# Songs everyone will recognize, but no one know the name of. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273 "2003-05-24T20:08:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/101 "2003-05-29T14:32:12Z")
jakelope – Prima did indeed do the original version of “Sing Sing Sing,” but Goodman ended up having a bigger hit with it. It made a star out of Goodman drummer Gene Krupa, which is more than it ever did for Prima drummer Sam Weiss. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/102 "2003-05-29T15:11:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Labdad \* > \*\*Oh, the theme from “Leave it to Beaver” is actually called “The Toy Parade.” Lyrics [here](http://www.geocities.com/tvshowthemelyrics/LeaveItToBeaverSong.html). \*\* On that topic, Leave it to Beaver plays on TVLand 'round these parts, and with that tenous connection established, TVLand has a nice instrumental theme used in several of their commercials, particular the one with Beaver saying ‘Gee Dad’ while Barbara Billingsly flits back and forth in the background (they also used it in an earlier ‘Better living through TV’ commercial) - is this just a theme written expressly for TVLand, or a song appropiated by them? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/103 "2003-05-29T16:37:26Z")
> [@](#): > > It made a star out of Goodman drummer Gene Krupa, which is more than it ever did for Prima drummer Sam Weiss. Fortunately, Sam Weiss later secured a prominent role in the Lord of the Rings books. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/104 "2003-05-29T21:52:33Z")
Hey, most of you have heard that late-'70s blue-eyed soul hit “I Came Back to Let You Know”, right? The singer was one-hit wonder Bobby Caldwell. Well, the actual title of that song is “What You Won’t Do For Love”. _I Came Back to Let You Know_ is the boldly-delivered main line of the refrain, while _What You Won’t Do For Love_ is a subdued, semi-indistinct verse scattered here and there throughout the song. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/105 "2003-05-29T22:40:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*Instrumentals are prone to this, aren’t they? Here are a few tunes that I took a lot of effort to find out the name. You’ve all heard them I’m sure, but I’ll be buggered if I can explain them: > > Baby Elephant Walk > Syncopated Clock > Take Five > > Here are a few TV themes that I just happen to know the name of: > The Streetbeater (Sanford and Son) > Angela (Taxi) > The Fishin’ Hole (Andy Griffith) > > Now, if only someone could tell me the name of that song in the British Airway commercial-- I keep thinking Flower Drum Song but I know that’s not it. \*\* These are great, I love the way this thread is turning out. Ugh, don’t remind me of _Take Five_. Brubeck went to school here at the University of the Pacific and it was recently some sort of aniversery. Anyway, the guy came down here for several concerts and Brubeck, Brubeck, brublech is all that I have heard of for weeks. Besides, after the opening the song sucks. BTW **Wumpus** I do not think that there is an e in Copland. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/106 "2003-05-29T22:56:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph \* > \*\*How about the wistful little violin and piano tune that was the main theme music for Ken Burns _The Civil War_? How many people know the title is “Ashokan Farewell”? > > And that it was written in 1 **9** 82? \*\* Another good one. It is called _Ashokan Farewell_ [Here](http://www.jayandmolly.com/ashokanfarewell.shtml) are the good folks that wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/107 "2003-05-29T23:44:42Z")
You’re absolutely correct; it’s just that it looks like a Sylvester Stallone movie if I spell it correctly… ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/108 "2003-05-30T00:12:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > **Another good one. It is called _Ashokan Farewell_ > …** Gee, why didn’t I put that in my post? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fish42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@Fish42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish42)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/109 "2003-05-30T15:18:14Z")
Two more: John Philip Sousa: “The Liberty Bell March” aka the Monty Python theme. Charles Gonoud: “Funeral March of a Marionette” aka the Alfred Hitchcock theme. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/110 "2003-05-30T22:26:24Z")
“Hearts and Flowers”. Go [here](http://www.perfessorbill.com/pbmidi5.shtml) and scroll down. Schubert’s _Der Erlkönig_. Go [here](http://www.classicalarchives.com/schubert.html) and scroll down. If I ever did this song in a recital, I’d like to introduce it this way: “My first song is one everyone knows: Schubert’s _Der Erlkönig_. Now there are probably one or two of you in the audience who are saying ‘What the heck is he talking about? I’ve never heard of it.’ For their benefit, my accompanist will play the opening bars. [music] You see now I was right: you all know it. It’s just that you didn’t know what it’s called.” ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/111 "2003-05-30T22:57:19Z")
Just before this thread appeared, I was surprised to learn the title of a song I like is _Life During Wartime_. Having remembered the title for this thread, let’s see if I can remember enough of the lyrics for you guys to know which one I mean. Ah yes, here’s a bit of the chorus: _This ain’t no party. This ain’t no disco. This ain’t no foolin’ around. No time for dancin’ Or [not understood] I ain’t got time for that now._ I think it might be by the Dire Straits, but I can’t swear to that, either. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/112 "2003-05-30T23:24:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Siege \* > \*\*_This ain’t no party. > This ain’t no disco. > This ain’t no foolin’ around._ > > I think it might be by the Dire Straits, but I can’t swear to that, either. > \*\* It’s by Talking Heads. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/113 "2003-05-31T02:52:34Z")
How about _Conquest of Paradise_ by Vangelis, used as the theme song in the movie _1492_. I bet you’ve all heard it but have no idea what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/114 "2003-05-31T04:42:39Z")
J. S. Bach: “Presto” from Trio Sonata in G major, a. k. a. the “Delicious Dish” theme. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/115 "2003-05-31T19:16:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Siege \* > \*\*_No time for dancin’ > Or [not understood] > I ain’t got time for that now._ > > I think it might be by the Dire Straits, but I can’t swear to that, either. > > CJ \*\* **Biffy** ’s right, it’s by Talking Heads, from the album **Fear of Music**. The lyrics in the chorus are: _No time for dancin Or lovey-dovey I ain’t got time for that now_ That section of the chorus actually changes every time it is sung. Full lyrics [here](http://www.talking-heads.net/lyrics_fear.html)–you have to scroll down a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Nimue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Nimue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nimue)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/116 "2003-05-31T20:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*Ah, but what’s the opening theme music to a Bugs Bunny cartoon called? > > You know, the one that starts with some weird glissando, then immediately launches into trumpets going “DAH, da da da DA DA DA da da da da da, DAH, da da da DA DA DA da da da da da,” then has the cello section play a counter melody, then has a REAL quick descending scale on a piano, then has a xylophone play the first half of the opening trumpet theme again, then closes with trumpets going, “Da da da dah, dah DAAAAAAA!” \*\* I think the one you mean is Hungarian Rhapsody by Liszt. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/117 "2003-06-01T02:15:01Z")
I’d heard _Baker Street_ by Gerry Rafferty a bunch of times before I knew what it was. In fact, it got to the point where I could play the theme and ask everybody what it was. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/118 "2003-06-01T04:01:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nimue \* > \*\*I think the one you mean is Hungarian Rhapsody by Liszt. Anyone? \*\* Criminy, does anyone read the posts in this thread? :rolleyes: The music _tracer_ was looking for, the one he so vividly described, the music that served as the opening theme of the Merrie Melodies cartoons from 1936 onward is **MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG** ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/119 "2003-06-01T05:15:46Z")
“What’s This?” written and sung by Danny Elfman from the soundtrack of **The Nightmare Before Christmas**. You may or may not recognize the lyrics, but the instrumental intro is used in dozens of movie trailers as a magical, wonderous, emotional mood-setter. I see it all the time and wonder how it became the standard for that. How about the snippet of scary piano music that is always used for some villan sneaking up on our hero or heroine: bum Bum BUM BUM BUUUUUUUUUUM (slowly and rising) bum bum bum bum (falling and much faster) ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273/120 "2003-06-02T03:34:35Z")
Telemark: Are you sure the intro to “What’s This” is the same tune you’re thinking of? I know I’ve heard that instrumental intro many many times, but I think it predates the release of TNBC. I think TNBC used _that_ intro, or the two intros are slightly different. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-everyone-will-recognize-but-no-one-know-the-name-of/177273.md?page=5)