# Serious Sam: Second Encounter - what is the reference here? (Crossing rope bridge) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 28, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299 "2010-09-28T01:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/1 "2010-09-28T01:40:41Z")
I loved SS:TSE back when it launched. But one little bit bugged me. The game is full of pop-culture references and whatnot. But this one bugged me. I found it again when I was replaying the HD version. Anyways, early in the game, Sam is in South America. He crosses a particular rope bridge and in doing so whistles a little tune. The first time I heard it, it drove me nuts. It sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. Anyone know what it is referring to? Here’s a video I recorded tonight of the particular bridge and tune: [Whistlin’ Sam](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQvurC-XXUA) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/2 "2010-09-28T04:42:40Z")
Sounds like\* El Condor Pasa (If I Could)\* by Simon & Garfunkel to me. An applicable lyric: - I’d rather be a hammer than a nail \* ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/3 "2010-09-28T04:48:58Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Sounds like\* El Condor Pasa (If I Could)\* by Simon & Garfunkel to me. An applicable lyric: > > - > > I’d rather be a hammer than a nail > \* Dang, I think you got it. The melody fits perfectly. Thanks. edit: A search of of “El condor pasa” gives a lot of hits, most of which have this basic melody. Thanks, Oakminster. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/4 "2010-09-28T04:56:02Z")
Woot! Think this is the second time in my Doper career I’ve actually been first to answer one of these. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/5 "2010-09-28T05:15:38Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Woot! > > Think this is the second time in my Doper career I’ve actually been first to answer one of these. > 🙂 I owe you one. This has been bugging me for like seven years ;D ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/6 "2010-09-28T12:07:29Z")
_El Condor Pasa_ is an old Andean tune. Simon and Garfunkel merely popularized it. Just nitpicking. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/7 "2010-09-29T21:29:34Z")
It was written by Peruvian composer [Daniel Alomía Robles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Alom%C3%ADa_Robles) in 1913. From Wikipedia > [@](#): > > In 1913 Alomía Robles composed “El cóndor pasa”, and the song was first performed publicly at the Teatro Mazzi in Lima. The song was composed as part of a zarzuela (Spanish operetta) of strong social content about Peruvian miners in Cerro de Pasco and their relations with the foreign mining company. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/8 "2010-09-29T23:33:17Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > It was written by Peruvian composer [Daniel Alomía Robles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Alom%C3%ADa_Robles) in 1913. > > From Wikipedia > > > [@](#): > > > > In 1913 Alomía Robles composed “El cóndor pasa”, and the song was first performed publicly at the Teatro Mazzi in Lima. The song was composed as part of a zarzuela (Spanish operetta) of strong social content about Peruvian miners in Cerro de Pasco and their relations with the foreign mining company. Which I think proves my point that this game is an educational experience, not just as my girlfriend puts it: “blowing things up for 6 hours with your friends while drunk” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-sam-second-encounter-what-is-the-reference-here-crossing-rope-bridge/555299/9 "2010-09-30T00:09:56Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Sounds like\* El Condor Pasa (If I Could)\* by Simon & Garfunkel to me. An applicable lyric: > > - > > I’d rather be a hammer than a nail > \* Or, per P. J. O’Rourke: \*I’d rather be a hanky than a snot \*