# Most easily instantly recognized music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638 "2007-02-17T18:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/21 "2007-02-17T22:38:53Z")
I can’t believe there have been twenty posts and no one has mentioned “Smoke on the Water.” ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/22 "2007-02-17T22:39:01Z")
Most of the songs on the Sgt. Pepper album have unique opening sequences. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/23 "2007-02-17T23:04:26Z")
“Hey Jude” ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/24 "2007-02-17T23:17:57Z")
_Thus Spake Zarathustra,_ from _2001: a Space Odyssey_ _Roundabout_, from Yes _Heard it Through the Grapevine_, Marvin Gaye ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/25 "2007-02-17T23:21:26Z")
“Come Together” by The Beatles “Saturday In The Park” by Chicago “Lola” by The Kinks “And When I Die” by Blood, Sweat, and Tears “Walk of Life” by Dire Straits ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/26 "2007-02-17T23:26:53Z")
I can name that tune in three notes, Tom… Tocatta and Fugue in D-minor, by JS Bach. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/27 "2007-02-17T23:32:37Z")
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath - The first note is all I’d need, or even just the wind, rain and church bell leading up to it, and I’m sure anyone who has heard it before can get in in 2 or 3. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/28 "2007-02-18T00:04:08Z")
Jingle Bells in three notes. I don’t know of another bit of music that starts with those three repeated notes. Hamster Dance in a measure. The Chicken Dance in a measure. The Beer Barrel Polka in a measure. Green Sleeves in a measure. Phantom of the Opera in three notes. This link to a video is so appropriate for this thread. It’s also super funny. [Pachelbel Rant](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/29 "2007-02-18T00:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] This link to a video is so appropriate for this thread. It’s also super funny. [Pachelbel Rant](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM) [/QUOTE] Good stuff. Thanks for the link. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/30 "2007-02-18T00:23:48Z")
By now every intelligent life form in the galaxy surely knows that the sung syllables _ **One two three** _ must inevitably be followed by _ **o’clock, four o’clock rock.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/31 "2007-02-18T00:26:44Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] By now every intelligent life form in the galaxy surely knows that the sung syllables _ **One two three** _ must inevitably be followed by _ **o’clock, four o’clock rock.** _ [/QUOTE] Good point. I’m pretty sure I could name any of Elvis’s early hits in just a note or two – once I heard them start up. But I can’t be sure enough to list them. In fact, it’s been long enough since I heard any of them that I doubt I could hum the intro to any of them. Jailhouse Rock for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/32 "2007-02-18T00:51:49Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Good stuff. Thanks for the link. [/QUOTE] Your welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/33 "2007-02-18T02:26:43Z")
OK, to test the idea that many if not most reasonably well-known songs can be identified from a tiny snippet of their intro, I present [NameThatIntro.zip](http://www.zshare.net/download/namethatintro-zip.html) - less than a second from the very start of 22 not too obscure tunes. I think you’ll find most of them pretty easy. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/34 "2007-02-18T02:38:47Z")
Here are the ones I knew right off: 1. Stevie Wonder - I Wish 4. The Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive 9. Isaac Hayes - Theme From “Shaft” 15. Labelle - Lady Marmalade 16. Sweet - Blockbuster 18. Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade 19. The Zombies - Time Of The Season I didn’t know any of the others, though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/35 "2007-02-18T07:37:33Z")
One chord: Beethoven’s Third Symphony Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2 Tchaikovsky: Sympony #6; fourth movement The Supremes: “Stop in the Name of Love” ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/36 "2007-02-18T07:51:32Z")
My guesses: 01- 02- **The Pink Floyd** - Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk 03- 04- 05- 06- 07- **The Pixies** - Bone Machine 08- 09- 10- 11- **Nirvana** - Lithium 12- 13- 14- 15- Reminds me of Sail On Sailor by **The Beach Boys** 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- Is it the theme to “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly”? 21- 22- ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/37 "2007-02-18T07:58:16Z")
Why has no one mentioned the king of recognizable tunes? **the Benny Hill theme** I bet at least 90% of you now have that zany anthem running through your head, and are picturing people running back and forth across a hallway of doors. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/38 "2007-02-18T08:02:22Z")
All Along the Watchtower- Hendrix Don’t Stop Believin’- Journey Rock and Roll- Led Zepplin Friends in Low Places- Garth Brooks ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/39 "2007-02-18T08:06:05Z")
And my guesses: 1. Welcome to the Jungle 2. Free Ride 3. Smells like Teen Spirit 4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638/40 "2007-02-18T10:08:50Z")
I think I could get Ozzie’s Mr. Crowley pretty quickly. Most songs by Godspeed You! Black Emperor that I’ve heard had spoken intros, so anyone who knew the band better than I do could probably guess many before the first note, and probably in a few words or so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-easily-instantly-recognized-music/392638.md?page=3)