# What's that cartoon conveyer belt tune? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185 "2001-04-24T20:43:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/1 "2001-04-24T20:43:47Z")
What is the name of that jazz tune used in the old cartoons during conveyer belt/machinery scenes? It was used on the Simpsons during the bowling pin making scene. I’m trying to find a copy of it on the web. Is it by Benny Goodman maybe? ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/2 "2001-04-24T21:28:33Z")
It’s “Powerhouse” by [Raymond Scott](http://www.RaymondScott.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Maxwell\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Maxwell\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxwell_Edison)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/3 "2001-04-24T21:34:45Z")
It’s called “Powerhouse” and it’s by Raymond Scott. There is a copy of it on the earthstation1 site. [http://www.earthstation1.com/BullDada.html](http://www.earthstation1.com/BullDada.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/4 "2001-04-24T23:56:05Z")
You might also want to search Napster for a tune called “Factory Concerto,” by my pals The Pietasters. Then, go buy the album if you like it. My pals are poor. ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/5 "2001-04-25T00:29:31Z")
**Sofa** , you know the Pietasters? Gotta love that ska. And they can’t be to bad off, they’re on Epitaph. Wait… I’m friends with people on another label and their last show was at a place meant to hold 50 people (but they crammed in about 100+) so, I can see your point. Hmm. I’ll send them 2 cents in an envelope for you. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/6 "2001-04-25T00:41:17Z")
Hey, that was a pretty good tune. Thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![PublicBlast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/779978/32.png) [@PublicBlast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PublicBlast)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/7 "2001-04-25T01:15:08Z")
[semi-hijack] Is “Powerhouse” by any chance a rendition of the factory soundtrack from the great silent-era German sci-film _Metropolis_? It sounds vaguely similar. [/semi-hijack] ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/8 "2001-04-25T04:14:11Z")
On a related note, what about the typewriter song often heard in 1950s movies? ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/9 "2001-04-25T04:27:52Z")
Thank you scratch1300 and Maxwell Edison for the link. That’s exactly what I was looking for. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-cartoon-conveyer-belt-tune/63185/10 "2001-04-25T04:46:45Z")
The typewriter music might be a piece by Leroy Anderson piece titled (oddly enough) “The Typewriter”.