# How well known is the title "Also sprach Zarathustra" to the general population? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454 "2018-12-02T19:35:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/21 "2018-12-03T00:48:03Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > that’s most famously used in _2001: A Space Odyssey?_ [Or Elvis](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&q=Also+sprach+Zarathustra+elvis&oq=Also+sprach+Zarathustra+elvis&aqs=heirloom-srp..). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/22 "2018-12-03T01:55:37Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Ahhh…TY! I looked up it up and remembered it being called sets. I’ve never heard the proper name. Do you know if they still teach this in school? I’ve used it to illustrate some examples with younger people and they had no clue what I was talking about. > **[Memebase - venn diagrams - venn diagrams](https://memebase.cheezburger.com/tag/venn-diagrams)** > > Funny memes that "GET IT" and want you to too. Get the latest funniest memes and keep up what is going on in the meme-o-sphere. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/23 "2018-12-03T04:55:45Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I’m writing a story in which a character says he hums this at one point. Do you think it’s likely most readers would recognize that I meant the tune “Dun…dun…dun…DUN DUN” that’s most famously used in \*2001: A Space Odyssey? \* The story is intended for adults, in a professional magazine. Not one person in a hundred knows the actual title of that tune. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/24 "2018-12-03T14:46:47Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Ahhh…TY! I looked up it up and remembered it being called sets. I’ve never heard the proper name. Do you know if they still teach this in school? I’ve used it to illustrate some examples with younger people and they had no clue what I was talking about. Sets are the groups of items within any of the circles. No idea whether they’re still taught in pre-college levels; I know that a lot of the set theory I had to swallow without any decent explanation (the part about Rings and Groups and the properties of addition and multiplication) is not taught in primary education in Spain, right now. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/25 "2018-12-03T15:07:20Z")
I’m surprised that no one remembers Elvis. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MK0x6U1aPuk/hqdefault.jpg "Elvis Also sprach Zarathustra/See See Rider Special Edition") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0x6U1aPuk) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/26 "2018-12-03T15:16:35Z")
People might have known the title 40 years ago, as there was an adaption by Deodato that was released that made it onto the charts. I don't think people would read the title and know the composition today, though. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/27 "2018-12-03T16:06:54Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > What’s _The Lone Ranger?_ Whippersnapper! Get off my lawn!! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/28 "2018-12-03T16:18:16Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Sets are the groups of items within any of the circles. No idea whether they’re still taught in pre-college levels; I know that a lot of the set theory I had to swallow without any decent explanation (the part about Rings and Groups and the properties of addition and multiplication) is not taught in primary education in Spain, right now. The “part about Rings and Groups and the properties of addition and multiplication” is abstract algebra, not set theory _per se_. AFAIK, very few students in the U.S. would be exposed to that before college, and probably not even then unless they took a lot of math. Students might learn some basic set theory (union, intersection, subsets, Venn diagrams) in primary or secondary school; I don’t know whether it’s a standard part of the curriculum these days or not. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/29 "2018-12-03T16:20:40Z")
The thread title automatically made me think of _2001_, so I guess I’m one of the 1% on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/30 "2018-12-03T21:28:52Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > People might have known the title 40 years ago, as there was an adaption by Deodato that was released that made it onto the charts. And used masterfully in the movie \*Being There. \* ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/31 "2018-12-03T21:35:41Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The “part about Rings and Groups and the properties of addition and multiplication” is abstract algebra, not set theory _per se_. AFAIK, very few students in the U.S. would be exposed to that before college, and probably not even then unless they took a lot of math. > > Students might learn some basic set theory (union, intersection, subsets, Venn diagrams) in primary or secondary school; I don’t know whether it’s a standard part of the curriculum these days or not. Ahh…the terms in the second sentence, except Venn diagrams, are all familiar from my grade school days. Way easier than trying to figure out X. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/32 "2018-12-03T23:47:16Z")
I don’t think I actually knew the title until I was an adult, and well after a couple year professional classical musician stint. So I’d say the _title_ is not well know to the general public. Many more people will recognize the tune. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/33 "2018-12-04T02:01:41Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I’m writing a story in which a character says he hums this at one point. Do you think it’s likely most readers would recognize that I meant the tune “Dun…dun…dun…DUN DUN” that’s most famously used in \*2001: A Space Odyssey? \* The story is intended for adults, in a professional magazine. Thnk Theme from Jaws as you’re reading the above.😃 ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/34 "2018-12-04T02:19:54Z")
Having posted the above, it dawned on me that I think the only way the line would possibly work is if the piece was set around the events / pop culture / memories of 1968. That would place the reader’s mindset to that time. If the piece takes place in the 70’s, Jaws or Star Wars might come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/35 "2018-12-04T13:58:26Z")
Note: _Also Sprach Zarathustra_ was **not** used in _2001: A Space Odyssey_. The song used as [stated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Also_sprach_Zarathustra_(Strauss)#Notes) in the closing credits is _Thus Spoke Zarathustra_. OTOH, it’s listed on the official soundtrack albums as _Thus Spake Zarathustra_. Put that in your Venn Diagram. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/36 "2018-12-04T14:11:24Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > And used masterfully in the movie \*Being There. > \* And used shittily in a million commercial right after 2001: the music wells up, and some product slowly revolves into view under a harsh light- dumm dumm Da DUMM! I got as sick of it as I did (and still am) that high pitched chanting shit of late. Can’t think of the name, and don’t really care. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/37 "2018-12-04T16:41:10Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > As for me, a big 2001 fan, I hum Atmospheres. If someone was walking down the street towards me humming _Atmospheres_ I would hightail it to the other side of the street… ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/38 "2018-12-04T17:15:30Z")
Virtually no one will get it. If using that tune is important just dumb it way the hell down and say he hums the opening theme to 2001. If it is the character slyly referencing the actual year and he hums that, so you want the readers to take a step to get his joke? I would go another way. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/39 "2018-12-04T17:38:22Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > People might have known the title 40 years ago, as there was an adaption by Deodato that was released that made it onto the charts. > > I don't think people would read the title and know the composition today, though. It was a huge hit, #2 in the US in 1973. DJs on AM radio were pronouncing that title all the time. Could this be how it gained currency? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454/40 "2018-12-04T17:42:33Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > If someone was walking down the street towards me humming _Atmospheres_ I would hightail it to the other side of the street… Excellent. That’s why I’ve never been mugged. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-the-title-also-sprach-zarathustra-to-the-general-population/825454.md?page=3)