# ID this relatively recent song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424 "2005-06-01T19:09:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **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:** [June 1, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/1 "2005-06-01T19:09:37Z")
Most of the music is just a violin(?). Playing three notes four times. The three notes would look sorta like a “V” if you connected them, that is the two on the ends, I believe, are the same note, but the one on the end lasts a little longer. The one in the middle is lower. Each of the three subsequent repeats plays in a consecutively lower key(?). Then the four sets of three notes repeats. This was released several years ago. I think I saw part of the video, and it’s in B/W, if that helps. Sorry I don’t have better musical terms—it’s been over three decades. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/2 "2005-06-01T20:02:04Z")
This man… He five… old played ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/3 "2005-06-01T20:03:51Z")
(oops) This…man,…he…five …old…played ---
**Author:** ![Crimmsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Crimmsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crimmsy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/4 "2005-06-01T22:45:07Z")
could it be _Bittersweet Symphony_ by The Verve that you’re thinking of? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/5 "2005-06-01T22:50:49Z")
Amazon has a [sound clip of Bittersweet Symphony](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000WF0/qid=1117666745/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-0086078-1330437?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) if you want to check. ---
**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:** [June 3, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/6 "2005-06-03T03:10:24Z")
Many thanks! That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-relatively-recent-song/306424/7 "2005-06-03T15:34:48Z")
**Earl** - there is a TON of history to that song, if you didn’t already know this. In a nutshell: The sample you cited as what you remember is taken from an “Orchestral Hits” album of Rolling Stones songs - I think that particular sample was from “The Last Time.” I can’t imagine how truly bad that original album must be. Anyway, the sample was heavily processed by the Verve and used in a completely different manner than the original bit when used for Bittersweet. Regardless, when Bittersweet became a huge hit, Andrew Loog Oldham the RS’s old manager, sued and won publishing rights to Bittersweet, claiming it was too close to the original. He then sold the rights for commercial use and the Verve donated any money they made off the song to charity in protest, then broke up. Too bad - great song.