# What is this tune? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175 "2012-09-28T19:15:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/1 "2012-09-28T19:15:01Z")
Surely someone must remember this. Played on a piano, all eighth notes. Every C is middle C except for the last three, which are an octave below. C|ACGCECDC|CCC ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/2 "2012-09-28T19:52:05Z")
Moving over to CS for you. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/3 "2012-09-28T19:57:24Z")
A above middle C or below? šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/4 "2012-09-28T20:21:19Z")
Thanks **Idle Thoughts**. > [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > A above middle C or below? šŸ˜• The whole thing is a descending line below middle C. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/5 "2012-09-28T20:29:29Z")
Gah, itā€™s the ending bit to a childrenā€™s song, like a nursery rhyme song! Cannot dig it outā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/6 "2012-09-28T20:39:42Z")
Ok, the one I am thinking of starts at Middle C, goes above then below for A and G, then back to Middle C and above and down again. ECDClowAClowG|CECDClowAClowGC|lowAClowGClowElowD|(low)CCC Try **[here](http://www.virtualpiano.net/)**? Thinking back I think that might have been just a beginnerā€™s piano exercise. For some reason though I picture cartoon characters whiling away time boredā€¦ I think itā€™s one they made you play on one hand while the other played Swanee River, at that! (To teach syncopation, I think?) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/7 "2012-09-28T20:47:14Z")
Iā€™m thinking itā€™s an exercise too. I kind of associate it with my brother taking lessons as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/8 "2012-09-28T20:55:42Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Iā€™m thinking itā€™s an exercise too. I kind of associate it with my brother taking lessons as a kid. Eventually he played it as fast as he could? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/9 "2012-09-28T20:59:45Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Eventually he played it as fast as he could? That I donā€™t remember. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/10 "2012-09-28T21:03:49Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That I donā€™t remember. Go try that site? They have a key assist feature, press ctrl to make the notes linger some. You can mouseclick to get the notes, Middle C is the third C from the left, it corresponds to ā€œTā€ on the keyboard. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/11 "2012-09-28T21:48:45Z")
Ok, using the keyboard cheat thing hereā€™s the song I remember that had those notes for an ending. (t?)utyt|tetw|tutyt|etwt|utyt|etwt|t0t9t888 Try that and see if it is what you mean? The one I remember was supposed to be played getting a little faster with emphasis on the last three notes. Sometimes it started with a Middle C, but not always ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/12 "2012-09-28T21:54:04Z")
Ok, I misremembered, this song was in the same section of the song they combined with Swanee River to teach syncopation. But it was Humoresque + Swannee River for that! Gah! Remembering more and more about that book! Wish I still had itā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/13 "2012-09-28T21:57:45Z")
Thatā€™s one of those things that lots of kids play when they can get their mitts on a piano. You play it on the black keys, starting with F# (or the Bflat above that, since you are starting with what I consider to be the second note). ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/14 "2012-09-28T22:02:34Z")
Also I am probably throwing in ornamental notes, I remember it can be simpler. I think it could end t89000 **Silvorange** , but it does have some kind of name or I remember at least that the lesson did! ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/15 "2012-09-28T22:05:13Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Ok, using the keyboard cheat thing hereā€™s the song I remember that had those notes for an ending. > > (t?)utyt|tetw|tutyt|etwt|utyt|etwt|t0t9t888 > > Try that and see if it is what you mean? The one I remember was supposed to be played getting a little faster with emphasis on the last three notes. Sometimes it started with a Middle C, but not always Gah! Ok, correction! tutyt|etwt|utyt|etw|tutyt|etwt|0t9t888 ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/16 "2012-09-28T22:51:07Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > Thatā€™s one of those things that lots of kids play when they can get their mitts on a piano. You play it on the black keys, starting with F# (or the Bflat above that, since you are starting with what I consider to be the second note). And the lyrics are the nursery rhyme ā€œPeter, Peter, pumpkin eaterā€ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tune/636175/17 "2012-09-29T17:28:31Z")
It is, in fact, an excerpt from _Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater_. Transposed into the key of C (the all black keys version is F#), and sung with the lyrics _ā€œpumpkin shell and there he kept her very well.ā€_ The entire song would go: **E** C **D** C | _A_C_G_C **E** C **D** C | _A_C_G_C **E** C **D** C | _A_C_G_C _E_C_D_C _CCC_ Where the **bolded** letters are in the octave above Middle C, and the _italicized_ ones are the octave below.