# Instantly recognized sound clips/tunes
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 28, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393 "2002-11-28T20:33:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MattK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattK)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/1 "2002-11-28T20:33:46Z")
I am preparing a sound quiz, where kids have to name tunes and melodies. I have all the usual suspects, such as Pink Panther, Top Gun, Mission Impossible etc. What else could I use, maybe some tunes from commercials? Shouldn’t be too US-centric.
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### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/2 "2002-11-28T20:42:33Z")
1812 Overture?
Dance of the ??? in Disney?
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### Author:  [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/3 "2002-11-28T20:49:39Z")
The James Bond theme?
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### Author:  [@MattK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattK)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/4 "2002-11-28T21:10:30Z")
Got the Bond theme, will check out yours Gus.
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### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/5 "2002-11-28T22:14:07Z")
The opening drums from Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life” are pretty recognizable now, at least in US commercials. I don’t know if it’s used with the same frequency in Europe.
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### Author:  [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/6 "2002-11-28T23:23:56Z")
My Dog Has Fleas.
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### Author:  [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/7 "2002-11-28T23:30:25Z")
The Merry Round Broke Down - the intro to Looney Tunes.
Guantanamera
or a gimme, Kumbaya
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### Author:  [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/8 "2002-11-29T00:04:44Z")
“Powerhouse” by Raymond Scott, although that’s not quite fair; most people recognize the tune instantly, but don’t know the name or artist.
“La Cucaracha.”
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### Author:  [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/9 "2002-11-29T02:00:19Z")
White Rabbit
Yellow Submarine
Suicide Is Painless (M_A_S\*H theme)
The Teddy Bear’s Picnic (not really, but can’t resist plugging it…)
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### Author:  [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/10 "2002-11-29T03:00:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by GusNSpot \*
> \*\*1812 Overture?
>
> Dance of the ??? in Disney? \*\*
Waltz of the Flowers, maybe? (I vaguely remember playing it on the piano a LONG time ago)
As for other instantly recognizable themes… maybe the popcorn song?
F\_X
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### Author:  [@sniglet999](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniglet999)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/11 "2002-11-29T03:08:49Z")
I bought a Pachinko Game for my wife for Christmas last year. (that wasn’t the wierd part…the wierd part was, she guessed it without shaking or opening the box. 😑 )
It’s a pretty new unit with stereo speakers and a monitor that turns into a slot machine when you hit a certain target on the playing field.
While the slot machine is turning, the machine plays (really loudly):
The Most Forgettable Tune Ever.
It took me, literally, two weeks of playing the machine to be able to hum the tune without assistance. They must have created the song intentionally for a gambling environment.
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### Author:  [@Badandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badandi)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/12 "2002-11-29T03:17:04Z")
Charlie Brown Theme
Born to Run
Brown Eyed Girl
Rhapsody in Blue
Ah… good times. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/13 "2002-11-29T03:29:18Z")
It always used to amaze me, when I played drums in dance bands, how the first two chords of _Satisfaction_ could bring an entire club to its feet, instantaneously. Very recognizable, apparently.
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### Author:  [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/14 "2002-11-29T03:59:42Z")
eye of the tiger
you are my obsession - its for a fashion program here
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### Author:  [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/15 "2002-11-29T05:01:55Z")
Since it’s been on my mind of late (see [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146808))
The opening of David Bowie’s **Ziggy Stardust** is pretty recognizable.
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### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/16 "2002-11-29T06:56:00Z")
If Seinfeld has made it over there, then any of the twangy scene-change (bass?) guitar chords should be pretty recognizable.
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### Author:  [@Latino\_Yoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latino_Yoshi)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/17 "2002-11-29T07:39:55Z")
Tainted Love
And then any Beatles fan could tell you the name of one of their songs within just a few notes.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/18 "2002-11-29T10:32:58Z")
The House of the Rising Sun
Dueling Banjos (used in three commercials now)
Strawberry Fields
Londonderry Aire
Beethoven’s Fifth
William Tell Overture
Anticipation (used in a ketchup commercial)
Sleepwalk
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### Author:  [@Toffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toffe)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/19 "2002-11-29T14:29:43Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by GusNSpot \*
> \*\*1812 Overture?
>
> Dance of the ??? in Disney? \*\*
I think it’s “Dance of the sugar-plum fairy”. Tchaikovski, The Nutcracker, I think.
Others… maybe “Sweet Home Alabama”, or Beethoven’s “Fuer Elise”?
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### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instantly-recognized-sound-clips-tunes/139393/20 "2002-11-29T17:17:51Z")
Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss
Minute Waltz by Chopin
Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov
Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel
Hallelujah Chorus by Handel
Ode to Joy by Beethoven
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