# Music question, origin of spooky 2 measure phrase in novelty songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682 "2007-09-19T00:54:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![garyemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@garyemiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyemiller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/1 "2007-09-19T00:54:55Z")
This is similar to the question about the famous snake charmer music from a while back. Actually it is more similar to the “famous asian riff”. ``` http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Riff ``` Can someone please supply the origin of the following 2 measure phrase which is quoted in countless novelty songs, pop songs, kids songs, cartoons, tv and movie soundtracks, and which denotes something scary, spooky, wierd, or mysterious? Here it is in the key of D minor: First measure, four quarter notes: D, F, A, D Second measure is a half note and then 4 eight notes: Bb, A, G, F, E ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/2 "2007-09-19T02:42:19Z")
I think that’s Handel’s Fantasia in IForgetTheKey, but it could be D Minor. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/3 "2007-09-19T02:49:33Z")
Perfect pitch must rock. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/4 "2007-09-19T04:04:24Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Perfect pitch must rock. [/QUOTE] [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910208.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910208.html) or not, YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/5 "2007-09-19T04:42:55Z")
[QUOTE=garyemiller] First measure, four quarter notes: D, F, A, D Second measure is a half note and then 4 eight notes: Bb, A, G, F, E [/QUOTE] Gruh? What on earth can these symbols mean?? Hold on a sec… ::grabs guitar… fiddles for 20 mintes:: Ahhhhhh. Okay. THAT spooky theme. Yeah. I have no idea. I did come up with this though: ```auto e------------------------------- B-----------3------------------- G--------2-----3b-------2-0----- D--0--3---------------------3-2- A------------------------------- E------------------------------- ``` ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/6 "2007-09-19T13:16:45Z")
[QUOTE=Manduck] I think that’s Handel’s Fantasia in IForgetTheKey, but it could be D Minor. [/QUOTE] I doubt it’s Handel, it sounds more 19th-century than that. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/7 "2007-09-19T13:42:57Z")
For those who can’t read music: Is this that “Nah NUUUUUUH … nuh nuh NUH nuh nuh nuh” that usually sounds like it’s played on a church organ? I though that was Handel, too. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/8 "2007-09-19T14:03:44Z")
I’m going to move this to Cafe Society, where questions like this get answered. **Gfactor** , General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/9 "2007-09-19T15:28:57Z")
> [@](#): > > First measure, four quarter notes: > D, F, A, D That would be the high D the second time around, not the return to the original-octave D it started out with, yes? Know it well. Haven’t the vaguest idea where it hails from. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/10 "2007-09-19T15:58:19Z")
I’m guessing this isn’t Bach’s _Toccata and Fugue in D minor_ you hear on **Phantom of the Opera** and other spooky horror-type movies? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/11 "2007-09-19T16:11:28Z")
[QUOTE=DrCube] I’m guessing this isn’t Bach’s _Toccata and Fugue in D minor_ you hear on **Phantom of the Opera** and other spooky horror-type movies? [/QUOTE] No, that’s > [@](#): > > doodle-ooooooo > doodily-ooooo-uuuuuuuuu-ooooooo > (lower) > doodle-oooooooo > doodily-oooooo-uuuuuuuu ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/12 "2007-09-19T16:24:37Z")
This one is very much like the “Spirits of Ammonia” song from the classic (1936) cartoon “Bottles”. I actually thought it was the same, but apparently misremembered. [This link should work to watch.](http://stage6.divx.com/Cartoons/video/1570847/Happy-Harmonies---Bottles) (requires Divx codec). ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/13 "2007-09-19T16:55:53Z")
For those who want to hear this, I made a quick [mp3 to listen to](http://www.natevenet.com/iV.mp3). ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/14 "2007-09-19T17:50:30Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] For those who want to hear this, I made a quick [mp3 to listen to](http://www.natevenet.com/iV.mp3). [/QUOTE] Thanks for that! ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/15 "2007-09-19T17:52:28Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] For those who can’t read music: Is this that “Nah NUUUUUUH … nuh nuh NUH nuh nuh nuh” that usually sounds like it’s played on a church organ? I though that was Handel, too. [/QUOTE] You’re thinking of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, as mentioned by **DrCube**. But the OP’s tune is different. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/16 "2007-09-19T18:07:53Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] For those who want to hear this, I made a quick [mp3 to listen to](http://www.natevenet.com/iV.mp3). [/QUOTE] Oh, _that_ music! No idea. Heard it lots, though. ---
**Author:** ![garyemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@garyemiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyemiller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/17 "2007-09-19T18:51:55Z")
[QUOTE=AHunter3] That would be the high D the second time around, not the return to the original-octave D it started out with, yes? Know it well. Haven’t the vaguest idea where it hails from. [/QUOTE] thats right, it is the higher d the second time in that first measure, of course it doesn’t matter what key it is in, let me see if i can write it like this * * * ``` | ``` ---------------------------------X---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------Ob-------------------------------- X | o ---------------------------------------------------------------o---------------- X | o --------------------------------------------------------------------------o----- X ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/18 "2007-09-19T19:11:33Z")
I believe this is “Mysterioso Pizzicato,” possibly written by J. Bodewalt Lampe, as discussed [here](http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.ragtime/browse_thread/thread/a40979aef4ebce4f/5789f42274e98377?lnk=st&q=pizzicato+ragtime+lampe&rnum=3#5789f42274e98377). ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/19 "2007-09-19T19:47:34Z")
yes! [Sam Fox Moving Picture Music Volume 1](http://www.mont-alto.com/photoplaymusic/SamFoxMovingPictureVol1/SamFoxV1.html) (Mysterioso - Burglar Music 1) and see [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000003LD2/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000003LD2/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/) (no. 8 villain’s theme). found discussion here: [So, What is that Sneaky Music, Anyway? - cartoon | Ask MetaFilter](http://ask.metafilter.com/56139/So-What-is-that-Sneaky-Music-Anyway) ---
**Author:** ![garyemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@garyemiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyemiller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/20 "2007-09-19T20:10:14Z")
wow. you guys are good. thanks. i have been collecting halloween music for years now, and i must have at least 25 different songs that quote the riff. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682.md?page=2)