Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2016 September 27

= September 27 =

Satanic movie with sound track going silent when Satan speaks to boy
An oldish (1970s or 1980s) occult movie featured a boy who Satan (or some demon) spoke with sometimes; when that happened, the sound track went silent. If I'm not mistaken, I think later in the movie the boy, by Satan's orders, threw his toy airplane against a wall to make his parents' airplane crash. Any guesses as to the name of the movie? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.251.70.30 (talk) 04:14, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Could it have been one of the films from The Omen (franchise)? -- Jayron 32 04:23, 28 September 2016 (UTC)

Old British triumphant march
I've got this tune in my head, associated I believe with the British Empire. It's triumphant-sounding, lots of brass instruments, slightly like Rule Britannia, probably dates from late 19th or early 20th century. I may have heard it at the end of old black & white British movies. It isn't God Save The King or Pomp & Circumstance. I don't know if it has lyrics. I tried whistling it into SoundHound but no luck. Any ideas as to the name? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.251.70.30 (talk) 04:26, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * A WAG, but possiby The British Grenadiers? There's a link to a rendition on YouTube at the bottom of the article. {The poster formerly known as 83.87.230.195} 90.202.211.191 (talk) 05:39, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * If it's not that one, there's a bunch to look at in this youtube video . --Viennese Waltz 07:18, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Working your way through Category:British military marches might help. Britmax (talk) 11:21, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Are you sure it is British? A piece often played in counterpoint to Rule Britannia is La Marseillaise, often in narrative musical works to represent the French. -- Jayron 32 11:54, 27 September 2016 (UTC)


 * One possibility - the Dam Busters March. Much newer than it sounds - it only dates back to the 1955 movie Dam Busters - but it's a pastische of the works of Elgar and it's become a standard of British military bands. Smurrayinchester 12:13, 27 September 2016 (UTC)


 * A few bars of British Grenadiers sometimes used to be played in Hollywood films to signal the entrance of a pompous Englishman. The Royal Naval equivalent is Hearts of Oak ; several British war films end with a deus ex machina, the arrival of the fleet to the strains of Hearts of Oak. If it's a slow march, try Handel's Slow March from Scipio. Alansplodge (talk) 12:29, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * That would be "Heart of Oak" (I only knew of this common error from a question on "My Music" some years ago) . --  20:57, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Quite right; the lyrics (at least the ones we learned at school) are the cause of the confusion: "Heart of oak are our ships, Hearts of oak are our men..." Alansplodge (talk) 19:20, 28 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Some other possibilities: Jupiter from The Planets (part of which was appropriated for the hymn I Vow to Thee My Country); one of the less well-known Pomp and Circumstance Marches (I presume number 1 - aka "Land of Hope and Glory" - is the one referred to in the question, but number 4 is also played quite often); Walton's Crown Imperial (march) (which dates from 1937). If you could record whistling of the tune and upload it then we might be able to help more. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:05, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * I was just about to suggest "Jupiter". The patriotic section (quite different from the rest of the movement) is called "Thaxted", which might help you find the specific part. Smurrayinchester 13:10, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * And here's a fine example of its use. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:35, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * You could also try using this site, which lets you enter (a version of) the Parsons code to identify tunes. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:12, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

Artists with top 10 hits in 5+ decades
According to Where Are We Now?, "The success of the song also meant that Bowie has had a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart in five different decades (1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s), something which few other artists have managed to achieve." So who are these "few other artists"? Googling suggests Michael Jackson (although his only 60s hit was as part of the Jackson 5) and Cher. Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard probably also count if you include their performances in bands and guest appearances. Are there others? (I'm chiefly asking about the UK charts, but Billboard would be interesting as well) Smurrayinchester 10:55, 27 September 2016 (UTC)


 * Pink Floyd had albums in the top ten for five decades. Though, you seem to be looking for individual artists and not bands.  † Dismas †|(talk) 11:14, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * I'm sure bands are included, but he's asking about the singles charts, not the album charts. --Viennese Waltz 12:21, 27 September 2016 (UTC)


 * Being the UK singles chart, it is a little different than the US singles chart. If you don't allow a person to chart with a band, then Elvis Presley is the other person to chart in every decade that the UK singles chart has existed. If you allow a person to chart with a band and solo, Cliff Richard is another one. Michael Jackson isn't listed as having a top 10 in every decade since the 60s in the UK charts (even with the Jackson 5), but he clearly did in the US singles chart. In the UK, their first single was in 1970 (I Want You Back). 209.149.113.4 (talk) 13:44, 28 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Tom Jones and Diana Ross have also had top 10 singles in five decades, including appearances as a featured artist and Ross's tenure in the Supremes. Warofdreams talk 00:56, 3 October 2016 (UTC)