# What's the name of that whimsical song that plays in this Simpsons episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109 "2005-03-24T23:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/1 "2005-03-24T23:32:32Z")
It’s in a lot of movies and cartoons, but the most notable example I can think of is the Simpsons episode where Homer has to take a Traffic School class and they’re showing a movie about people who were injured in car accidents, and everyone in the class is getting nauseous and disturbed, but Homer’s scarfing food and watching intently. The song is played during this segment, presumably as the soundtrack for the movie. It sounds markedly zany and whimsical, obviously a gag in constrasts with the horrific content of the movie they’re watching. What’s the name of the song, and who wrote it? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/2 "2005-03-24T23:47:54Z")
If I remember that episode correctly, it was Yakety Sax (also used in many a Benny Hill chase scene). ---
**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:** [March 25, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/3 "2005-03-25T01:34:09Z")
Either that, or “My Baby’s the Star of a Driver’s Ed Movie.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/4 "2005-03-25T02:27:30Z")
Moving this one from GQ to Cafe Society, our forum for The Arts. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/5 "2005-03-25T04:40:20Z")
[Here’s the episode](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/9F14.html) (I think), but they don’t mention that particular piece of music. “Yakity Sax” isn’t a bad bet. ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/6 "2005-03-25T17:06:03Z")
No, it’s not “Yakety Sax” – that’s from another episode. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/7 "2005-03-25T18:51:40Z")
Is it not the theme tune to the Keystone Kops? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/8 "2005-03-25T19:41:10Z")
I wonder if it is “Holiday For Strings,” which has been used in The Simpsons before (when Homer had his daydream about the “land of chocolate”). ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/9 "2005-03-25T21:44:40Z")
is the Keystone Kops theme the same as this mp3? [http://www.fabermusic.net/Music/Carl\_Davis\_Keystone\_Kops.mp3](http://www.fabermusic.net/Music/Carl_Davis_Keystone_Kops.mp3) if it is, this is not the music in the driver’s ed class. also, it’s not “Holiday for Strings” because the scene I’m talking about (driver’s ed class) doesn’t have the same music as the “land of chocolate” scene. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/10 "2005-03-25T22:56:47Z")
“Here’s an appealing fellow…in fact, they’re a-peeling him right off the sidewalk!” ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/11 "2005-03-28T06:01:27Z")
shoot, i can’t beleive no one knows this song… it seems so ubiquitous that i figured that everyone would know it… i’ll see if i can post an mp3 of it. ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/12 "2005-03-28T06:13:46Z")
here’s a link to the song: [http://www.blackpitchpress.com/links/whimsy.mp3](http://www.blackpitchpress.com/links/whimsy.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/13 "2005-03-28T16:52:20Z")
does anyone know any other movies or television programs that have featured this song? ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/14 "2005-03-28T20:57:10Z")
I wouldn’t be suprised if it was an original piece composed specifically for that episode. One of the paradoxes of the entertainment industry is that it is often cheaper to write your own music than secure the rights for a well-known tune. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/15 "2005-03-28T22:57:59Z")
> [@Jet Jaguar](#): > > I wouldn’t be suprised if it was an original piece composed specifically for that episode. One of the paradoxes of the entertainment industry is that it is often cheaper to write your own music than secure the rights for a well-known tune. I would guess that it’s an original piece as well. It completely sounds like a piece of music Alf Clausen would score. ---
**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/16 "2005-03-28T23:44:31Z")
really? I’d be surprised if it was Alf Clausen; it has a dated sound that I instinctively feel couldn’t have been so effortlessly recreated in 1992 or 93, or whenever that came out. I guess it’s possible, but my gut feeling is to doubt that it was an original piece just for that Simpson’s episode. Also, I feel like I’ve heard it elsewhere… but I can’t put my finger on where. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/17 "2005-03-29T01:21:41Z")
Having listened to the clip: I officially have no clue. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/18 "2005-03-29T01:44:43Z")
> [@LarrySpankowitz](#): > > really? I’d be surprised if it was Alf Clausen; it has a dated sound that I instinctively feel couldn’t have been so effortlessly recreated in 1992 or 93… Alf Clausen is a musical genius. I really would not be surprised at all if he scored it. Wonder if there’s a way to find out. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/19 "2005-03-29T01:54:18Z")
> [@LarrySpankowitz](#): > > Also, I feel like I’ve heard it elsewhere… but I can’t put my finger on where. It sounds to me like typical “zany” music. Reminds a bit of a slightly coked-up Herb Alpert. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109/20 "2005-03-29T02:25:11Z")
Sounds like the kind of music you’d find in silent movies, or at least that accompanied clips of silent movies when shown more recently on TV (say in the last forty years). Not Keystone Kops specifically, but not far from it - Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, etc, particularly car chases and such. Though fairly generic enough to be an original piece harking back to the era. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-whimsical-song-that-plays-in-this-simpsons-episode/296109.md?page=2)