# Jazz/Big Band fans: What song is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052 "2008-11-16T23:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/1 "2008-11-16T23:50:43Z")
There’s a riff that’s been going around in my head for a few months and I’ve been trying to find out what it’s from, with no luck so far. And then, as I was watching old episodes of _Quantum Leap_ (yeah that’s right, wanna fight about it?) there it was! I was so excited to hear it I scrolled to the credits, but the song wasn’t listed, nor could I find it on imdb. So either it’s a public domain riff that’s been used many times, or it’s so short they didn’t have to get credit. In any case, if you think you might know it, check out [the clip](http://www.angelfire.com/music2/bsturiale/music.mp3) and tell me what it’s from! It’s the 7-note line that repeats three times. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/2 "2008-11-17T01:28:14Z")
I don’t know the arrangement, but it reminds me of “Lets go Band”; a cherished standard of the grade six music teacher. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/3 "2008-11-17T18:23:25Z")
Using my one bump for the Monday crowd… ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/4 "2008-11-17T18:34:20Z")
We used to play that in marching band at football games. It’s the same riff as in [“Let’s Go Blue”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_j711iJI_s) at U of M. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/5 "2008-11-17T18:41:01Z")
Yes, exactly. It’s not a song at all. It’s a riff. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/6 "2008-11-17T19:14:41Z")
Hmm… thanks for the link, but then I guess that begs the question: Where did the riff come from? I mean I can see how it works as a college fight song, but clearly it also works as a laid-back big band number. There has to be someone who did it like that first, and I doubt it was the _Quantum Leap_ composer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/7 "2008-11-17T19:21:09Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Yes, exactly. It’s not a song at all. It’s a riff. “Go Blue Go” is the first thing that popped into my head, but that walking little bass line (root-third-fourth-sharp fourth-fifth) is pretty generic, and appears in many contexts and variations. It sounds to me like it’s most likely original music composed by the music staff (Velton Ray Bunch, Mike Post, and Jerry Grant) or possibly a library cue (a snippet of music pulled from a music library the production has on hand for background music and the like.) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jazz-big-band-fans-what-song-is-this/473052/8 "2008-11-17T19:21:34Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > Hmm… thanks for the link, but then I guess that begs the question: Where did the riff come from? I mean I can see how it works as a college fight song, but clearly it also works as a laid-back big band number. There has to be someone who did it like that first, and I doubt it was the _Quantum Leap_ composer. The earliest occurrence I know of is in Paul Whiteman’s 1930 recording [The New Tiger Rag](http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/whiteman/tigerrag.ram). (The riff comes in at 0:48 and does not return.) **Warning!** Extremely loud and tinny 78rpm dub, probably done with a built-in mic to keep the copyright meanies away.