# 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:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/21 "2007-09-19T21:34:00Z")
I think Danny Elfman (originally of Oingo Boingo) built a career around that riff. I believe that it or a variation figures heavily into the theme song from [HBO’s Tales from the Crypt](http://imdb.com/title/tt0096708/), which Elfman also composed. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/22 "2007-09-19T21:52:19Z")
I never thought of that as “spooky” music, but rather as “sneaky” music. If you’ve ever seen the film _Around The World In Eighty Days_ and watched the credits at the end, they have little cartoon avatars of each of the main characters, with individual theme music, and Detective Fix’s theme is this music we’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![garyemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@garyemiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyemiller)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/23 "2007-09-20T18:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] I never thought of that as “spooky” music, but rather as “sneaky” music. [/QUOTE] Nevertheless, it has been co-opted in countless novelty songs about monsters and ghosts, especially in the 50s. Because they sneak up on you. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/24 "2007-09-22T12:42:23Z")
[Here’s](http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l269/hosmackah/unknown2/) an example of the “sneaky/villain” music. Spanky is playing the bad guy. Also listen for the familiar tear-inducing “Hearts and Flowers” at the end of this snippet. ETA: Also, in the 1938 cartoon “Wholly Smoke,” the “smoke” character talks to Porky Pig using this tune, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/25 "2007-09-22T14:38:25Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Oh, _that_ music! No idea. Heard it lots, though. [/QUOTE] Look no further: it’s Rio, by Duran Duran . . . . . Come on, don’t tell me you didn’t see that coming from a mile away. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682/26 "2007-09-22T19:24:42Z")
[QUOTE=Earl Snake-Hips Tucker] ETA: Also, in the 1938 cartoon “Wholly Smoke,” the “smoke” character talks to Porky Pig using this tune, IIRC. [/QUOTE] Most of _Wholly Smoke_ is orchestrated to an old song entitled _Mysterious Mose_, which, playing it around in my head from what I remember from the cartoon, does have that melody in the third line of the chorus. (I forget these lines as they appear in the cartoon) doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo _doo_ (this next line uses the melody in question) Chew and chew and (cut to an owl) chew-hoo (old man)Little kids shouldn’t smoke tobaccy! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-origin-of-spooky-2-measure-phrase-in-novelty-songs/419682.md?page=1)