# Identify well-known on hold song maybe from TV show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, music\ **Created:** [October 1, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971 "2023-10-01T23:36:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/1 "2023-10-01T23:36:51Z")
I keep coming across this well-known song when I’m waiting on hold on the phone. I think it may have been used as the theme song on a '90s TV show, but I can’t remember which one. Which is it then? > **[On hold song](https://onlinesequencer.net/3623522)** > > OnlineSequencer.net is an online music sequencer. Make tunes in your browser and share them with friends! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/2 "2023-10-01T23:50:37Z")
That, my friend, is Bruce Hornsby’s, “The Way It Is,” probably a snide commentary directed at anyone pissed at being on hold. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/3 "2023-10-01T23:53:14Z")
Nice! I was headed that direction. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/4 "2023-10-02T00:02:50Z")
That’s the one. While I was aware there’s a vocal version, I’m more familiar with it in instrumental form as on hold music, such as: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/A2WvLGEwG3U/maxresdefault.jpg "BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE . THE WAY IT IS [INSTRUMENTAL]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2WvLGEwG3U) Wikipedia says it was used as the theme tune for a BBC medical TV show, which maybe what I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/5 "2023-10-02T00:06:56Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Nice! I was headed that direction. “Your call is important to us”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/6 "2023-10-02T00:13:34Z")
The first thing that popped into my mind is Greendale’s new school song. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TRH36raGq70/maxresdefault.jpg "Pierce's New School Song | Community") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRH36raGq70&t=26) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/7 "2023-10-02T00:14:56Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Wikipedia says it was used as the theme tune for a BBC medical TV show, which maybe what I was thinking of. City Hosptial [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i1HOr7lScQE/hqdefault.jpg "City Hospital") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1HOr7lScQE) ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/8 "2023-10-02T00:21:17Z")
Yep, that’s the one. It would’ve worked well as a theme song for a TV show like L.A. Law or ER, but the song’s probably too well-known in its own right. It has that vibe, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/9 "2023-10-02T00:58:36Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > “Your call is important to us”. “Ah, but don’t you believe them.” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/10 "2023-10-02T20:51:26Z")
Stand in line, marking time, Waiting for operator’s line, 'Cause they can’t take the call. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-well-known-on-hold-song-maybe-from-tv-show/990971/11 "2023-10-02T20:55:56Z")
Well, they put you on hold in '64 Asked you to wait just a little more