or would appear suddenly or things of that nature, there would be this “dahn-dahn-dahnan-dahn” ditty. I would bet there’s a YouTube clip from such a movie with that set of notes or very similar. ===================================== I have looked in some old threads for clues, but haven’t spotted anything that gets me closer. Those perhaps worth looking at include: > **[Where Did This Scream Originate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=520629)** > > Please release me from this insanity that is plaguing me trying to find the answer to this: There is a specific (obviously stock) female scream that I’ve heard for eons now in both television and movies. From a cheesy commercial quite a few years... Where Did This Scream Originate? 06-10-2009, 10:10 AM > **[What is this movie scream called?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=545352)** > > A few minutes ago I heard on a PBS radio station the end of an interview in which the two men were discussing a type of scream which is very distinctive and which movie directors and sound engineers as an inside joke try to sneak into otherwise... What is this movie scream called? 12-26-2009, 04:15 PM > **[The "Howie Scream" is far superior to the "Wilhelm"](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=531805)** > > I respectfully submit that the scream colloquially referred to as the “Howie Scream” (named for Howie Long’s scene in Broken Arrow) or "Youraaghh!"is far superior to the classic "Wilhelm". Although his is pretty funny. The “Howie Scream” is far superior to the “Wilhelm” 09-13-2009, 09:47 AM > **[Musical scores to TV and Movies: that "pulse" thing](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=559937)** > > Using David Holmes Rodney Yates theme as a starting point (heard on Ocean’s Eleven and elsewhere) – and even though this is NOT what I’m trying to describe – I’m curious about an even more one-note pulsing underscoring technique in thrillers and... Musical scores to TV and Movies: that “pulse” thing 04-16-2010, 12:11 PM ===================================== I’m hoping that it’s just that I haven’t found the reference site or Wikipedia article that provides categories of sound effects and cues and “stock music” where this little clip and others like it might be identified and their backgrounds explored. If you at least know what I’m trying to describe and have a better version of how to spell it, that might help. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/2 "2011-06-07T17:55:34Z")
[Dvorak, New World Symphony, 4th Movement.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yctfXIqugXc) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/3 "2011-06-07T18:09:50Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > [Dvorak, New World Symphony, 4th Movement.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yctfXIqugXc) Unless what you hear that you think is what I’m trying to describe is well into the piece, this isn’t close. If it is on past the beginning could you give a time mark? Thanks, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/4 "2011-06-07T19:42:59Z")
The “dahn-dahn-dahnan-dahn” theme associated with Indians in classic westerns originated there; you can hear it at 0:26 of my clip. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/5 "2011-06-07T19:59:45Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The “dahn-dahn-dahnan-dahn” theme associated with Indians in classic westerns originated there; you can hear it at 0:26 of my clip. I hear that but it’s not the one I’m after. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/6 "2011-06-07T22:48:13Z")
Can you find a scene it was in for us, or failing that try a site like Midomi? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/7 "2011-06-08T00:28:25Z")
I know what exact notes the OP means - and I confirmed it by whistling it to my wife (she whistled it back and said “sure, it’s the music they always play for Indians.”). My son says it shows up in the animated version of Peter Pan multiple times. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/8 "2011-06-08T00:31:11Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0FmHzF8c2dI/hqdefault.jpg "Disney's Tiger Lily Tribute (Peter Pan)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FmHzF8c2dI) for the win. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/9 "2011-06-08T02:28:41Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FmHzF8c2dI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FmHzF8c2dI) > > for the win. That’s very close! I believe that’s football cheer music for Florida State and maybe The Washington Redskins. There may be others that use that along with the tomahawk chop. There’s still a slightly different 5-note (the third “dahnan” is two notes) lick that’s really close to the first notes in your clip. Thanks for the link. Now others have more to go by than the “dahn-dahn-dahnan-dahn” dofunny. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/10 "2011-06-08T02:48:16Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > That’s very close! I believe that’s football cheer music for Florida State and maybe The Washington Redskins. There may be others that use that along with the tomahawk chop. > > There’s still a slightly different 5-note (the third “dahnan” is two notes) lick that’s really close to the first notes in your clip. > > Thanks for the link. Now others have more to go by than the “dahn-dahn-dahnan-dahn” dofunny. It’s not the Redskins but [Atlanta Braves](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Z-11PxYKU) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/11 "2011-06-08T02:58:12Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Can you find a scene it was in for us, or failing that try a site like Midomi? Okay. I tried Midomi but the sample I hummed was too short (5 sec or less) for the search to produce a match. I have been looking at YouTube clips from Westerns with no luck. See the posts from **Maserschmidt** and my replies. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/12 "2011-06-08T02:59:31Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-12549.html](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-12549.html) (Note that I haven’t actually listened to confirm.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/13 "2011-06-08T03:04:00Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-12549.html](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-12549.html) > > (Note that I haven’t actually listened to confirm.) Interesting old link! I suspect the sounds being alluded to are the ones in the “tomahawk chop” cheers or war cries linked to above. Not quite what I’m trying to find. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-locate-identify-a-western-movie-music-cue/584638/14 "2011-06-08T15:09:05Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Can you find a scene it was in for us, or failing that try a site like Midomi? Not the specific sounds, for sure. But these clips should help to clarify the sort of movie that would have those sounds. Gigantic cheese, exaggerated relevance, golden opportunity for scenery chewing. I have examined dozens of similar clips and have yet to hear anything like what I’m trying to locate, but at least these give a better idea of where to look than the verbiage in the OP, I hope. [WHITE FEATHER (1955) TRAILER](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBa8x49bXpA) [James Stewart - Broken Arrow (Opening Credits)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3t6sZwb81E)