# Identify that Song (Vague)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 14, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232 "2008-04-14T00:27:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/1 "2008-04-14T00:27:46Z")

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It’s an instrumental (so no lyrics for me to Google) featuring a melody on electric lead guitar. Probably from the 50’s; maybe early 60’s.

Being virtually illiterate musically, I kind of feel a fool trying to describe it. The guitarist starts off with this ridiculously high note where it sounds like he’s bending the string, then goes into this slow tempo, kinda loungey melody. Obviously I can’t hum it for you, but let me try typing this and maybe some of the rhythm will come through:

(high note, and then…)

Doooooooooow-daaa, da-da-Da-da-da-daaa…

and my memory gets kinda hazy after that point (it kinda sounds like the string is bent on the “Doooooooooow”, too. Not much to go on, I know, but it’s kind of an iconic song, so I’m hoping someone will recognize it. It’s one of the best know pop instrumentals ever, virtually anyone would probably recognize it, I just don’t know who does it.

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**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/2 "2008-04-14T00:29:34Z")

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WAG: “Sleepwalk” by Santo & Johnny?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/3 "2008-04-14T00:31:40Z")

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[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew]  
WAG: “Sleepwalk” by Santo & Johnny?  
[/QUOTE]

[That would be my guess](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAk_0N85wNk). But then, I don’t have a great track record identifying songs.

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**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/4 "2008-04-14T00:35:12Z")

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That’s it! Thanks to both of you!

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**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/5 "2008-04-14T03:13:20Z")

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You might have heard the song in _La Bamba_ (the movie about Ritchie Valens portrayed by Lou Diamond Phillips). Made me cry. Love that song.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-that-song-vague/445232/6 "2008-04-14T03:18:53Z")

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[QUOTE=Brown Eyed Girl]  
Love that song.  
[/QUOTE]

I have it on my iPod/iTunes. Got a playlist called ‘Beach Music’.