Question re: ‘Snide Remarks’ circus column
In today’s “Snide Remarks” column (it’s free now, you know, so there’s nothing preventing you from reading it), I asked a question in the “Comments & Reaction” section. We don’t have comments enabled yet on SR columns, so I thought I’d conduct my informal poll here on the blog.
What I said in the column was that the circus I attended did not have “a calliope playing circus music. You know, CIRCUS MUSIC! Doot doot do-do-do-do doot doot do do, doot doot do-do-do-do doot doot do do, DOOT do-do-do-do, DOOT do-do-do-do — you know? (OK, this music.)”
And then afterward I said:
“I’m curious whether you knew what I meant by ‘circus music’ just from reading the words ‘circus music,’ or whether my ‘doot doot’ explanation of it was helpful. Or if neither one helped and you had to click the link and actually hear it before you knew what I was talking about.”
So which is it? I’m actually genuinely curious.
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:40 am
I instantly heard the “doot-doots” rattling into my brain. They were painfully tinny.
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:00 am
My sense for circus music is different from yours. When I think of circus music I think of more upbeat full band kind of stuff. Circus music should have a variety of instruments and have sort of a marching quality. Calliope music and your doot doot do-do-do-do example remind me more of carousel music. I did understand what tune you were referring to from your impressive doot-dooting, though. I didn’t even have to use the link. I’m so smart.
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:33 am
I thought I knew the music that you meant, but it turns out that I was thinking of the music that Bert “ya-da-da’s” in Mary Poppins while walking the imaginary tightrope next to his sidewalk drawings. Same idea, different tune.
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:54 am
The doot-dooting worked for me, too. But I used the link anyway and discovered that the music is called “Entrance of the Gladiators.” Shouldn’t music of that name portend a great struggle? The opening fanfare is okay, but it’s followed by the silly doot-doot tune. (Or maybe we’ve just been conditioned to think of that tune as clownish because of its associations.)
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:58 am
Well, I KNEW the circus music, but I just couldn’t get it into my head; then I remembered Homer Simpson’s imagining of the ballet - which was a monkey driving around in a car. In a circus, to the circus tune. I checked your words, and sure enough, that’s the tune!
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:44 am
I did know what you meant by the Doot Doing. I found it very descriptive and helpful. The music actually reminds me of the scene in Mary Poppins when Bert is pretending to be a tight rope walker, which he did because of a chalk picture of a small circus.
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:04 am
I knew exactly which song you meant, even before the “doot do’s,” which just served to confirm my expectation. Unfortunately I couldn’t listen to the music sample since I was reading your column while substitute teaching a public school chemistry class at the time. What? Reading Snide Remarks on the job? They were hard at work on a styrofoam ball and toothpick lab that really didn’t require much adult supervision. That’s right, watch me rationalize.
And by the way, I’ve always felt that it was kind of insulting to all the gladiators who died for the Romans’ entertainment that an anthem written to glorify them should be known almost exclusively now as the song they play for clowns. Maybe I’d feel less irked by that if they gave the clowns spears and set starving lions and tigers loose on them. Eat that, PETA!
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:31 am
Oh, I was totally with you on the “circus music,” but I must say that I found the doot-doot-ing to be impressive and highly amusing. Exactly the right number of doot’s and do’s….very nice.
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:38 am
I guessed what you meant from “circus music” but the doot-dooting was helpful for verifying that my guess was right.
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:53 am
You had me at ‘circus music’. Though it was fun to read the “doot-doots”.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:04 am
I knew immediately, then the doot-doot made me think of that Fruer song from the 80’s…
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:10 am
I didn’t immediately think of the right song with “cricus Music” but the doot doots did it for me. Thanks.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:29 am
I didn’t know what “circus music” meant until I read the “doot doot’s”. I was surprised the tune just popped into my head when reading it. That’s a cool trick on your part.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:31 am
I knew which song you meant after the first “doot” or two. That’s the music I also would expect them to play.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:41 am
I got the circus music, especially when you said calliope, a word that is not only fun to say but also fun to write!
But the “doot doots” are an essential part. You can write circus music, and I can cognitively react by nodding my head, but when you force me to read the “doot doots”- that is where the humor comes from.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:10 am
The “doot do-do-do- do’s” (and most especially the “DOOT’s”) told me exactly what music you were talking about, and gave me a good chuckle. Good times.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:12 am
The instant you mentioned circus music I heard that song playing in my head. Circus music = Doot doot do-do-do-do doot doot do do, doot doot do-do-do-do doot doot do do, DOOT do-do-do-do, DOOT do-do-do-do
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:20 am
I suspected at circus music, and read the doot-doots with that in mind. Didn’t need the link. Though I’m kind of ashamed that I read the doot-doots out loud.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:45 am
I knew what you meant when you said calliope, but I wasn’t sure I was right until I read the doot doots.
I couldn’t imagine paying $10 for cotton candy, but once I saw that great hat, I changed my mind. (I’ve always hated cotton candy. My dad, who had a business on Main Street, used to own a cotton candy machine that he would pull out every time there was a parade and make me stand there and sell cottong candy. Sticky, nasty, yucky job, especially for someone who doesn’t like cotton candy to begin with.)
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:45 am
I knew exactly what you meant, then the doot doots only confirmed things. I listened to the music on the link just for fun.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:50 am
I’m a stay-at-home mom of four kids. I knew exactly what you meant by circus music because it is the soundtrack of my life.
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:52 am
I heard the music in my head before my eyes even reached the “doot doot” part … but the doots confirmed it.
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:17 am
I suspected the song when you said “circus music,” and I was able to follow the doot-doots with that in mind, but I doubt if I would be able to have guessed it only from the doots.
Can you guess this song? do-do-do, do-do, DO-DO-DO, do-do, do-do-do.
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:18 am
I’m with those who knew exactly what song you meant when you said ‘circus music.’ I pride myself that I even knew the name of it was “March of the Gladiators.” I’ve always found that terrbily funny. The doot-doots are fun though.
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:26 am
I checked your doots to make sure, but I thought the same song - and had even taught it to my kids as ‘The Circus Song’ before I took them to the same circus here in Portland. How disappointed my kids were to not hear the music and now I can’t get it out of my head…
All while Madame Shamsheeva was doing tricks with her kittens, I kept waiting for the lion to come out, but he never did. At least our family didn’t pay the $125 it would have cost us at full ticket value - we only spent $25 total, so I can’t really complain.
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:13 am
Had a vague notion of circus music until you started up the dooting. Then it was obvious. But what I heard in my head was the goofy electronic music from Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade soundtrack, which incorporates the same dooting in a piece of one song.
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:37 am
The doot doots did it for me. Nice hat!
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:44 am
Thanks for all the replies! Isn’t it awesome that for most people, “circus music” means the exact same song? And how sad for the composer, Julius Fucik, that everyone knows his tune but no one knows his name. (How sad also for Mr. Fucik for his last name being what it is, but that’s another matter.)
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:37 am
I heard the music in my head the moment I read “circus music,” and it hasn’t stopped since. It also happens to be sung by the voice of Homer Simpson.
October 2nd, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Eric,
Yes, the “doots” were a nice clarification. I wouldn’t have know what you were talking about with that. An even better way to communicate the song (without actually posting the music, as you did) would be to reference David Spade in “The Emperor’s New Groove.” He sings that song when he shows the model of his summer home to the poor peasant guy.
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:25 pm
You had me at “circus music.”
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:28 pm
“Circus Music” did it for me. I just listened to a form of that song last week. Nice doots, though. I can’t wait to hear what the link sounds like.
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:59 pm
Living close to one of the few Clown Colleges in America (standing proudly, waiting for impressed stares), I had it on “circus music.” But, then again, the music is still running through my head and will probably continue…..Darn you, Eric!!
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Yeh, “Circus Music” was likewise enough for me, and the doots confirmed it. I went ahead and clicked the link anyway, causing my wife to call from the couch — OMG turn that off!!!!!!!!! (or words to that effect).
robcan2, is your song Louie-Louie?
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:17 pm
I automatically recognized what you were talking about as soon as I saw the words “circus music” in quotes. You’re dooting was perfect, too, as far as timing and accenting and whatnot.
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:59 pm
I sang along with the dooting. How could anyone not know what you were talking about?
October 2nd, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Knew straight away. It replaced the whale in my nightmares.
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:01 pm
I understood “circus music,” but I’m not sure how. The reason I’m not sure is that I have been to the circus three times in my life, and none of them played the doot-doot music. The first time was when I was about 5, and found the whole thing very thrilling. Way too thrilling to have noticed the music. The second time was when I was about 20, and I remember being very annoyed at the cheesy orchestra music, because they played it loud enough to completely drown out the lions and tigers roaring. They opened their mouths, but nothing came out, like mimes. Now there’s one for PETA! Both of those were Ringling etc. etc.
The third one was a little traveling circus out in rural Colorado. They had a Reptile House, and some Bearded people, and a tent, and it was wonderfully creepy, just like something out of a Ray Bradbury story. That was my favorite, but they still didn’t play the doot-doot music. I think that must be from a movie or something, because everybody knows it, even though it’s not real.
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:16 pm
The combination of “calliope” and “circus music” was enough to get that song running through my head, and the “doot-doo’s” cemented it further. Listening to the link was the last straw–I will NEVER be able to get that music out of my head now.
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I was reading the article outloud to my wife and was able to put the doot-doo’s to a tune without breaking the pace of what I was reading. The question is, can your friend Ryan play it on the keyboard.
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:22 pm
I knew exactly what you meant. Isn’t that what everyones thinks of when they think of circus music?
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Is there any other circus song?
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Yep, the doot doot’s immediately got the tune running through my head. Circus music for sure.
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:16 pm
I fully knew what you meant by circus music, but I enjoyed the doot-dooting nonetheless. I also clicked the link, because I just really like calliopes.
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:14 pm
i was pleased to have the link. upon hearing the link-music, i thought, “of course, perfect, ha ha ha.” without the link i had nothing. after the link i checked over the doots and made them come to life inside my head.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:34 am
Yes Circus Music was enough…and then you terrified me with the doots!
Tonights nightmare brought to you by Eric D. Snider
so thanks
October 3rd, 2006 at 9:11 am
You got it right wgh!
October 3rd, 2006 at 1:37 pm
I didn’t get it from “circus music” alone, because I was reading it in a general sense rather than as a single specific piece of music, but the doots did the trick. And then I listened to the the music because I saw there was a link that would repeat what I had just read and what I was already thinking and they say the best way to learn something is to read it, think it, and then click a link about it.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:49 pm
I have five young kids, and we have the DUMBO dvd which plays that song annoyingly during some of the extras which my younger kids like. So I got it immediately … but was annoyed to have pulsing in my head again.
October 4th, 2006 at 12:28 am
I got it immediately on doot doot doot
October 4th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
I was listening to music while I read the column, so I had to read the doot-doots in order for it to sink in. I did NOT click the link. Do you think I want to have clown nightmares?
Also, I recently went to a local fair and they had a bearded lady and a sword swallower and everything in the side show. I wanted desperately to go in, but my date refused. However, I did get to ride an elephant and eat alligator on a stick, so take that, PETA!
October 8th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
When you said circus music, I heard it, the doot-doots confirmed it, but after you asked if what we heard was right, of course in Hermionesque-fashion, I had to check the source to make sure I was right. Yep, dead on… IS there any other “circus music?”
October 10th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I instantly thought of the Simpsons when Homer was going to be a clown. He had the doot-doot music going in his head.
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:48 am
Just in case anyone’s interested, “Entrance of the Gladiators” does not, in fact, refer to actual Roman gladiators. It was traditionally the music played in the circus when the elephants came in. Today’s piece of useless information brought to you by the Foundation for People with Too Much Time on Their Hands at Work.
December 22nd, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Actually, none of the sources I consulted (Wikipedia, Grove Music Database) said anything about it being written FOR the circus or FOR the clowns. According to both sources, the march was composed by Czech composer Julius FuÄ?ÃÂk, and was originally entitled “Grande Marche Chromatique” (from the extensive use of the chromatic scale in the work). Per Wikipedia, “FuÄ?ÃÂk’s interest in Roman history” (and not his interest in the circus) was the reason he later renamed it “Einzug des Gladiatoren” (German for “Entrance of the Gladiators”). I imagine the work was first played for the entrance of the clowns as a kind of overinflated ironic statement, but now the irony is lost because no one has heard the original orchestral version.
It’s kind of sad that not only is he not remembered for anything else outside of his native Czech Republic, but the one piece of his that we do remember is inextricably linked to clowns and the circus, and is played calliope, no less.