# What is that music used in 50's & 60's ads that sound like a harp being quickly plucked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859 "2010-05-10T01:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/1 "2010-05-10T01:33:12Z")
Is there a name for this archetypal ad music that was used in 60’s ads (and parodies of ads) for appliances etc.? It’s fast paced and sounds like a harp or some similar string instruments being quickly plucked. I’ll try to find an example. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/2 "2010-05-10T01:38:34Z")
Pizzicato? Example: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U5KRqc7Hud4/hqdefault.jpg "Johann Strauss - Pizzicato Polka") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5KRqc7Hud4) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/3 "2010-05-10T01:42:17Z")
[Like this from](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YERxBXk4Xc)the beginning of this “Kids in the Hall” skit ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/4 "2010-05-10T01:50:12Z")
Yeah, pizzicato technique on strings, with a lot of reverb on it. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/5 "2010-05-10T02:00:49Z")
…As in David Rose’s [Holiday for Strings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl5b7gGK_Ck)? ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/6 "2010-05-10T02:38:02Z")
> [@choie](#): > > …As in David Rose’s [Holiday for Strings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl5b7gGK_Ck)? That was my first thought as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/7 "2010-05-10T02:41:48Z")
Also Leroy Anderson’s [Plink Plank Plunk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08rghxefwDA), used as the theme for the game show _I’ve Got a Secret._ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/8 "2010-05-10T02:43:09Z")
Just in case you don’t know what pizzicato is, it’s plucking instead of bowing. In the examples given, it’s the entire string section of an orchestra (violins, violas, cellos and sometimes string basses). ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/9 "2010-05-10T02:54:13Z")
OMFG, there really is a Pizzicato Polka! I heard it mentioned many years ago in a comic strip, and assumed it was a joke. Whoa. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/10 "2010-05-10T03:39:58Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > That was my first thought as well. I thought of Homer in [the Land of Chocolate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmFD15m-2fg). ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/11 "2010-05-10T03:48:15Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I thought of Homer in [the Land of Chocolate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmFD15m-2fg). That’s Alf Claussen’s original music, I believe. But he must’ve been influenced by “Holiday” – it’s damn close. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/12 "2010-05-10T05:06:26Z")
> [@choie](#): > > That’s Alf Claussen’s original music, I believe. But he must’ve been influenced by “Holiday” – it’s damn close. I was pretty sure that was original to the show, but sometimes when someone is trying to copy a style it turns out more iconic than the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/13 "2010-05-10T05:54:46Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > OMFG, there really is a Pizzicato Polka! I heard it mentioned many years ago in a comic strip, and assumed it was a joke. Whoa. It not only exists, but it’s rather well-known, like lots of other Leroy Anderson music. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/14 "2010-05-10T14:12:56Z")
Minor hijack: The Typewriter Song…aaaaaaah…memories of simpler times… ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/15 "2010-05-11T13:03:21Z")
I call it, “Ren and Stimpy Music.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/16 "2010-05-11T15:34:50Z")
An earlier thread on a similar topic is [What’s the name for that 50’s commercial type music?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=377964) that I started 07-01-2006, 11:41 AM and which got revived as a zombie to run until 02-25-2010 10:35 PM with 34 replies and 1,753 views. ---
**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:** [May 11, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/17 "2010-05-11T17:32:07Z")
I haven’t listened to the clips (can’t here), but it reminds me of the music from the old “Truth or Consequences” program. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/18 "2010-05-11T19:16:30Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > An earlier thread on a similar topic is [What’s the name for that 50’s commercial type music?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=377964) that I started 07-01-2006, 11:41 AM and which got revived as a zombie to run until 02-25-2010 10:35 PM with 34 replies and 1,753 views. Out of curiosity, why does it matter how many views the threads had, or exactly what time they started? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-music-used-in-50s-60s-ads-that-sound-like-a-harp-being-quickly-plucked/538859/19 "2010-05-11T19:36:04Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Out of curiosity, why does it matter how many views the threads had, or exactly what time they started? May not