# What was that song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170 "2017-09-24T12:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/1 "2017-09-24T12:46:04Z")
I know I didn’t dream this. A rock song came out when I was in elementary school and was used as part of a school play. The intro was very long and instrumental with piano and occasional guitar twang, like a slower version of Van Halen’s intro to “Right Now”. Male singer, somewhere around '79-81. When I hear VH’s “Right Now” start, I think it’s going to be that song from elementary school. Anyone know what song/artist I’m trying to remember? edited to add: The instrumental part was so long that it might have been a stand alone piece before the main song. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/2 "2017-09-24T12:57:17Z")
I feel like I hear this. My first thought is **Bruce Hornsby’s That’s Just the Way It Is** , but doubtful: [The Way It Is (Remastered) - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WyYC9qRlJxY) ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/3 "2017-09-24T13:00:48Z")
Nope, early 80s. But thanks for trying! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/4 "2017-09-24T13:40:47Z")
Pink Floyd’s \*Time \*has that same ”DUMMMM!” but instead of being over a piano riff it’s over a tic-toc sound. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/5 "2017-09-24T13:46:29Z")
What about Supertramp - “Take the Long Way Home”? they sound sort of vaguely similar the first few seconds. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXDs6Spi-sE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXDs6Spi-sE) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/6 "2017-09-24T14:14:52Z")
Two suggestions: Alan Parsons Project - [“Sirius” into “Eye in the Sky”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBQalkIeE7s) John Cafferty & Beaver Brown Band\* - [“On the Dark Side”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQ-6IAS1cc) (\*We called them Bargain-Basement Bruce.) ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/7 "2017-09-24T14:15:54Z")
IIRC, the long instrumental part is very similar to the first 30 seconds of VH’s [Right Now](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=rMV-fenGP1g), but goes on much longer. Thanks for trying. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/8 "2017-09-24T14:22:12Z")
Burpo, Alan Parsons Project’s - “Sirius” into “Eye in the Sky” is close, but this was a couple years earlier (Parson’s came out in '82). My big bro was in 5th or 6th grade when they did the play, and he’s 3 years ahead of me, putting the song, if brand new in the window of 79-81. We’re getting closer by elimination! 🙂 Thanks so much. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/9 "2017-09-24T15:17:24Z")
[Journey - Faithfully](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMD8hBsA-RI)? ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/10 "2017-09-24T15:48:47Z")
Been scouring YT with no luck. Here’s a piggy-back question that has me wondering if the instrumental is guitar and not piano. Anyone know the name of [this song](https://youtu.be/hNkuVBSK12A) the Doobie Bros are playing around 8:21 on their What’s Happening?! part 2 segment? Could also be that the song I’m looking for in the OP is earlier than '79, so let’s open the window a little wider. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/11 "2017-09-24T16:51:51Z")
Can’t answer the original question, but The Doobie Brothers are playing the instrumental coda to a song called [I Cheat the Hangman](https://youtu.be/u7EZv5GsGzs?list=RDQMvF21WqzBYdw&t=261) in that clip. Link goes to that section, but there’s four minutes of song before it that they apparently didn’t play on _What’s Happening_. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/12 "2017-09-24T17:04:08Z")
Probably not, but … long intro, piano and guitar, 1979: John Cougar Mellencamp : [I Need a Lover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGPP2PbayJc&list=RDuGPP2PbayJc)? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/13 "2017-09-24T17:28:36Z")
> [@Just\_Ed](#): > > Probably not, but … long intro, piano and guitar, 1979: John Cougar Mellencamp : [I Need a Lover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGPP2PbayJc&list=RDuGPP2PbayJc)? Love the idea, but it was in elementary school - “I need a lover who won’t drive me crazy - who knows the meaning of Hey, hit the highway” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/14 "2017-09-24T21:49:39Z")
Eminence Front (The Who)? ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/15 "2017-09-24T22:44:20Z")
Bo, not that one, but that was my wedding song! Just Ed, thanks for the DB song title! Not JCM, but thanks for trying. jerez, I took a listen, not that one. I can’t wait until this one gets figured out. I asked my big bro and he can’t remember. It’s really itching me! ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/16 "2017-09-25T01:30:25Z")
My guess: ‘Separate Ways’ by Journey ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/17 "2017-09-25T02:35:48Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > My guess: ‘Separate Ways’ by Journey With one of the most ridiculous music videos to boot! I’m struggling here. I’m imaginingg a song with a mid-tempo to slow arpeggiated piano part that repeats, with a bass note that changes (probably in a descending manner) while the treble part remains the same, but I can’t quite find the song. It seems like there should be an obvious song there in the time period named, but it’s not quite clicking. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/18 "2017-09-25T06:19:07Z")
It wouldn’t be Tubular Bells (used in The Exorcist) would it? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YYmRA45BZmc/hqdefault.jpg "Tubular Bells 1973") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYmRA45BZmc) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/19 "2017-09-25T11:18:49Z")
Are you sure the song came out then, or could it have been earlier? Thinking of Jethro Tull’s _Locomotive Breath._ ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170/20 "2017-09-25T14:20:43Z")
A total shot in the dark (it’s from 1972, and no piano): [“From the Beginning”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKI0d6TMlhM) by Emerson, Lake & Palmer? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-that-song/797170.md?page=2)