# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 63
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1243 "2021-01-18T04:17:18Z")
Just read the wiki for the song " The instrumental version of the song is often associated with [magicians](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magician_(illusionist)) performing their “magical tricks”, and [flying trapeze](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_trapeze) acts, with whom it is often played in the background, especially in [animated cartoons](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animated_cartoon). It is so commonly associated with these entertainments as to be iconic, although few people know it the music by name." > **[The Loveliest Night of the Year](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loveliest_Night_of_the_Year)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > "The Loveliest Night of the Year" is a popular song. > The music was first published as a waltz called "Sobre las olas" ("Over the Waves") in 1888, written by Juventino P. Rosas. In 1950, the music was adapted by Irving Aaronson with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster for the movie The Great Caruso, in which it was sung by Ann Blyth. Later, Mario Lanza recorded the song. It became one of the most popular songs of 1951, reaching number three in the US B... ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1244 "2021-01-18T04:48:19Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > It became one of the most popular songs of 1951 Huh. That’s the year I was born. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1245 "2021-01-18T05:07:43Z")
No worries. I didn’t quote the post I was replying to, since it was immediately above, so I assumed that you hadn’t noticed it and thought my post was _sui generis_. Taken on its own, it doesn’t make much sense. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1246 "2021-01-18T05:35:41Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > " The instrumental version of the song is often associated with [magicians](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magician_(illusionist)) performing their “magical tricks”, and [flying trapeze](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_trapeze) acts, with whom it is often played in the background, especially in [animated cartoons](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animated_cartoon). It is so commonly associated with these entertainments as to be iconic, although few people know it the music by name." It’s possible. Instrumental songs can be maddening that way—you can’t tell anybody the lyrics for them to help you figure out which song it is. Instrumentals you may not know by name will be my contribution to the thread. [Turkey in the Straw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KBYIJA2uYs) I think this one fell out of favor because it had been used in minstrel shows. [Hava Nagila](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHSNZK4Je-Y) [Santo and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBRCvVpknvg) [The Ventures “Walk, Don’t Run”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owq7hgzna3E) [Percy Faith “Theme from a Summer Place”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSsiS-v6_6M) [Bob Krewe Generation “Music to Watch Girls By”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auS-ndWXLso) [Herb Alpert “Whipped Cream”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c316dKmRdI) [Al Hirt “Java”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqwIpH6phJs) [Booker T and the MGs “Green Onions”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFQEsUjI0U8) [Mason Williams “Classical Gas”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEzyrpfrPEI) [Edgar Winter “Frankenstein”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8f-Qb-bwlU) And a few bonus tracks… [Apollo 100 “Joy”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mq2NohrRJQ) is based on Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” of course. Lots of people recognize Strauss/Sunrise from “Also Sprach Zarathustra” because it was used in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Here’s a jazz version by Eumir Deodato that I like a lot. [His version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJK3eUP5Hvg) And a couple of jazz versions from Bob James. [“In the Garden” he calls it…it’s based on Pachelbel’s Canon in D.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_knA4CnsAA) [Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aW9URHShCY) had me at “screaming trumpets.” ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1247 "2021-01-18T05:38:30Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > “it’s based on Pachelbel’s Canon in D. [Everything is.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM) ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1248 "2021-01-18T05:45:34Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Everything is. OK I’m going to have to analyze this a bit more later. I knew the “One Tin Soldier” bit. Hmm. Thanks for posting that 😄 ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1249 "2021-01-18T05:57:36Z")
There’s internet lists, but the Rob Rant isn’t a bad summary. Glad I could turn you on to that. Pachelbel is following you and he’ll never rest. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1250 "2021-01-18T06:19:48Z")
WTWP!\* Classical…RADIO! \*wall to wall Pachelbel ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1251 "2021-01-18T07:43:11Z")
I gotta be careful, I’m taking a lot of pain meds. Really don’t remember that at all. It’s actually a little better than when I do remember the stupid things I post here without the lingering memory of the line of reasoning that when wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1252 "2021-01-18T14:30:53Z")
Those links re-activated a lot of old memories, dormant in some cases for over a half a century. Thanks! I’ll add [Sukiyaki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGLAz15SfD0) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1253 "2021-01-18T16:28:16Z")
Interesting fact about Pachelbel’s Rant - only a couple of the songs mentioned follow the Pachelbel chords exactly. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1254 "2021-01-18T16:49:36Z")
Usually because the songs have a chorus, e.g. Green Day’s Basket Case, which does the Pachelbel thing during the verse. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1255 "2021-01-18T17:23:51Z")
@squeegee - not really. I looked up Basket Case and it’s all power chords and if you ignore the major/minor thing it’s still not quite right. Pachelbel is: I V vi iii IV I IV V Most of the songs in the rant start I V vi IV Basket Case is I V VI III IV I V ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1256 "2021-01-18T17:29:21Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Those links re-activated a lot of old memories, dormant in some cases for over a half a century. Thanks! Sure! Did you ever watch the NFL highlight films (narrated by John Facenda, sometimes referred to as the “voice of God”?) This first one has an interesting drum part at 2:00. [Sam Spence Ramblin’ Man from Gramblin’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyfP4JFpAiY) [Sam Spence Round Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W12J7BYlj-E) [Sam Spence Pony Soldiers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyi_sD02EMM) Speaking of sports… [Bugler’s Dream (Olympic Theme)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IizWc4cJwbw) ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1257 "2021-01-18T17:44:06Z")
> [@K364](#): > > not really. I looked up Basket Case and it’s all power chords and if you ignore the major/minor thing it’s still not quite right. Thanks. I strum corrected! ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1258 "2021-01-18T19:04:08Z")
Today I was cleaning out my inbox and found an email ca. 2006 from an old classmate which promised lots of cash if I forwarded said email on to others. I googled one of the names in the message body on a lark (to see if it was a real person) and damn if it didn’t turn out there was a whole history to this particular spam email. [Copy This Article & Win Quick Cash!](https://www.wired.com/2004/07/hoax/) ([wired.com](http://wired.com) article) I thought it was a neat little bit of Internet history. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1259 "2021-01-18T22:50:11Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > [Herb Alpert “Whipped Cream”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c316dKmRdI) > > [Al Hirt “Java”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqwIpH6phJs) Both written by Allen Toussaint! ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1260 "2021-01-18T22:58:43Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1261 "2021-01-19T00:30:15Z")
On Mary 28, 1970, more than twenty members of the Baseball Hall of Fame played an exhibition game in honor of Martin Luther King. The managers were Joe Dimaggio and Roy Campanella. Willie Mays flew in from Japan to be there (as a pinch hitter). Bob Gibson wasn’t the starter (Tom Seaver was). Most interesting to me was Donn Clendenon, who wasn’t initially invited, but who replaced Ken Harrelson and would have come anyway. Clendenon had attended Morehouse College, which had a mentoring system for underclassmen. Who was his mentor? Martin Luther King. [https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/01/18/martin-luther-king-day-baseball-hall-of-fame](https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/01/18/martin-luther-king-day-baseball-hall-of-fame) ---
**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:** [January 19, 2021, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1262 "2021-01-19T07:06:22Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > " The instrumental version of the song is often associated with [magicians](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magician_(illusionist)) performing their “magical tricks”, and [flying trapeze](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_trapeze) acts This is surprising. I’ve certainly heard “Over The Waves”/“The Loveliest Night Of The Year” used in establishing sequences for carnivals, fairs, and circuses, and sometimes for the depictions of carnival rides and individual circus acts. But I’ve never heard that music used in the background for magicians. Is this something I would have seen and heard in classic Warner Brothers cartoons, or is it a more recent development? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=62) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=64)