# Smurf Theme = Prokofiev's "Peter & the Wolf"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299 "2008-07-31T00:26:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/1 "2008-07-31T00:26:45Z")
A co-worker was humming a random tune and it reminded me of the “Smurf theme” (Tra-LA-lalalala…). But then it also kind of reminded me of “Peter’s Theme” from “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev. Are they one and the same? Or am I misremembering one of these tunes? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/2 "2008-07-31T00:38:58Z")
Somehow I remember both of them, and I can say with 100% confidence that they are similar but definitely not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/3 "2008-07-31T00:39:29Z")
Similar sound, but ultimately quite different. Peter’s Theme is syncopated differently, and the melody’s last few notes are minor sounding. (Need to consult music teacher hubby DeathLlama for a more academic explanation…) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/4 "2008-07-31T00:47:03Z")
The theme I think you’re thinking of is the [“Tuilieries”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Indk3upQFs&feature=related) sequence from Mussorgsky’s _Pictures at an Exhibition_. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/5 "2008-07-31T00:51:04Z")
I made a quick youtube video of me humming the two themes. It’s currently processing. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFd8lGi0fGQ) ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/6 "2008-07-31T00:52:46Z")
And… it doesn’t have sound. Thus my first Youtube video ever is a stunning failure. /sigh ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/7 "2008-07-31T00:54:25Z")
I should amend my last post in saying that I’m not referring to the main Smurfs theme, but to a musical motif that was used all the time in the show. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/8 "2008-07-31T00:55:44Z")
Let’s try this again. Are these the themes you were thinking of? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj93d4OmiPQ) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/9 "2008-07-31T00:55:45Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] And… it doesn’t have sound. Thus my first Youtube video ever is a stunning failure. /sigh [/QUOTE] You could retitle it “Seth Rogan’s younger brother wants to kiss you”. A couple of those keywords should be good for a few hits… ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/10 "2008-07-31T00:56:46Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Let’s try this again. Are these the themes you were thinking of? ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Hj93d4OmiPQ/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hj93d4OmiPQ?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque [/QUOTE] STEEEERIKE TWO! ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/11 "2008-07-31T00:58:11Z")
Aha, that “danger Smurf” theme? It, too, is similar but different. My kids love Peter and the Wolf, I can still hum the Smurf themes, take my word for it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/12 "2008-07-31T01:00:42Z")
This is the [Peter & the Wolf](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3HEVrFMFGY&feature=related) theme. This is the main [Smurf Theme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3nbK_ayV4g&feature=related). Definitely not the same (although I’m sure the show did incorporate Prokofiev into the show at other times). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/13 "2008-07-31T01:02:54Z")
I think I can see the similarity the OP is describing, but it seems to me more to do with rhythm than tune - the beat of the melody notes is very similar, for a little while. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/14 "2008-07-31T01:40:34Z")
In fact, in the Smurf Theme I previously posted, you can hear the first notes of [Liszt’s 1st Piano Concerto](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YNiav7q6ac&feature=related). [Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZaTzSWqXCU) was also commonly used, as was [Schubert’s 8th Symphony](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TywaOgBkq9c&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/15 "2008-07-31T01:40:56Z")
The Smurfs used a lot of classical music, but their theme song isn’t Peter’s theme- the first six notes are similar, but Peter goes a little higher than the Smurfs. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/16 "2008-07-31T02:08:55Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] …as was [Schubert’s 8th Symphony](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TywaOgBkq9c&feature=related). [/QUOTE] That’s the piece I most remember from _The Smurfs_ whenever I think back on it. I think that a lot of the style of _The Smurfs_ show, and especially the era it was set in, was based on the story of “Peter and the Wolf”, though, and therefore the theme music having some similarity is not a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/17 "2008-07-31T02:56:28Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] STEEEERIKE TWO! [/QUOTE] Really? I hear sound when I load it. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/18 "2008-07-31T03:22:51Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Really? I hear sound when I load it. [/QUOTE] Works for me, too. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/19 "2008-07-31T16:14:51Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Really? I hear sound when I load it. [/QUOTE] When I first tried the link, it didn’t even bring up the clip, but defaulted to the “YouTube not available” Red Banner notice at the top. Obviously, it works now (though Randy says, “Yo, you’re a bit pitchy, dawg!” 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299/20 "2008-08-01T00:46:23Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] This is the [Peter & the Wolf](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3HEVrFMFGY&feature=related) theme. This is the main [Smurf Theme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3nbK_ayV4g&feature=related). [/QUOTE] In the Smurf theme, the first 7 notes (in the horns) are the same as the theme of the section of the “William Tell” overture just after the storm. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smurf-theme-prokofievs-peter-the-wolf/458299.md?page=2)